Damning report card results for Government on child poverty

The annual State of the Nation report released today by The Salvation Army describes progress for children over the past two years as “minimal” and further claims there are signs that things are getting worse for the country’s most vulnerable children. The report card gives the nation a ‘C minus’ on child poverty and ‘D’ on violence against children.

UNICEF NZ National Advocacy Manager, Deborah Morris-Travers said, “Government figures show there has been a slight drop in the number of children in poverty – down from 27% in 2012 to 25% in 2013 – likely to be a result of job growth and fewer families being reliant on welfare benefits.

“However, this report points to a lack of information about what has happened to the 10,000 families who have moved off welfare. Many of these are sole parents, the majority of whom are mothers, juggling the competing requirements of paid employment with parenting.

“The Salvation Army suggests the need for research to determine whether the move off welfare has lifted families out of poverty or is simply saving the taxpayer money.”

UNICEF NZ – along with many others - has consistently advocated for a comprehensive Government plan to address the economic vulnerability of families with children – including agreed measures of income poverty and material hardship.

To move from “minimal” progress to significant and measurable improvements in child wellbeing, there is a clear need for more rigorous assessment of the impact of Government policies and transparency around what is invested in children – a recommendation made by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child in 2011.

Ms Morris-Travers added, “UNICEF NZ supports the recommendation made by the Salvation Army today that statistics reporting on the Better Public Service Targets should be subject to scrutiny by the Office of the Auditor General.

“Given the impact of poverty and inadequate housing on children’s health and education, it is essential that reporting on social and economic policy for children and young families is rigorous.

“We welcome today’s report as another reminder to Government and all New Zealanders that we need to do much better for children. While many of the Government’s current efforts are a step in the right direction, they continue to be piecemeal and are often poorly resourced.

“We further strongly recommend that Government implements a more systematic approach to policy and practice for children, underpinned by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, including a ‘best interests of the child’ test,” concluded Ms Morris-Travers.

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