The proposed change reflects a first-principles review of the subsequent child provisions, which found that the provisions were not promoting the best interests of children, rather the provisions were causing harm, particularly for children with an older sibling already in care. This is because a court is required to determine that there's no realistic prospect that an older sibling who has already been removed would be returned to their parents' care, a process that results in additional and potentially traumatic court proceedings of that older sibling. The subsequent child provisions have also placed social workers in a difficult position and undermined their ability to work meaningfully with whānau, hapū, iwi, and communities. The proposed change will support social workers to use their skills, their expertise, and their professional knowledge, as appropriate, in an area of work that requires significant sensitivity and skill. 