Acting Social Development Minister Jo Goodhew says the number of people receiving a main benefit has continued to fall year on year, with the latest figures the lowest for any June quarter since 2008.
“The number of people receiving a main benefit has fallen by 5,172 (or 1.8 per cent) in the last 12 months, with those on Sole Parent Support continuing to drive the strong downward trend,” Mrs Goodhew says.
Social Development Minister Anne Tolley says changes to accommodation support for studying sole parents mean that more parents are accessing higher rates of the support.
“The majority of sole parents who are studying full time are now receiving the same accommodation support they would if they were on a benefit, leaving them on average $38.88 a week better off,” Mrs Tolley says.
Social Development Minister Anne Tolley says a Bill to expand the Youth Service has passed its final reading in Parliament today.
The Social Security (Extension of Young Persons Services and Remedial Matters) Amendment Bill expands the wraparound support provided by the Youth Service to all 19-year-old parents and 18 and 19-year-olds at significant risk of long term welfare dependence.
Ministers today welcomed a new pilot in Christchurch which aims to ensure families experiencing family violence are safe and receive the services they need to prevent further harm.
At the heart of the new approach are government agencies and NGOs working together for families and whānau to provide increased support to high-risk victims, better manage perpetrators and improve collaboration between agencies.
Social Development Minister Anne Tolley will today represent the New Zealand Government at the International Battle of the Somme Commemorative Service in Thiepval, France.
The commemoration, organised by the French and British governments, marks a hundred years to the day since the battle began on 1 July 1916.
The New Zealand Division joined the battle in September 1916. It’s estimated that there were 8000 New Zealand casualties at the Somme, including 2000 troops who were killed, in what was the division’s first major engagement on the Western Front.
Social Development Minister Anne Tolley is today attending commemorative events in Brockenhurst, Hampshire, which was the site of the No.1 New Zealand General Hospital in the First World War.
The hospital opened a hundred years ago this month to support New Zealand troops serving in the war, and by 1919 21,000 patients had been treated there, with another 27,000 patients treated at the No.2 General Hospital in Walton on Thames.
Social Development Minister Anne Tolley will represent the New Zealand government at First World War centenary commemoration events in England and France next week.
Social Development Minister Anne Tolley says that a Bill enabling the first stage of major reforms of state care has passed its first reading in Parliament.
The Children, Young Persons and Their Families (Advocacy, Workforce, and Age Settings) Amendment Bill represents the first raft of legislative changes as part of the radical overhaul of care and protection, and:
Social Development Minister Anne Tolley says more than $1.9 million has been paid to support 1725 children and young people in care through the Extraordinary Care Fund.
The fund, which was set up as part of the Children’s Action Plan, provides financial assistance when children and young people in care are experiencing difficulties that are impacting on their development, or when they are showing promise in a chosen field.
Social Development Minister Anne Tolley says nominations are now open for the 2016 William Wallace Awards, which recognise outstanding young people in care and their achievements.
“Any young person in the care of the state, iwi or child and family services or who has recently come out of care when they turn 17 is eligible to receive an award and can be nominated,” Mrs Tolley says.
Social Development Minister Anne Tolley says a Bill to establish New Zealand’s first child sex offender register has passed its second reading in Parliament.
The Child Protection (Child Sex Offender Register) Bill enables agencies to be more proactive in the management of offenders by assessing and monitoring risks to public safety so that appropriate action can be taken.
“At the moment child sex offenders can disappear into communities when they have completed their sentences or orders,” says Mrs Tolley.
Social Development Minister Anne Tolley says the Social Security (Extension of Young Persons Services and Remedial Matters) Amendment Bill has passed its second reading.
The bill extends the Youth Service to all 19-year-old parents and 18 and 19-year-olds at significant risk of long term welfare dependence by supporting them into education and training and ensuring they complete budgeting and parenting courses.
Social Development Minister Anne Tolley says that a Bill introduced to Parliament today will enable the first stage of major state care reforms, announced in the complete overhaul of care and protection in New Zealand.
