New Zealand Council of Christian Social Services
Media Release
For Immediate Release
31 July 2007

Social services struggling under increased pressure

“Christian social service providers have answers to the symptoms of persistent poverty such as bad housing, violence, abuse, alcoholism, and poor educational outcomes, but they need support for their work. The poorest New Zealanders have remained at the bottom of the pile since 1982", says New Zealand Council of Christian Social Services (NZCCSS) President Ross Kendrew. “There are answers and there is hope, our member agencies know a great deal about what works and makes a difference, but they need support for their work. We urge the government to work with social service providers to ensure they have the capacity to address these immediate, pressing needs”

The recently released Ministry of Social Development report “Household incomes in New Zealand; trends in indicators of inequality and hardship 1982 to 2004” has demonstrated that the poorest New Zealanders have remained at the bottom of the pile with no improvements since 1982. Poverty and associated problems of one generation are being experienced by the next.

Intergenerational poverty has resulted in families with increasingly needs and multiple issues. This has created mounting pressure on community based social services throughout the country. “We are receiving many reports from member agencies of huge pressure on existing social services. Waiting lists are common and our members are struggling to meet families’ needs”, says Trevor McGlinchey, Executive Officer NZCCSS.

While the Government has resourced a number of targeted programmes these are not the answer. Funding for frontline social services that respond to flexibly to the needs of families has remained static for many years. “Inflation and rising wage costs mean social service agencies are struggling to reach out to those most in need. Immediate action is required to support social service agencies to support families”, comments Ross Kendrew.

NZCCSS members see the widening gap between rich and poor and experienced how this erodes family/whanau & community resources to sustain and support families under pressure. Vaughan Milner, convener of the NZCCSS Child and Family Policy Group, says “While there is no doubt poverty drives a person to seek our help, it is usually poverty combined with the loss or lack of other support that creates the need for preventive services from our agencies”.

“The poorest in our community have paid the price for the increasing prosperity of the richer class of New Zealanders”, states Trevor McGlinchey. “In our egalitarian and caring society we must ensure that social service providers are equipped to provide the hand-up that people in poverty need - not at some time in another year or two, but right now”.

ENDS

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