Child, Youth and Family (CYF) staff are to be based at five key hospitals around the country as part of a new campaign against child abuse.
The Never Shake A Baby campaign will be launched today by Social Development Minister Paula Bennett.
It will include national advertising, new-parent education, community-worker support for abused children and for families, and protection of abuse victims.
It will involve police, CYF, district health boards, health workers, non-government social workers and the Children's Commission.
Under the plan, CYF workers will be based in five hospitals to provide a link between the families of abused children and health workers.
Paediatrician Dr Patrick Kelly, of Auckland's Starship Hospital, said the campaign was a good first step, but he doubted it would change abuse figures in the short term.
"In a sense, this is only nibbling around the edges, because there is no simple solution," he told The Press.
Mr Kelly said New Zealand had failed to take collective responsibility for child abuse, leaving the problem to CYF and police.
Ms Bennett said funding for the campaign, which will focus on those under two, would come from existing budgets.
