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.
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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.
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