Social Development
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Social Development Minister Anne Tolley says the number of people receiving a main benefit has fallen below 280,000 for the first time since 2008.

“The number of people receiving a main benefit has fallen by 4,369 (1.5 per cent) in the year to March 2016, taking the total number of people receiving a main benefit to 279,891,” Mrs Tolley says.

“Those receiving Sole Parent Support continue to drive the biggest reduction in numbers, with a drop of 3,986 (or 5.7 per cent).

Anne Tolley Social Development
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As part of the Government’s commitment to a more integrated, more effective response to family violence, an innovative new approach is to be piloted in Christchurch from 1 July, Ministers have announced.

The Integrated Safety Response pilot will bring together a team of Police, CYF, Corrections, Health, specialist family violence NGOs and Māori service providers to support victims and their families.

The pilot is part of the comprehensive cross-agency work programme overseen by the Ministerial Group on Family Violence and Sexual Violence.

Judith Collins Anne Tolley Amy Adams Social Development Police Justice Corrections
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Employers will now have to make lower-skilled employment opportunities available to New Zealanders before supporting a work visa to fill the vacancy, says Social Development Minister Anne Tolley and Immigration Minister Michael Woodhouse.

Changes came into force this week which mean that employers considering hiring a migrant for a lower-skilled role will now be required to engage with Work and Income at the beginning of the process to ensure there is no New Zealander available to do the job first.

Michael Woodhouse Anne Tolley Social Development Immigration
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Young people in Kapiti are being given more employment and qualification opportunities thanks to the Government’s MacKays to Peka Peka Expressway project, says Transport Minister Simon Bridges and Social Development Minister Anne Tolley.

Subcontractor Dellta Contractors Ltd has been working closely with Work and Income staff to provide jobs and training on the expressway project.

Eight young men have been employed on the expressway project under the partnership to date, with more to be signed up over the next year.

Anne Tolley Simon Bridges Transport Social Development
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E nga mana, e nga reo, e te iwi o te motu, tena koutou, tena koutou, tena koutou katoa

Good morning everyone and thank you for coming along today to hear about the future for care and protection in New Zealand.

Can I acknowledge MSD Chief Executive Brendan Boyle for hosting this event today. Also the other chief executives from the Vulnerable Children’s Board, who have been so supportive.

Anne Tolley Social Development
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Social Development Minister Anne Tolley says Cabinet has agreed to major state care reforms and a complete overhaul of Child, Youth and Family to improve the long-term life outcomes for New Zealand’s most vulnerable population.

“The whole system needs to be transformed if we are to give these young people the protection and life opportunities they deserve,” says Mrs Tolley.

Anne Tolley Social Development
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The Canterbury Skills and Employment Hub which matches job seekers with employers will stay open until June 2018 to continue helping employers in the region meet their skills needs says Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce and Social Development Minister Anne Tolley.

The Hub was set up in November 2012 to help with the Christchurch rebuild and Canterbury’s wider economic recovery. It was due to shut in June 2016.

Anne Tolley Steven Joyce Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Social Development
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Social Development Minister Anne Tolley says the $790 million Child Hardship package announced as part of Budget 2015 comes into effect tomorrow which includes the first real rise in benefits in 43 years.

“A rise in benefit rates for those with dependent children by $25 a week after tax will make a significant difference for those children in severe hardship,” Mrs Tolley says.

The Budget 2015 Child Hardship package includes:

Anne Tolley Social Development
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Social Development Minister Anne Tolley says the country’s largest Children’s Team has been launched in Counties Manukau and will work with 1,400 children and young people in the first two years.

“The Counties Manukau Children’s Team is the tenth Team to be launched and will initially work with children from Papakura, Manurewa and Clendon,” Mrs Tolley says.

Anne Tolley Social Development
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Social Development Minister Anne Tolley says 10 of the country’s foster care families have been celebrated at an awards ceremony at Government House.

“Foster carers do an exceptional job, taking children and young people into their homes, often in the middle of the night, and giving them a safe and loving family,” Mrs Tolley says.

“The Excellence in Foster Care Awards acknowledges caregivers who go above and beyond for the children and young people who come into their families.”

Anne Tolley Social Development
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Social Development Minister Anne Tolley says that more services will soon be required to adopt child protection policies.

Under the Vulnerable Children Act 2014, state-funded organisations that deal directly with children are already required to have child protection policies.

From 18 April, organisations that deliver family violence, addiction, mental health, disability and victims of crimes services to adults living in households with children, and which receive government funding, will also be required to have policies in place.

Anne Tolley Social Development
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Social Development Minister Anne Tolley says that this Sunday is a chance to celebrate children and young people in care and the caregivers who look after them, with Children’s Day and the start of Foster Care Awareness week.

“Children’s Day is a chance to celebrate the young people in our lives and across the country – particularly those children who through no fault of their own are in care,” Mrs Tolley says.

Anne Tolley Social Development
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Social Development Minister Anne Tolley has announced two community pilot programmes aimed at supporting the partners and children of gang members to lead successful lives, and to help steer young people away from gang life.

