So if sterilisation isn’t the answer, what is?

Radio NZ reports:

One of the women who was jailed for her part in the death of Rotorua toddler, Nia Glassie, has had another child removed from her care by Child, Youth and Family (CYF).

Oriwa Kemp was jailed for three years and four months for the assault and wilful ill-treatment of the three-year-old, who died in 2007 after prolonged abuse.

She has given birth to at least three children since serving her sentence – all have now been taken by CYF.

So how do you stop this sort of sterilisation? I don’t advocate that, as too harsh a power for the state. But surely something can be done?

Doesn’t CYF have the power to get a court order stating that any children born to a parent will automatically be taken into state care, with the idea being this will be a deterrent. Was this done in this case?