Statement of Intent 2006 - Foreword - Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment (Child, Youth and Family)

Our future depends on our children and young people. They need to grow up in safe, strong and loving families, which are part of responsive communities. This Government wants families and every individual in our society to fulfil their potential, enjoy more opportunity and security, and share in the progress New Zealand is making.

Ensuring our families - young and old, are secure and have opportunities to achieve their potential is a key priority. More families will have their incomes boosted through the Working for Families tax relief; and more parents will be supported through childcare subsidies and Out of School Care. Improving children’s health, ensuring it’s not a barrier to their learning, and focusing on early childhood education is important to this Government because we know that supporting families and their children in the early years can make a big difference in helping children and young people fulfil their potential.

Everyone has a role to play in making our young safe and strong and helping them be the best they can be. Child, Youth and Family bring families together through its adoption services; and help some of our most vulnerable children and young people who need protection from abuse and neglect. Child, Youth and Family recognise that to reduce abuse and neglect of our young, and to prevent young people from offending, everyone involved in their lives must be a part of the solution.

Strong partnerships with the community sector will continue to be a cornerstone of this work. The sector’s knowledge and experience will continue to guide and inform what is needed to provide a safe, strong and healthy society through having safe, strong and healthy families.

The joining-up of Child, Youth and Family with the Ministry of Social Development will bring many benefits that will strengthen Child, Youth and Family’s ability to help children, young people and their families through its service delivery. Community service providers, particularly those who receive funding from both agencies also stand to benefit from only having to deal with one government agency. Every door will be a “right door”.

I value the work of our community service providers for families and their children in need; and the inherently difficult and challenging work of Child, Youth and Family staff in caring for and protecting our most vulnerable. I look forward to the strengthened support Child, Youth and Family and the community sector will receive as a result of the merger, and to better ways of supporting some of our most vulnerable New Zealanders.

I confirm that this Statement of Intent, as it relates to Child, Youth and Family, is consistent with the policies and performance expectations of the Government.

Hon Ruth Dyson
Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment (Child, Youth and Family)