Statement of Intent 2006 - Families and Whānau
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High Level Outcome
Families and whanau are strong and richly interconnected with their communities. They are able to support their members’ wellbeing, identity, participation in society and interdependence.
Context
The meaning of “family” has many interpretations, and families and whanau take many diverse forms. For most New Zealanders, family means a kin-based group that extends beyond parents and children and spans more than one generation.
Families and whanau have an enormous impact on wellbeing. They provide care and support for their members, promote the growth and development of their children, and pass on culture and values from one generation to the next.
We want all our families – young and old, to enjoy increased opportunities to share in and contribute to New Zealand’s progress. We work to achieve better outcomes for families and whanau and their communities by delivering services, co-ordinating programmes and services across the social sector, and through research, evaluation, and policy development.
We work collaboratively with government and non-government organisations to strengthen family support services and make them more effective for families - young and old. We work with these services to help build on their strengths and overcome problems.
Much of our work is in partnership with the community organisations that provide services to families. Communities, families and whanau are closely linked with each other, and supporting families means supporting communities too.
All families face challenges and pressures at some time, such as debt and unemployment, family change and separation, and work and family demands. While most families cope well with these issues, others can find coping more difficult. We need to ensure that there are support systems in place that are easy to access. We need to be able to provide the right help at the right time.
Our role
To support families - young and old, to be strong and resilient and to provide for the wellbeing and protection of all their members, the Ministry:
- undertakes research on the wellbeing of families - young and old and the issues they face today and in the future
- provides policy advice on programmes and services that encourage the development of well functioning, supportive families - young and old
- provides employment and social assistance services to help families - young and old, provide for their members
- leads and co-ordinates services that support and strengthen families - young and old
- provides families – young and old, with information about and access to family support services
- provides funding and support for community-based services that support parents and other family members, and work to prevent violence within families - young and old
From 1 July 2006, Child, Youth and Family will become part of the Ministry. See the Children and Young People section for more information.
Our focus for the next three years
Over the next three years, our focus will be on developing and strengthening early intervention services for parents and families, and on supporting families - young and old, to be free from violence, abuse, and neglect. The Ministry’s merger with Child, Youth and Family on 1 July 2006 will enable us to maximise our resources in this work. A particular benefit will be aligning Ministry policy and Child Youth and Family service delivery, ensuring they support each other and that policy is grounded in the reality of people’s lives.
Our work in these areas will involve improving the range and availability of services; improving families’ and communities’ access to information and advice; and leading interagency work to prevent and reduce family violence, abuse and neglect.
Over the next three years, we will also implement the Working for Families package of financial assistance to low- and medium-income families. Working for Families is designed to make it easier to work and raise a family, and help provide the economic security that families and whanau need to thrive.
Early Intervention
The Ministry’s early intervention programme for the next three years will be a mix of research, evaluation, and services. The aim is to put in place a much stronger support system for families.
We want all families to be able to access services, information and advice, and community networks. We want all services to be well co-ordinated, and we want vulnerable children and families to get intensive services when they need them.
The early intervention programme will build on universal services for all families, and will expand and improve the effectiveness of targeted, intensive services for families experiencing difficulties.
In 2006/2007, we will continue to provide early intervention programmes such as Family Start and Strategies with Kids – Information for Parents (SKIP). Family Start provides intensive support to vulnerable families with very young children. Available from the time the mother is six months pregnant, it aims to help families prepare for and raise their young children. Family Start / whanau workers provide information on entitlements, give advice and support, and refer parents to other sources of support. The programme involves many government and non-government agencies, and builds on the work of organisations like Plunket and Tipu Ora.
SKIP supports parents and caregivers to raise children in a positive way, using effective non-physical discipline that includes love and nurture and limits and boundaries. SKIP works with national organisations and local community groups to promote positive parenting.
