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Source: ONE News -
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A report on Maori and Pasifika child poverty shows that just over half of New Zealand children living below the poverty line, are Maori and Pasifika.
He Ara Hou - The New Pathway, shows Maori and Pasifika children suffer disproportionately in low living standards and experience significantly poorer health, educational and social outcomes than other groups.
The child abuse prevention network, Jigsaw Family Services, says children must be put first when changes are made to social or economic policies.
Chief executive Tau Huirama says it is well known that poverty is a factor in violence against women and children.
"The report shows that social and economic policies are not delivering any real benefits for our most vulnerable tamariki," said Huirama.
"It's time that we all look through children's eyes to see the impact that policies and social services have on the most vulnerable."
Huirama says the whole country benefits by putting children first because if they grow up to live healthy, happy and fulfilled lives they can contribute positively to society.
Jigsaw supports taking a 'Whanau Ora' approach to social service delivery.
"This means they are developing ways of working with whole families, rather than just individuals, to give them the tools to help themselves. It might be help managing anger or stress, or dealing with money problems or alcohol or drug addictions. We believe children have a better future if their families are self-sufficient," Huirama said.
A child advocacy group wants to see Maori and Pasifika communities follow up on a damning report into the poverty their children are living in.
Every Child Counts spokesnan Hone Kaa says the sobering statistics need to be followed up in the next six months so action plans can be presented for the Government's Green Paper release in February.
Agreement needed
Labour says New Zealand needs to urgently change the way it looks at child health and wellbeing.
Deputy leader Annette King says it's time for politicians to come together and develop a cross-party agreement for the sake of NZ children.
"In the last two weeks there have been reports showing that more children and their families are becoming reliant on benefits, more are being admitted to hospital with respiratory illness and more families, because of the rising cost of living are cutting down on buying fresh fruit and vegetables," King said.
"We need to work together across education, welfare, health, housing and employment to help lift people out of poverty."
Maori Social Development spokesperson Nanaia Mahuta said unless politicians are willing to change the way they work on child welfare then they will fail the children.
"Having 200,000 children living in poverty, 60,000 of those Maori and 44,000 of them Pasifika, is a simply not good enough," Mahuta said.
"A collective effort will be needed to improve the lives of vulnerable young children."
- with Newstalk ZB
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