The Government has axed the term "vulnerable" from the Ministry for Vulnerable children, saying that the controversial name stigmatised young people.
It will be renamed Oranga Tamariki - Ministry for Children, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced on Monday.
"As we've always maintained, we want this ministry's work to be geared towards the welfare of all children and to not stigmatise the children that it works with," Ms Ardern said.
The name change is expected to be made into law next week.
Minister for Children Tracey Martin said children and care workers in the sector had told her that the use of "vulnerable" stigmatised children.
"Every child is vulnerable at some stage in its life," Ms Martin said. "These children, particularly at the moment - the 5700 - are in circumstances that make them currently the most vulnerable."
Ms Martin said the rebrand will cost $418,000, but the previous Government put aside $530,000 for the rebrand from Child Youth and Family.
The Ministry for Vulnerable Children was named by former Social Development Minister Anne Tolley.
Children's Commissioner Andrew Becroft refused to use the name, instead opting for Oranga Tamariki which translates as "the wellbeing of our young".
Ms Ardern wants to widen the scope of Oranga Tamariki, saying that a child in poverty might never come in contact with a social worker from the Ministry.
She said housing, education, and health were examples of sectors that the Ministry could work with.
Newshub.