Family Violence Prevention
Family violence, including child abuse and neglect, and elder abuse, is a major problem in New Zealand. Each year the police deal with more than 45,000 calls relating to family violence, involving more than 200,000 people. In 2004/2005 approximately 55,000 referrals were made to the Department of Child, Youth and Family Services for suspected child abuse and neglect. Overseas research indicates that 2-5% of New Zealanders aged 65 years and older are likely to be experiencing abuse of a physical, psychological, sexual, financial or material nature, or neglect.
Reducing, preventing, and eliminating family violence requires work on many fronts. Victims must be supported to be safe and able to make choices about their own wellbeing. Perpetrators must be held accountable for their actions, and supported to not re-offend. Families must be helped to build lives free from violence.
Family violence directly affects the wellbeing of children and families, and the extent to which they can participate in society. In recognition of this, the Government is putting more resource into this issue as part of Budget 2006.
The increased funding will be used for:
- family violence prevention services
- a social marketing programme.
On behalf of the Government, the Ministry will aim to improve the capacity of providers to manage the increased demand for their services, reinforce the unacceptability of family violence (including abuse and neglect of children and older people), and assist in changing the attitudes and behaviours of current and future generations.
The social marketing programme will be aimed at providing local community-driven initiatives and engagement with national leaders and organisations, supported by central co-ordination, communications and research.
The Ministry is also leading a three-to-five-year interagency programme to reduce family violence, abuse and neglect.
Our Chief Executive will continue to chair the interagency Taskforce for Action on Violence within Families. The Taskforce is committed to a vision of New Zealand families and whanau living free from violence, which requires us to consistently reduce the incidence of family violence each year.
We will continue to monitor the new Family Violence Intervention Programme, based in selected Work and Income offices. The programme enables people to disclose family violence to their case manager if they wish. Case managers have also been trained to identify possible signs of family violence. People can get resources and information on dealing with family violence, and can be referred to appropriate services. Funding has been made available to compensate non-government organisations for the additional referrals they are getting as a result of the programme.
We are undertaking a review of family violence death data, as part of the development of a formal system of death reviews. This will give us a better understanding of risk patterns and signs, and potential points for intervention. The research will also allow necessary changes in policies and practices across agencies, and will help us develop better risk assessment tools.
Working For Families
On 1 April 2006, the Government launched the new In-Work payment for working parents. Around 85,000 families are estimated to be newly eligible for Family Assistance tax credits. We are implementing this new initiative with Inland Revenue, and continue to implement the other initiatives in the package: increase childcare and housing assistance, and higher rates of Family Support.
Working for Families is designed to ensure working families have enough income for an adequate standard of living, and to ensure that moving off benefit into employment is worthwhile. Implementing the package also involves simplifying the social assistance system, so assistance is easier to access and understand.
Seeing results
The results we aim to achieve, today and in future, are that families – young and old:
- are well informed about services from government and non-government organisations
- have access to well co-ordinated and effective preventative and remedial services
- have a say in decisions that affect them
- have an adequate standard of living, and can provide safe and secure environments for their members
- can use opportunities to reach their full potential and become independent.
Families and whanau have a strong voice in decision making and are valued and supported as a key institution in both current society and as trustees for future generations
We are working with the Families Commission in its work to advocate for families.
We are continuing to work with the Family Services National Advisory Council, which supports the development of policies and services that strengthen and value families - young and old.
We lead government and non-government organisations to work collaboratively to strengthen family support services and make them more effective for families - young and old.
Families and whanau are active participants in working and community life, and obtain the resources to play a full functional role in supporting their members and their communities
From April 1 2006, around 85,000 families were eligible for the new In-Work payment through Working for Families. The In-Work payment will ensure that work pays more than a benefit for sole parents working more than 20 hours a week, and couples working more than 30 hours a week. It is a crucial part of the Government’s programme to ensure an adequate standard of living for low- and middle-income families.