The announcement comes on the same day as the release of a report which estimates that the long-term cost to the taxpayer of gang members and their children through their contact with MSD and CYF is $714 million.

“Gang life ruins families, and the social cost through domestic violence and child abuse is unacceptable,” says Mrs Tolley.

Anne Tolley Social Development
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Social Development Minister Anne Tolley says Superannuation and Veteran’s Pension rates will increase on 1 April.

The Government has committed to keeping the Superannuation and Veteran’s Pension rates at 66 per cent of average incomes, leading to a 2.73 per cent rise this year.

“This means an increase of $15.74 a week for a married couple, $10.23 a week for a single person living alone and $9.44 for a single person sharing accommodation,” Mrs Tolley says.

Anne Tolley Social Development
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An independent committee’s latest report on reducing family violence has highlighted that Government efforts are on the right track, say Justice Minister Amy Adams and Social Development Minister Anne Tolley.

The Family Violence Death Review Committee, which conducts independent reviews on family violence related deaths, has today released its fifth report. The report recommendations largely endorse the work of the Ministerial Group on Family and Sexual Violence.

Anne Tolley Amy Adams Social Development Justice
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Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce and Social Development Minister Anne Tolley today announced up to $300,000 worth of funding to help people into work in the Buller District.

The Ministry of Social Development funding will be matched by a further $300,000 from the District and will be used to provide wage subsidies for up to 20 people impacted by recent business closures in the region to be hired by new employers.

Anne Tolley Steven Joyce Social Development Economic Development
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Social Development Minister Anne Tolley says that thousands of Cantabrians have received free counselling and support with their accommodation expenses since the earthquakes five years ago, and that help continues to be available for those that need it.

“We are well aware that for many people, young and old, the trauma continues especially around the anniversary and following the recent large earthquake on Valentine’s Day,” says Mrs Tolley.

Anne Tolley Nicky Wagner Social Development Canterbury Earthquake Recovery
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Social Development Minister Anne Tolley says Work and Income is continuing to provide a better service for clients while reducing costs for taxpayers by sending out fewer letters and improving the way it interacts with beneficiaries.

Work and Income is improving the content of its letters, using digital mailboxes where appropriate, and is enhancing its website content and calculators, to make it easier for clients to find and understand the information they need.

Anne Tolley Social Development
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Social Development Minister Anne Tolley says more than $5.18 million in School and Year Start Up Payments have already been paid to caregivers in 2016 with two weeks before applications close.

“Carers receiving either the Unsupported Child’s Benefit or Orphan’s Benefit can receive between $400 and $550 per child, depending on the age of the child, at the beginning of each year,” Mrs Tolley says.

Anne Tolley Social Development
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Health Minister Jonathan Coleman and Social Development Minister Anne Tolley say 72 per cent of all medical certificates for Work and Income clients are now being lodged electronically.

“There’s been a great uptake in GPs using the new secure electronic system to lodge work capacity medical certificates,” says Dr Coleman.

“It’s meant that 1,200 clients per day no longer have to hand-deliver certificates to Work and Income offices.

Anne Tolley Jonathan Coleman Social Development Health
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Social Development Minister Anne Tolley says that with students returning to school, the six millionth Kickstart breakfast will be served this week since the Government expanded the programme.

“More than 27,000 school-age children sit down to a bowl of breakfast at more than 800 schools across the country every school week,” Mrs Tolley says.

“Feedback from schools is overwhelmingly positive, with 99.5 per cent of schools satisfied or very satisfied with the Kickstart Breakfast programme.

Anne Tolley Social Development
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Social Development Minister Anne Tolley has welcomed the latest benefit valuation which shows a $12 billion reduction over four years in the welfare system’s future lifetime cost, which equates to clients spending 900,000 fewer years on benefits over their working lifetimes, compared to pre-reform expectations.

“Welfare reforms have had a significant impact over the past few years in helping more people into work as well as providing substantial savings for the taxpayer,” Mrs Tolley says.

Anne Tolley Social Development
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Social Development Minister Anne Tolley says the number of people receiving a benefit is continuing to decline year on year with a 2.5 per cent drop in the number of people receiving a main benefit between December 2014 and December 2015.

“The number of people receiving a main benefit has fallen by almost 7,800, or 2.5 per cent in the last 12 months,” Mrs Tolley says.

“Sole parents continue to lead the way, with a 5.7 per cent drop or 4,154 fewer people receiving Sole Parent Support compared to the same time in the previous year.”

Anne Tolley Social Development
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Social Development Minister Anne Tolley says that the Nitbusters programme, which provides free head lice treatment to families in low decile schools, is to continue in 2016.

Funding of $1.1 million is being provided to KidsCan to deliver the programme to 111 schools and 24,000 children.

“As a mother and grandmother I know all families will be aware that nits can quickly infest a household and can be an expensive nuisance to eradicate,” says Mrs Tolley.

Anne Tolley Social Development