6. JO GOODHEW (National—Rangitata) Link to this
to the Minister for Social Development and Employment
How is the Government working to support and protect our most vulnerable children in care?
Hon PAULA BENNETT (Minister for Social Development and Employment) Link to this
We have announced a wave of initiatives under this Government, like the Never, Ever Shake a Baby campaign and the Auckland District Health Board shaken baby prevention programme, and the non-governmental organisation First Response programme, and we have put social workers into hospitals, amongst many others. As part of Budget 2011 we have announced $43.7 million for services for children in care, as part of this Government’s focus on children. This package aims to address a range of unmet health, mental health, and education needs for children in care. We have about 4,500 children in care at any one time, and about 2,200 who go into care in any particular year. These children are our most vulnerable. They need our help, and we can do better by them.
Hon PAULA BENNETT Link to this
We have broken it down into a number of different initiatives. The first is the extra gateway health and education assessments, which are receiving $15.3 million. That is to ensure that not only those children who are already in our care, or who enter it in a year, but also another 1,500 who go through the family group conference process will be comprehensively assessed. Once we know what is wrong with them, we then need to work out what we do with them. We have put another $14.5 million into mental health services for children in care, so that we can directly purchase the help that they need. For early childhood education for children in care, there is $11.4 million. That is for those aged between 18 months and 3 years, to make sure they can get 20 hours’ free care. I am very supportive of the parenting support that will go to foster parents and grandparents raising grandchildren. There is $2.4 million through Parents Inc. throughout the country.
Hon PAULA BENNETT Link to this
Yes. I keep hearing constant criticisms from the Opposition that this Government is not doing enough in the area of children, and certainly for the most vulnerable children who need our help. Yet in the 1990s, under the Labour Government, Annette King completely rubbished the idea of having a children’s Minister when a National MP suggested it. Now we have her saying nothing happened under the 9 long years of Labour. A lot has happened under this Government of 3 years, and now all that she can do is to try to recycle a very—
Mr SPEAKER
Hon Trevor Mallard Link to this
I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. It is the question, which is an ongoing one, of the front bench or Ministers currently sitting on the front bench continuing to talk while you are on your feet. The Minister did that for quite some time, even after she had seen that you were on your feet.
The member is not too bad; I accept that. But then again, the Minister sat down reasonably promptly. It is a judgment call when I sit a Minister down like that, but I am not too happy. I realise that these questions are perfectly in order, and it is a matter of balance about how they are answered. But I do not want to hear an overt attack on the Opposition, using that kind of question. That is why I sat the Minister down.