On behalf of the Government, we will implement the new In-Work payment with Inland Revenue, and will continue to implement and deliver the other initiatives in the package. Working for Families will be fully implemented by April 2007, when it will have delivered financial assistance to around 350,000 New Zealand families.
Starting in 2007/2008, the Government will provide further additional targeted tax relief for many families with children, as well as additional support for childcare. It will mean tax relief for every low and middle income family with children in New Zealand, as well as for many larger families on higher incomes.
We will continue providing the resources and services that enable families and whanau to play an active part in their communities.
Families and whanau have the knowledge, capabilities and commitment to support development pathways of their members, and contribute to good outcomes for them
Our focus in this area is primarily on improving the provision of services and advice, building family support networks, and continuing to develop innovative services.
FamilyWeb, on the Family and Community Services website, is a collection of online resources organised around roles within the family. FamilyWeb information gives family members advice on:
- raising children (0-12 years), for parents and caregivers
- supporting young people (13-20 years), for parents and caregivers
- growing older, for older people, people preparing for their retirement, and people caring for older family members
- supporting your marriage or relationship, for couples.
Family and Community Services will continue to develop and provide the 211 Directory, an online directory that lists over 4,000 family and community services, programmes, and resources.
We will continue building on universal services like Well Child, enhancing our ability to:
- ensure that all parents gain access to skills and the knowledge they need
- effectively screen for problems
- recognise and respond to the additional needs of families - young and old, and refer them to the right services.
Through Strategies with Kids – Information for Parents (SKIP), we will continue building the capacity of parents, families and communities to provide positive environments for children.
Families and whanau are resilient; they can adjust, adapt and recover from challenges and adversity
Resilience is the ability to meet challenges, to be flexible and adaptable. We support and promote family resilience through initiatives such as:
- Family Start, which provides home visits and support to vulnerable families with very young children - families learn parenting skills and are linked to the right services.
- SAGES, where older people deliver one-to-one home and life skills mentoring for families in need of assistance - volunteers work with families to develop their skills in areas such as home management, cooking, budgeting and positive parenting
- budget advice and education services to families and individuals
- a pilot scheme that we are currently developing for teenage parents - co-ordinators will help teenage parents access education, health and welfare services, based on their individual needs.
Families and whanau provide a safe and secure environment, where all members live free from violence
Te Rito: New Zealand Family Violence Prevention Strategy is the Government’s framework for family violence prevention. Launched in 2002, Te Rito sets out the Government’s key goals and objectives, guiding principles, and a five year plan towards its vision of families and whanau living free from violence.
Te Rito also forms a part of the New Zealand Injury Prevention Strategy.
The Strategy sets out the Government's vision for a New Zealand where more people can live free of injury while continuing to lead active and challenging lives. The Strategy will assist New Zealand to focus its injury prevention efforts and resources by providing clear direction to agencies, organisations and communities which have either a direct involvement, or a contributory, role to play, in injury prevention activity in New Zealand.
A key focus of the Strategy is to strengthen and enhance the infrastructure that supports injury prevention activity to improve safety performance. The Strategy provides a framework for the policy development and service delivery activities of government agencies and non-government organisations with an involvement in injury prevention. The Ministry of Social Development and the Ministry of Justice provide joint leadership on a stream of work and Te Rito forms an integral part of that work.
The recently established Taskforce for Action on Violence within Families will build on and reinvigorate Te Rito’s progress. Chaired by the Ministry’s Chief Executive, the Taskforce will strengthen whole-of-government responses to violence within families, including child, partner and elder abuse.
Established with the support of government and non-government organisations, the Taskforce’s goals are to:
- lead a consistent reduction in family violence each year
- ensure victims are safe and can make choices about their own wellbeing
- ensure perpetrators are held accountable for their actions and are supported to not re-offend
- foster an attitude of zero tolerance for family violence among all New Zealanders
- ensure families are supported to have the capabilities they need to live free from violence.
