Alcohol ‘major factor’ in child poverty

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Alcohol ‘major factor’ in child poverty

Wednesday, September 12, 2012 • Alice Te Puni

THE impact of alcohol is destroying families and causing child poverty, community workers said at a Children’s Commission consultation hui in Gisborne yesterday.

Tairawhiti Community Law Centre manager Gillian Creach said alcohol was a major factor in most social ills here.

“It is an accepted part of our society, it is legal and therefore OK, but we see on a regular basis the mess it leaves and the immediate effects.

“There are also health and intergenerational consequences.”

Tairawhiti Child Protection Network chairwoman Justine Crawford said there were 50 foetal syndrome births a year in Tairawhiti.

Others said alcohol and child poverty was one of a number “scabs” at the surface of a fragmented society.

More than 100 people attended the first in a series of national consultation hui to find solutions to child poverty in communities with deputy children’s commissioner Jo Cribb.

Plunket nurses said housing was a solution for them.

“We go into these houses and see what our mothers have to live with — water dripping off the walls and babies sleeping in damp beds. Children are sick because they cannot stay warm and the rising cost of power is not helping.”

The women said shelter was a “basic human right” but it was not provided adequately in Gisborne.

“We should be looking at solar power for our state homes but, even more important, we should be putting families in the many Housing New Zealand homes that are empty around town.”

A call was made at the hui for the return of a Housing New Zealand office with “real people” to communicate with and not telephone prompts.

“Relationships are so important, and face-to-face contact. This form of caring will help ensure everybody is being looked after,” said Gisborne Women’s Refuge manager Pip Davies.

Deputy Mayor Nona Aston said child poverty was a symptom of uncaring people living in uncaring communities.

“A shortage of money is not the only problem.

“It is the lack of wealth in the areas of spirituality, emotional ties, time, kindness, love and the overall caring for others. It is the lack of these things that will kill our region.”

Mrs Aston said people had become selfish and materialistic.

“We have forgotten that it takes a whole village to bring up our children,” she said.

But she does not want to see the “Government raising our children.”

“Why are we allowing our children to be brought up by the Government?

“We can’t let this happen. We have been fragmented enough into the haves and the have-nots.

“Where is our pride, whanaungatanga, tikanga, aroha? We have to fight as a region to bring back our values.

“Nothing will work if we do not honour and value the children. It is obvious that we don’t because our main value is the almighty dollar.”

Mrs Creach said the child not being valued could also be seen in the court system.

“Men can leave the country owing $20,000 worth of child support and yet you can’t leave if you have a $200 ‘ticket’. This shows material possessions are valued more than a child’s welfare.”

Deputy children’s commissioner Jo Cribb was impressed with the insight provided in Gisborne and welcomed even more feedback.

The deadline for submissions on child poverty solutions is October 12.

For further information go to www.occ.org.nz

VALUE THE CHILD: A national consultation hui on child poverty was launched in Gisborne yesterday, with more than 100 people attending three hui for agencies, educators and community people including (from left) Te Wananga o Aotearoa academic adviser Joshua Wharehinga, Children’s Commissioner Constance Lehman, Barnardos service manager Dianne Saunders, Tairawhiti District Health family violence intervention co-ordinator Kay Symes, Tairawhiti Child Protection Network chairwoman Justine Crawford, deputy children’s commissioner Jo Cribb and Every Child Counts manager Deborah Morris-Travers. Picture by Paul Rickard

Comments

Helen Shaw

09:59 a.m. Friday, Sep 14, 2012

Poor people are alcoholics? Geeezus, 270,000 kids can't be in poverty because of alcohol - they are poor because their income only covers rent, basic food and power. If some of them use some of the money for alcohol, then as a community support them and help them. But don't give the haters ammunition with such a blanket headline. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

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