Real Issues No. 266 – Child Welfare, Older People, Karl Rove

Maxim Institute - real issues - No. 266 16 August 2007 www.maxim.org.nz

'Everybody needs to do something' The curse of neglect Manufacturing solutions

IN THE NEWS The repeal of seditious offences Local government elections

'EVERYBODY NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING'

As the country continues to debate the crucial and terrible issues of family violence and child abuse, we have also begun to focus anew on the support structures for vulnerable children, particularly those who are in care, or who need extra help. National Party MP Anne Tolley has highlighted the issue of 'vulnerable kids' 'being shunted from foster home to foster home.' On the news, in the paper, and in our own neighbourhoods, we can see children struggling with deep and engrained problems, children who need a hand.

Caregivers and foster parents do a job which is vital and often unheralded. They provide safe space, care, affection and a helping hand, and they do so in many cases with little recognition. Hilary Price, of the Tauranga charity Homes of Hope, which provides 'on-going residential care and support to dependent children, offering respite and nurture amidst the storms of family chaos,' spoke this week of the need for more foster parents, more support for caregivers and foster parents, and the role the whole community can play in helping to pick up the pieces.

'The sector is crying out for people willing to make a difference and put their hand up to help a vulnerable child,' Mrs Price said. Likewise, 'caregivers need ongoing support and training to help them deal with sometimes complex issues.' She urged all of us to consider how we can help the most vulnerable of our kids, saying: 'Everybody can do something, whether it is befriending a neighbour or a vulnerable member of society in your sphere of influence (the church, the rugby club, the school). Everybody needs to do something, and if we all did a little, a lot would change.'

Hilary Price's comments remind us that child, youth and family policy is not simply a matter of government action. The climate of our culture is our problem and our responsibility too. Funding decisions, government structures and policies impact real kids in real communities, but if we really want to get serious about the issues, we should, and must, begin by strengthening those communities themselves.

Find out more about Homes of Hope http://www.homesofhope.org.nz/

THE CURSE OF NEGLECT

A report released this week by Age Concern in the UK has shown that astounding numbers of older people are suffering from mental illness, in many cases undiagnosed and unsupported. The research finds that high levels of depression among the elderly are largely due to isolation and age discrimination, and to attitudes that question the value they offer to the community.

The research highlights areas of serious concern for us all. It shows that 'there is tremendous unmet need' in the community, with 'one in four older people' suffering from 'symptoms of depression that are severe enough to warrant intervention.' Intervention is not happening however, as only 'a third of older people with depression ever discuss it with their GP.' Alcohol abuse is also identified as a common problem, as those 'aged between 55 and 74 have the highest rates of alcohol-related deaths in the UK.' The research also shows that '[a] third of people who provide unpaid care for an older person with dementia have depression.'

The report makes a number of broad recommendations, which recognise not only the need for the government to act, but also for increased involvement and support at the grassroots level. These recommendations focus on increasing awareness and support for both the elderly and their caregivers, and on eliminating age discrimination. Importantly, the report highlights the significant role that family and friends play in the lives of the elderly, stating that their participation can be successful in 'preventing problems from developing or getting worse.'

Involvement at a grassroots level can make a huge difference for the elderly suffering from depression. The report states that 'social isolation' and 'everyday difficulties' are both easily avoidable factors that can lead to depression. Such factors can be mitigated with the help of family and friends, and those in the neighbouring community.

While this report looks at the situation in Britain many of its findings are equally relevant here. In a society obsessed with economic productivity, we need to ask how well we are doing at valuing the elderly; how decent our society really is. Do we reduce their worth to their utility or do we value our elderly as having a dignity, beauty and worth in their own right?

Read Improving services and support for older people with mental health problems http://www.mhilli.org/documents/Inquiryfinalreport-FULLREPORT.pdf

MANUFACTURING SOLUTIONS

Karl Rove, whose imminent departure from the White House was announced this week, will leave a deep imprint not just on the Bush administration, but on Republican politics as a whole. In commenting on the departure of Rove many have focused on the obvious issues -- the Iraq war, congressional investigations and his tactics on the campaign trail. But the greater issue is the effect he has had on the overarching framework of the Republican Party; in altering its philosophy and ideals.

Rove has had a profound influence on the Bush administration stemming from his close relationship with President Bush that reaches back decades. Their relationship was taken to a professional level when in 1994 Rove advised Bush in his campaign to become Governor of Texas. Since the success of that campaign Rove has been the man pulling the strings, wielding great influence. He used that influence to soften and elide the traditional limitations of government recognised by Republicans and to forge a new path.

Thomas Sowell, author of The Vision of the Anointed, explains the problem with people falsely assuming that 'there are all these solutions out there waiting to be discovered and they have them, and that these solutions are to be imposed upon the rest of us by the power of government through taxation or in other ways.' At times it seems that Karl Rove, and the President he served, slipped into this trap, with government expanding both its reach and its spending, and favouring an expansionist foreign policy. But as suggested in The New York Times some of 'his proposed policies unleashed a series of failures and unintended consequences.'

Believing in the possibility of policy above all needs to be balanced with a clear understanding of human limitations. Spending more money is not always an adequate answer, and idealism should be tempered with humility. Karl Rove leaves a big hole, some historic achievements, and some bigger questions about the proper role of government.

THE REPEAL OF SEDITIOUS OFFENCES

Maxim Institute will this week be presenting an oral submission to the Justice and Electoral Select Committee, on the proposed repeal of the offence of sedition. In its current form, the Crimes (Repeal of Seditious Offences) Amendment Bill would completely repeal the 'broad, variable, and uncertain' sections of the Crimes Act, which set out the offences of sedition. Acts of sedition include inciting others to violence or lawlessness against authority. Maxim Institute submits that the current law is too wide and so should be narrowed, but that complete repeal is unnecessary. Sedition laws protect lawful authority, and the common good. They recognise that it is possible not only to do violence to people, but to institutions, and to the bonds that hold us together.

Read Maxim Institute's written submission on the Crimes (Repeal of Seditious Offences) Amendment Bill http://www.maxim.org.nz/files/pdf/submission_sedition.pdf

LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS

Local government elections are coming up, providing the opportunity to get involved in the local Council, Community Board, or District Health Board. The framework of local government recognises wide diversity amongst communities in New Zealand, allowing for them to best represent their own interests, culture and values. We need people leading in our communities who have vision, passion and a genuine concern for their patch and their place. Local body elections only happen once every three years, so be encouraged to take the initiative and get involved; stand, or get informed and vote for those who best represent you.

TALKING POINT

'We risk losing the unquantifiable wealth of experience and wisdom that older people bring to our families and communities which helps to maintain and improve the mental health and well-being of others.'

From Improving services and support for older people with mental health problems

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Maxim Institute's regular email publication, Real Issues, provides thought-provoking analysis of developments in policy and culture in New Zealand and around the world. You can express you views on any of the articles featured in Real Issues by writing a letter to the editor. A selection of the best letters will be posted each week on Maxim Institute's website .

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