It's been confirmed that five-year-old Malachi Subecz was failed by multiple government agencies, something his family says it already knew.

The little boy was tortured and killed by Michaela Barriball, the woman Malachi's mother trusted to look after him when she was jailed.

Family members reported abuse to Oranga Tamariki - but their concerns was dismissed. That was in June 2021. By November he was dead.

Now an independent review commissioned by agencies meant to protect Malachi has highlighted a litany of shortcomings and concluded more could have been done to save his life.

It makes 14 recommendations. So far the government only committed to adopting nine.

But Malachi's family are desperate for him to be an angel of real change - saying his death cannot be in vain.

Māni Dunlop reports.