The Government's recently trumpeted changes to child welfare policy are missing the point, says Labour's Associate Justice Spokesperson Poto Williams.

While she applauds the Government taking action for young victims of family violence, Poto believes they are focusing on children already in state care which make up only a small fraction of the total number of children affected by family violence.

Labour's Associate Justice Spokesperson Poto Williams says government policy a missed opportunity. Supplied Photo

At a public meeting in Mount Maunganui on Thursday, Poto illustrates her point with figures from her own experience in Waitakere.

Poto says of the 3500 children in homes where police were called to deal with situations involving family violence, only 55 received any treatment.

'Often the response to a family violence situation is if the children are not in the room we think it's okay,” she says.

'What happens is those children are sitting in that room wondering what is happening to their mother. They are hearing what is going on, and not seeing what is going on. They are imagining all sorts of things.”

In later life, children raised in homes with family violence are more likely to become sex offenders, says Poto. Family violence also impacts pregnant women as continued high levels of stress hormones affects the baby in utero.

Such a baby starts off life differently, is fractious, unsettled, cries easily, she says.

'If you are in home where family violence is present, it is not to be taken lightly.”

While Poto is happy the Government is acting, many of its actions fail to connect with the people who need the help.

Raising the in-care age to 18 is 'a no-brainer, they should have done it years ago. We should have done it”. Raising the benefit by $25 a week for families is also to be applauded, she says.

But Poto also believes there's a raft of measures that will have no effect on anyone, except children that are already in state care.

'Children in care are not the problem they are in care because their families' lives are so desperate they can't be cared for by their families.

'I think we have missed a huge opportunity here. But if we are going to change the face of family violence in this community we need to look after all our tamariki (children),” says Poto

But Social Development Minister Anne Tolley says turning around intergenerational family violence will take time.

At the heart of the new approach are Government agencies and NGOs working together for families and whānau to provide increased support to high-risk victims, better manage perpetrators and improve collaboration between agencies.

The Integrated Safety Response pilot brings together a range of agencies including Police, Child, Youth and Family, Corrections, Health, specialist family violence NGOs and Māori service providers to support victims and their families.

While Justice Minister Amy Adams says about half of all violent offence charges in our courts relate to family violence.

'Half of all homicide victims are killed by a family member or someone they had been in a relationship with,” says Amy.