Five brothers and sisters have been removed by social workers from the South Island's reclusive religious community Gloriavale.

One of Gloriavale's leaders Fervent Stedfast, confirmed the children had been uplifted by Child Youth and Family (CYF) staff. It follows allegations earlier this year of physical and sexual abuse inside the closed West Coast Christian community.

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SUPPLIED The children who were removed from CYF care have been returned "healthy and happy" back at Gloriavale with their parents.

"Yes they were taken but they have been returned," said Stedfast. He added the children were "healthy and happy" back at Gloriavale with their parents.

It is understood CYF were investigating claims the five children, believed to be aged between seven and fifteen, had been subjected to physical abuse including being smacked hard and beaten with sticks.

The children have two older sisters, both now aged in their 20s. One fled Gloriavale three years ago and the other two years ago. The sisters told TV3's Campbell Live in April they were both subjected to sexual, verbal and physical abuse inside the community.

One was "shunned" and kept in isolation at age 14 for having a relationship with a boy. She said she was kept alone in a primitive bush shack without food for four weeks as punishment. The sisters said they had been beaten from the age of five.

The sisters claimed child abuse was "not unusual".

"My dad used to beat us all the time, for no reason."

"I never knew why. You'd go home and Dad would be angry and the first thing he'd do was get a stick and start hitting you."

The sisters also claimed they had been forced to fast because leaders considered them overweight.

"If there's a girl putting on weight the amount of insults they get, it's incredible."

The sisters had since been spoken with police as part of its ongoing Gloriavale investigation. Fairfax Media understands the five children were in CYF care for between two and three weeks before they were returned.

The sisters said they had not seen their brothers and sisters while they were care and only knew their siblings had been taken when their estranged mother contacted them from inside Gloriavale to ask if they knew of their whereabouts.

CYF would not respond to questions about why the children had been uplifted and returned.

"In many cases it is not helpful for children and families involvement with Child, Youth and Family to be played out in public. As a result we generally do not confirm nor deny Child, Youth and Family involvement and will not be responding to your request in this instance," said a spokeswoman.

Police declined to comment specifically on the removal of the children. The separate investigation into allegations of abuse at Gloriavale was "proving to be a slow process".

The community's leader, Hopeful Christian, was sentenced to six years in prison on eleven charges of indecent assault in 1994 but the Court of Appeal quashed the sentences and his convictions and ordered a new trial.

He was found guilty on three charges of sexual abuse on young community members at his second trial in December 1995.