CYF massively underfunded

Written By: - Date published: 10:30 am, July 26th, 2016 - 28 comments
Categories: child welfare, class war, families, human rights, national, quality of life, useless - Tags: , , , ,

National pays electoral homage to our vulnerable children. There is a Children’s Action Plan. There is a white paper (pdf) on vulnerable children. Child Youth and Family (CYF) is being overhauled. They talk a big game:

“These initiatives put the needs of our most vulnerable children and families at the centre of decisions on planning, programmes and resourcing,” Mr English says.

Actions speak louder:

CYF facing ‘unfunded cost pressures’ of millions, Government admits

The national state carer is facing a $56m funding shortfall, as the Ministry of Social Development tries to cover a wider shortage of $200m. …

The Government has admitted the ministry was facing cost pressures of $362.4m over four years ahead of this year’s budget. That appears to have reduced to $194.7m since Finance Minister Bill English delivered his May Budget, which included a $652m social investment package and $348m to overhaul Child, Youth and Family (CYF) and carry out current work.

Stuff has obtained documents showing the responses to a series of post-budget questions asked of the Ministry, by Parliament’s Social Services Committee. They outline three areas in which cost pressures, such as pay increases, inflation and increased demand were only partially funded.
…
The overall tally for full time social worker positions has dropped from 2776 in June 2010, to 2711 by March this year.
…
Labour’s children’s spokeswoman Jacinda Ardern said CYF was a department that could “least afford to be stretched”. “It strikes me that Child, Youth and Family has been one of the victims of Bill English trying to ensure he can deliver a surplus. “And we can’t afford to play politics or fiddle with the books when it comes to child protection issues,” she said. …

I’m not sure how much more “Brighter Future” the country can take.

28 comments on “CYF massively underfunded ”

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  1. Sabine 1
    26 July 2016 at 10:41 am

    under fund a service
    create a hostile working environment
    repeatedly state that the service is broken
    sell service to private provider as they will provide a better service
    profit.

    the children? ah, who in this country cares about the wellbeing of children
    not many
    if any

    • adam 1.1
      26 July 2016 at 10:54 am

      You forgot to add, making the service impossible for other NGO’s to work with, or get information from.

      And the always popular with this government, the changing of the regulations, so no one actually knows what they are able to do, or not to do.

      • Sabine 1.1.1
        26 July 2016 at 11:16 am

        i also forget the most important bit

        pay a dame 2000$ a day to make sure the dame recommends the changes one needs to privatise
        suffer the little children cause the adults have other ideas

      • Chuck 1.1.2
        26 July 2016 at 4:02 pm

        You will then be pleased to hear adam that your concerns are being addressed.

        “Currently, funding, services and strategies for supporting vulnerable children is scattered across multiple agencies, and also within those agencies. It is complex and fragmented, difficult to navigate for children, whanau and decision-makers, and there is no accountability for poor results.”

        “By the end of March next year, a new operating model will be in place, which will act as a single point of accountability so that one agency is responsible for the long-term well-being of these vulnerable children and young people.” Anne Tolley.

        • Sabine 1.1.2.1
          26 July 2016 at 4:16 pm

          next. year. So the last 8.5 years mean nothing, because when year 9 hits they finally gonna do their job?

          oh, but you mean the government is working very hard so very fucking hard to under fund the service, create a hostile environment for Workers, any and all NGO’s the families in need and of course the precious children.

          In the meant time some do nothing dame is being paid 2000$ a day to produce a report that will tell the government that the child has fallen into the well and has drowned, thus no resources need to be wasted saving the child.

          And next year Anne Tolley or any other appointed National Party muppet that wants to earn his/her keep will tell the press that the services has been given over to Serco and that the new Service will be called from Cradle to Prison, Serco! 🙂

          • adam 1.1.2.1.1
            26 July 2016 at 4:38 pm

            The only thing i’d add Sabine, it’s only the first of my remarks Chucky dealt with in his post. None of yours.

            So Chucky I know you’re only fledgling at this ideological purity thing, but feel free to offer no original thinking or a moral perspective – what really will make your case is to not offer a link to the lazy minister you are quoting. Cheers.

            • Sabine 1.1.2.1.1.1
              26 July 2016 at 4:41 pm

              i honestly get very confused with the thread thingy. Sorry if i butted in on your fun. t’was not intentional.

