A child protection advocate says an increase in abuse and neglect in care cases comes as no surprise.  

A report by the Independent Children's Monitor has found the number of young people being abused in state care has increased, and children aren't receiving the minimum standards of care required.

Child Matters Chief Executive Jane Searle told Mike Hosking things need to change. 

She says the report shows Oranga Tamariki is still not doing what it was designed to do. 

Searle says changes need to start with the huge workload of social workers. 

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