Top civil servant apologises for failing abuse in care victims

New Zealand's top civil servant has apologised unreservedly to abuse survivors, for failings at the Social Development Ministry under his leadership.

Now the head of the Public Service, Peter Hughes led MSD for a decade.

He's told the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care that actions his ministry took caused further harm and distress.

Hughes also took ownership for the failings of the Public Service as a whole on the final day of the inquiry's state response hearing.

His acknowledgements on Friday were in regards to three survivors in particular, including Keith Wiffin, who was at the hearing in person.

Wiffin was put into care at Epuni Boys' Home in Wellington in 1970.

He faced abuse from the age of 11.

In 2006, Wiffin filed a claim with the High Court, in regards to what he suffered.

The following year he received an assurance from Hughes himself that it would be settled fairly.

"The Commission found that Crown Law and the Ministry of Social Development, which I led, through their actions and inactions lost sight of the human beings at the centre of the claims and caused them further harm and distress," Hughes said.

"What happened to Mr Wiffin, Mr Paul White and Mr Earl White, should not have happened and I deeply regret it."

Wiffin said: "It feels like the culmination of 20 years struggle."

"It meant a huge amount, I felt it was sincere and it also meant a lot to me cause it has ramifications for all the others who suffered a similar fate."

Hughes told Commissioners" "I accept the Commission’s findings in relation to those cases in full.

"I apologised to each of them at the time for the failure of the State to protect them from abuse while in care, and for the further harm the Ministry of Social Development caused them in managing their claims. I repeat those apologies today.

"In addition, I sincerely and unreservedly apologise for the other failings identified subsequently by the Commission in its Redress report."

Child Matters chief executive Jane Searle said it's important we get these acknowledgements, as it means we can start making real change.

"None of this will mean anything if we can't turn it into changes in the future, cause we're still a long way of ensuring the safety of our most at risk children."

Hughes said: "I am the person that needs to own the leadership of the Public Service going back to 1950... owning, fixing, learning has to start with me, so I am happy to own all the failings have been identified over the course of the Commission."

He said he's committed to leading the change.