              • adam …
                26 July 2016 at 4:59 pm

                Don’t be. I rather enjoyed your response. And jumping in is what makes the debate enjoyable, and helps us all look for answers.Yes Chucky, even you..

                That said, my point was to clarify is that he should have responded to both our remarks anyway, as my remarks were a clear continuation of yours.

              • In Vino …
                26 July 2016 at 8:40 pm

                With you all the way on this one, Sabine. Chucky chucks pure…

                People can work out the next word for themselves.

            • Chuck 1.1.2.1.1.2
              26 July 2016 at 5:35 pm

              adam you only had one worthwhile remark to reply to in 1.1

              Yes correct, I did not directly respond to Sabine post 1.

              As for Sabine post 1.1.1 you pay for experience and expertise in any profession.

              Sabine asked and I provided a link further down the thread.

              However here it is again: https://www.msd.govt.nz/about-msd-and-our-work/work-programmes/cyf-modernisation/

        • reason 1.1.2.2
          26 July 2016 at 11:47 pm

          http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2016/06/26/tdb-exclusive-investigation-cyf-the-hollowing-out-of-a-state-agency/

          “As announced on 1 June, last year, National was casting it’s eye over social-services as part of it’s next step in it’s privatisation agenda;”

          “a continuation of National’s attempt to privatise public services, which will always see the most vulnerable left out and National’s mates better off. In two years of charter schools, not one has enrolled a student with the highest special needs.”

          “On 26 September last year, Tolley issued stern reassurances that there would be no outsourcing of front-line services;…. Lisa Owen: “Can you rule out today that you won’t be outsourcing front-line care and protection services?”

          Anne Tolley: “Look, let’s put it to rest. This is a state responsibility. There’s no talk within government at all of outsourcing that responsibility.”

          …..”Seven months later, on 9 April, on TV3’s ‘The Nation‘, Tolley flip-flopped,”

          Anne Tolley: “Well, CYF is gone. You know, it’s finished. It’s gone.

          “It is a stark contrast that as notifications to CYF have been steady increasing since 2008 (ref1, ref2), the numbers of front-line and other support staff at the department have fallen.”

          It is also worth noting that Tolley VOTED along with the rest of Nationals Mps when they wrote Alcohol laws that ignored key advice and measures to lower Alcohol abuse …. knowing that this would keep our family violence & child abuse rates high.

          “ALCOHOL A MAJOR FACTOR
          Detective Sergeant Kylie Schaare has dealt with some of the most horrific cases the unit has seen ……. Alcohol was a major factor in the bashing, which was apparent in a lot of physical and sexual abuse cases the unit dealt with, Mrs Schaare said.”

          http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2016/06/26/tdb-exclusive-investigation-cyf-the-hollowing-out-of-a-state-agency/

        • Michelle 1.1.2.3
          27 July 2016 at 8:57 am

          Another pnats experiment on one of the most vulnerable groups in our country. So much for putting the children at the centre it is all spin must be a lot of people getting dizzy.

    • Rosemary McDonald 1.2
      26 July 2016 at 2:23 pm

      “under fund a service
      create a hostile working environment
      repeatedly state that the service is broken
      sell service to private provider as they will provide a better service”

      This is exactly what the previous government did with MOH Disability Support Services. Contracted out every level.

      Been an expensive disaster for many…especially the people who have high and very high support needs.

      National has had a field day entrenching this system….and who would have thought that the ‘costs’ would just go up and up and up.

      Happy, profitable contracted providers.

      With no better supports and protections for those who most need them.

      This will happen with cyfs.

      • adam 1.2.1
        26 July 2016 at 4:27 pm

        I think you laid that out rather well Rosemary. Any chance you could submit a post on it, as I do rather enjoy your remarks around disability.

        All I’d add is the issues that are arising around individualised funding, but, that is a topic in, and of itself.

        • Rosemary McDonald 1.2.1.1
          26 July 2016 at 10:55 pm

          Thanks for that Adam.

          I think issues about how disabled New Zealanders are treated are too important to discuss here on TS in any great depth.

          No disrespect intended to the TS admin or community, but it is so political here (as it should be), that inevitably conversations move so far off the specific topic that the essence is lost.

