September 15 2011

Act for Children’s Wellbeing before Rugby World Cup Empowerment Act

“When will our government prioritise the use of its power to instigate much needed change in the ways we treat children and young people in this country? asks Dr Rose Black, Researcher, Poverty Action Waikato.

Yesterday the government displayed their responsiveness to address Rugby World Cup failings. Just two days prior, Child Poverty Action Group demonstrated, yet again, how our nation continues to fail significant numbers of our children. The government’s response to this was simply to say that significant or severe hardship for over 20% of our children is old news.

“It is disgraceful that this is news at all, let alone olds news. The government will step in immediately when Rugby World Cup fans are made to wait, but how about the one out of every five children who are made to wait with empty stomachs, no shoes and a cold house to live in?” she asks

In the Waikato, 23.8% of working aged recipients of income tested benefits care for children less than 6 years of age. At least 7,915 children in the Waikato do not get the $60 dollar a week Working for Families contribution that many children in low income non benefit dependent households receive. The Child Poverty Action Group describes this as discrimination and recommends paying the equivalent of the In-Work Tax Credit to all low income families.

“Such an extension would help see many children in the Waikato lifted out of severe or significant hardship that they have had no part in creating” Dr Black says.

The latest Vulnerability Report released by the New Zealand Christian Council of Social Services notes that beneficiary families with dependent children have a hardship rate five times that of working families with children. Maori and Pacific people have hardship rates some 2-3 times that of those from European and other ethnic groups.

Investments in children under the age of 5 are critical to both healthy child development and subsequent wellbeing in adulthood. A recent review of approaches to achieving wellbeing in adolescence, undertaken by Sir Peter Gluckman, argues that taking a life course investment focus on the earlier phases of child development, is likely over a decade or so to pay real dividends.

“The Rugby World Cup may bring some temporary financial return for some in our society, but increased and consistent investment in our most vulnerable children is the best long-term, secure investment we could ever make.” she states.

ENDS

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