New Zealand's Children Young Person and Their Families Act, 1989 is rooted in the fundamental rights of children to access resources within their families, the Act protects children and youth from harm and effectively:
The central feature of the legislation is the Family Group Conference (FGC) which has to occur before an application for a declaration that a child or young person is in need of care or protection may be made to the Family Court, or an arrest can be made by a police officer in the case of a youth crime. Furthermore, the Act provides a right for every extended family member (any person significant in the child's life)) of a child or young person to attend the FGC. The Act also dictates how the FGC process is to be implemented.See The Family Group Conference Process