It’s been another frustrating week for our family support and prevention services who are still coming to grips with funding cuts and a Minister who is laying the blame at their feet.

“Karen Chhour’s botched handling of provider contracts across the country has resulted in stress for many services and made life harder for vulnerable children and their whānau,” Labour’s children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime said.

“What we’re hearing from community providers across the country is quite different to the Minister’s claims. She’s given no evidence to substantiate her attack on community providers across the country.

“More than 330 services like Family Start and Women’s Support have suffered funding cuts and are now worried about whether they can still help tamariki and whānau through some of the toughest times of their lives.

“How can we be confident that children will not lose out when there’s been no conversation with providers or communities about these cuts – a decision made and enforced with little warning.

“Heartbreaking is the only way to describe it. It’s clear that the need is high for support services – we should be meeting that need not making it worse by culling contracts with no transition plan for children and their families.

“Months ago, I wrote to the Minister asking her for assurances that we wouldn’t lose these essential services. Her response made it clear that these cuts are about the money. It’s as simple as that.

“The Minister is putting a dollar value on the lives of our children and many will now be losing out on the only safe spaces they know.

“The Minister doesn’t seem to understand that Oranga Tamariki’s mandate includes supporting and protecting all children, young people and their families, to prevent harm and improve their well-being.

“The fact that the Children’s Commission and Independent Child Monitor are seeking information from the Government about these cuts shows just how serious this situation is.

“Instead of scapegoating providers and trying to spin the issue as their fault, Karen Chhour must recognise that the ones paying the ultimate cost of these cuts are vulnerable children and families,” said Willow-Jean Prime.

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