70. The Committee may wish to consider including the following questions in its List of Issues for the New Zealand Government:  What additional measures does the Government intend to take to reduce the prevalence of violence and abuse against children – particularly those aimed at reducing family stressors?  What measures does the Government intend to take to evaluate the impact of new policies, such as the Children’s Action Plan, on reducing the prevalence of violence and abuse against children?  What steps has the Government taken to systematically collect data on violence and bullying in schools; monitor the impact of the student mental health and well-being initiatives recently introduced in schools on the reduction of the incidence of violence and bullying; and assess the effectiveness of measures, legislative or otherwise, in countering violence and bullying? 6. Family Environment and Alternative Care Adoption Relevant provision of the CRC: Article 21 CO 2011: The Committee recommends that the State party take steps to ensure that a child’s consent is required, as appropriate, for domestic adoptions. The Committee also recommends that the State party resume its review of adoption legislation and revise it, as appropriate, in order to bring it in line with the Convention as well as with the 1993 Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Cooperation in respect of Intercountry Adoption. The Committee further recommends that the State party lower to at least 18 years the age at which adopted children have the right to have access to their files. 71. 33 The Adoption Act 1955 is long overdue for reform. However, there has been no substantive progress made since 2011 in reforming the Act and adopting the Law Commission’s recommendations made in 2000. Private Member’s Bills have been developed by Members of Parliament33 but have not attracted the Government’s interest. Adoption numbers are at historical lows with only around 100 registered adoptions taking place in 2014. https://www.lawsociety.org.nz/lawtalk/lawtalk-archives/issue-865/what-the-politicians-say 18