          If you are seeking conversations about disability in New Zealand, try here…http://publicaddress.net/access/archive/

          We try to ensure that current issues involving disability get at least a mention, if not more in depth debate and information sharing. There are personal stories, and a couple of on going threads where issues (such as the current revision of the NZ Disability Strategy) get an airing.

          Combined, a true depth of knowledge and experience.

          For anyone with an interest in the history of disability in New Zealand, Wellington academic Hilary Stace has written four very good posts.

          Oh, and yes, bring your IF discussions….we will know what you’re talking about. 😉

  2. whispering kate 2
    26 July 2016 at 11:00 am

    I left a comment on Open Mike this morning but I think I have got it in the wrong place. I listened to Merepeka Raukawa-Tait on Breakfast TV1 7.15 this morning. She was a fantastic. Such an strong lady, she really did sock it to the Government about the moribund state of CYFS and that as they have been derelict in their duties for so long with the safety of our children that it should be disbanded and given over to people who can “gain access through the front doors” of these homes where abuse is occurring. She stated it was a shocking state of affairs where it had come down to paying informants to give up information and that the root of the problem is not being sorted out long before abuse happens.

    She is wasted wherever she is, she is badly needed to help our young ones have a safe future. Its the first time I have heard for many a long day a person who was passionate, angry and direct – and telling it how it is, not the waffling lies we have to suffer on a daily basis. What a useless Government we have with the likes of troughers like Bennett, Parata and Tolley, all useless dead wood which should have been pruned and chucked out years ago. All power to this lady and I hope she can be put to good use, She is someone we should be proud to have on our screens regularly. I salute her.

    • Johan 2.1
      26 July 2016 at 11:55 am

      “What a useless government…” WK this what happens when we have a do-nothing gov’t., a bean counter as a leader, insensitive to the needs of its people, and merely there to fill the pockets of fellow cronies.

      • Sabine 2.1.1
        26 July 2016 at 4:09 pm

        the man is not a leader, heck he is not even a bean counter, he is a gambler.
        Currently he is gambling this country away. But look over there, houses in NZ now being advertised for sale in China……..go New Zealanders sell your homes and for one short day and night be a millionaire.

  3. Sabine 3
    26 July 2016 at 11:23 am

    Mrs. Tolley and the most useless Alfred Ngaro are having a bit of a meet n green again.
    Might it be time for some to show up and ask some questions?

    I wonder how much police they will need to safe guard their event from undesirable elements .

  4. Nic the NZer 4
    26 July 2016 at 12:23 pm

    Good comment by Ardern, exactly on message. Govt budget surplus always amounts to a political game of fiddling with the books. Under funding CYFS hurts real families and children when CYFS fails in its duty. The same goes for under funding the health system. The same goes for under funding of education. The funding requirements of various departments should determine the governments budgeted spending, the governments spending ambitions should not impose an onerous budget constraint on the departments.

  5. save nz 5
    26 July 2016 at 2:27 pm

    Shocking. We clearly need more social workers, not talk feasts and reports!

    As they sell off all the state houses and put more vunerable people into debt with dodgy courses and emergency housing bills, easy to see why we have a terrible record for child welfare.

    In fact in most international reports our ratings fall because we always fall short of child related statistics. More deaths, more violence etc.

    Isn’t it about time, a government cared a bit more about children?

    • Garibaldi 5.1
      26 July 2016 at 3:42 pm

      They don’t care about the children , they only care about underfunding, failing, then privatising.

    • Chuck 5.2
      26 July 2016 at 4:17 pm

      “Shocking. We clearly need more social workers, not talk feasts and reports!”

      So your idea is to keep on doing the same thing and achieving the same results?

      “A study found that by the age of 21, for children with a care placement who were born in the 12 months to June 1991:

      Almost 90 per cent are on a benefit
      Around 25 per cent are on a benefit with a child
      Almost 80 per cent do not have NCEA Level 2
      More than 30 per cent have a Youth Justice referral by age 18
      Almost 20 per cent have had a custodial sentence
      Almost 40 per cent have had a community sentence

      “On top of this the panel found that:

      “less than 25 per cent of CYF staff work directly with children in need of care and protection, and Less than 1 per cent of staff have a dedicated professional support role, such as psychologists and therapists.

      “Quite simply the current system is not delivering effectively for vulnerable children and young people. It is not allowing our social workers to do their job, which should be spending most of their time supporting vulnerable children and families.”

      The Government is implementing the recommendations from the panel report by 03/2017.