The Taskforce is currently planning a campaign with a focus on changing attitudes and behaviours, starting with research into what messages and actions will reduce violence between partners, and on giving families the skills they need to resolve conflict without violence or abuse.
The Ministry will also continue to lead the Family Violence Funding Circuit Breaker Initiative. This is a collaborative contracting initiative that aims to provide greater co-ordination and alignment of government funding, and reduce compliance costs for community organisations.
Over the next three years, we will continue to phase in the Family Violence Intervention Programme in Work and Income sites. Case managers have been trained to provide specialised advice and support for clients who choose to disclose situations of family violence. The programme also compensates non-government organisations working in the family violence area to meet increased workloads.
In collaboration with the Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs, we will continue to implement the Strong Pacific Families strategy. This strategy involves:
- increasing education and awareness about family violence within Pacific communities
- increasing levels of family support within Pacific communities
- improving the availability and accessibility of quality prevention and intervention services within Pacific communities.
We are working towards the establishment of a family violence death review system. Phase one will be a research-based review of existing family violence data. This will give us a better understanding of risk patterns and signs, and points for intervention. The review will also help us improve policies and practices and develop better risk assessment tools. Eventually, we plan to develop a formal system for reviewing family violence deaths in New Zealand.
We will continue partnering with Canterbury University to provide the New Zealand Family Violence Clearinghouse, a national centre for collating and disseminating information about domestic and family violence in New Zealand.
Research and evaluation
The Ministry’s Centre for Social Research and Evaluation (CSRE) houses the Family, Child, Youth and Community Research and Evaluation Unit.
CSRE is focusing on research and evaluation concerning:
- social services that help children, young people and families have good life outcomes and participate in their local community
- information to support families and community agencies in making good, informed choices
- the partnership between government and community agencies to deliver better local services throughout New Zealand.
Current research and evaluation include:
Strategies with Kids - Information for Parents: monitor and self-evaluation
This is a national monitor of parents’ and caregivers’ awareness, knowledge and practice of positive parenting techniques. This will help the Government make future decisions on programming delivery for positive parenting.
Family Violence Intervention Programme evaluation (FVIP)
This evaluation aims to provide advice for improving the Family Violence Intervention Programme’s accessibility and implementation.
Early Intervention: Evaluation of Expansion to Family Start
The evaluation aims to provide programme development advice on the expansion of early intervention targeted services.
Managing our capabilities
The development of the role of Family and Community Services continues to significantly build our capability to deliver effective services for families and whanau. Family and Community Services’ leadership and co-ordination role will strengthen services to families - young and old, while its focus on prevention and early intervention will reduce the number of families - young and old, who require statutory intervention and support.
Family and Community Services is continuing to strengthen linkages between the 211 Directory, and FamilyWeb; extending the 211 Helpline nationwide, subject to evaluation and available funding; and expanding FamilyWeb to include more areas of family life.
Family and Community Services will promote safe, violence-free families by delivering specialist training and effective resource material for all Ministry staff and by providing support for children who witness violence in their family.
The Ministry will continue to strengthen linkages among policy groups within the Ministry and in other agencies, to ensure that advice and initiatives are well integrated and meet the needs of families, young and old within New Zealand.
Monitoring progress
Outcome indicators
| INDICATORS – SOCIAL SITUATION OF FAMILIES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Indicator | Result | Trend |
| Percentage of families with dependent children with net-of-housing cost incomes below 60% of median | 20.1% (2004) |
Declining |
| Percentage of households that spend more than 30% of income on housing | 22% (2004) |
Declining |
| Percentage of households with dependent children with no adult employed | 15% (2004) |
Declining |
| Percentage of people reporting their household could afford to eat properly only sometimes | 13% (1997) |
No trend available |
Source: Statistics New Zealand, Household Labour Force Survey, derived by MSD. Excludes households where all members are outside the ages of 18-64 years. (This is a measure of parental employment. Have to exclude households with both dependent and adult children because adult children could be employed).
1 Refer to the Children and Young People section.
