Next step in social investment focus

The Government remains committed to its social investment approach to improve services for New Zealanders most in need, Finance Minister Bill English says.

“The Prime Minister has made clear that in this third term the Government will further focus on issues influencing children in material deprivation and hardship. Just as there are many and sometimes inter-related causes of hardship, there must also be multiple and sometimes inter-related strands to the solution. 

“The Better Public Services programme, reform of the social housing sector and the investment approach that we have developed to improve services for the people who need them most, are all part of the Government’s ongoing programme. 

“In another step, The Treasury will issue a Request for Information inviting submissions from people who work with vulnerable New Zealanders as well as others whose input might help us invest to get better results.”

The Request for Information will focus on:

• Effective ways of identifying and engaging the children and families most at risk of poor education, criminal justice and employment outcomes.
• How existing services or support could be improved to deliver better outcomes for the most at-risk children and their families.
• Issues not currently being addressed that affect at-risk children and their families.
• New interventions, services or arrangements that could deliver better outcomes.

This approach builds on initiatives like Whanau Ora, Children’s Teams and Social Sector Trials, which focus on the needs of individual citizens.

Information collected will be used to identify where existing government services can be improved, or where new localised or citizen-centred services can be trialled as part of Budget 2015. Initiatives could be funded through new spending or reprioritising existing expenditure.

The Request for Information will be available from Thursday on the Treasury website. www.treasury.govt.nz/budget/socialinvestment