As part of the overhaul, a new child-centred operating model with a single point of accountability will be in place by the end of March 2017, focused on prevention, intensive intervention, care support services, transition support and preventing youth offending and reoffending.
Budget 2016 includes $4.2 million of operating funding over four years to support more low-income families access low and no-interest loans as part of the Community Finance partnership, Social Development Minister Anne Tolley says.
“This is a positive example of the Government working closely with the private sector and NGOs to support low-income earners avoid crippling debt caused by finance options with hidden fees and high interest,” Mrs Tolley says.
Budget 2016 invests $111.5 million of operating funding over four years to support more New Zealanders, especially young people, to get off benefits and gain sustainable employment, Social Development Minister Anne Tolley says.
“Building on the success of the Government’s welfare reforms, we are sharpening the focus on New Zealanders at highest risk of remaining on a benefit long-term, so they and their families can thrive and lead successful lives,” Mrs Tolley says.
Budget 2016 will invest $347.8 million of operating funding over this year and the next four years for the care and protection of vulnerable children and young people, Social Development Minister Anne Tolley says.
“This operating funding addresses increased demand in the current Child, Youth and Family model, and will help transform it into a world-class care and protection system delivering the safety and long-term life outcomes that young New Zealanders deserve,” Mrs Tolley says.
Social Development Minister Anne Tolley says $7.3 million a year will be reprioritised to support more vulnerable children and their families through intensive home visiting programme Family Start.
“We’re investing in those who are in the most need of support by increasing the funding for Family Start, an evidence-based intensive home visitation programme with proven results,” Mrs Tolley says.
Budget 2016 will invest $46 million of operating funding over four years to better support victims and prevent sexual violence, Justice Minister Amy Adams and Social Development Minister Anne Tolley say.
The $46 million in total funding, of which $6.4 million is reprioritised funding, will be used to design and implement new sexual violence services and maintain existing services.
Social Development Minister Anne Tolley has announced four new independent appointments to the Vulnerable Children’s Board to help support the overhaul of New Zealand’s care and protection system.
The new members are Dame Paula Rebstock, who will chair the reconfigured Board, Peter Douglas, Dame Diane Robertson and Geoff Dangerfield. They join the current members, who are the chief executives of MSD, Health, Education, Police, Corrections, TPK and Justice.
The Government is transferring up to $11.38 million in funding and programmes from the Ministry of Social Development to support Whānau Ora.
The transfer is part of a review of social service spending which aims to achieve better outcomes for the most vulnerable whānau and families.
“This transfer reflects the commitment by social sector Ministers to strengthen efforts to support Whānau Ora and identify opportunities for the Crown and Iwi to support shared development, aims and aspirations,” the Minister for Whānau Ora, Te Ururoa Flavell, said.
Social Development Minister Anne Tolley says the rewrite of the Social Security Act has passed its first reading in Parliament.
“We have taken on the huge task of updating and reorganising the Act to make it easier to understand and to reflect our modern approach to delivering assistance,” Mrs Tolley says.
Social Development Minister Anne Tolley says that more than seven million breakfasts have been served in schools around the country since the Government expanded the KickStart Breakfast programme in 2013.
“With more than 114,000 breakfasts served every week to almost 28,000 children and young people we can be sure these students are getting the best start to their school day,” Mrs Tolley says.
Social Development Minister Anne Tolley says the Social Sector Trials which have been taking place around the country have provided good information to help design community-led models for better social service results.
“If we want to get better results we must continue to try different approaches and different ways of doing things, and we will be using what we’ve learnt from the trials in the design of future programmes and initiatives,” says Mrs Tolley.
Social Development Minister Anne Tolley has announced that Judge Andrew Becroft has been appointed as the new Children’s Commissioner.
Judge Becroft, who is currently New Zealand’s Principal Youth Court Judge, will take up the role in July.
“The Children’s Commissioner is an independent advocate for the interests, rights and wellbeing of children in New Zealand,” says Mrs Tolley.
