Bob Simcock Opposition Social Services Spokesman

16 June 2000

Government fails vulnerable children

"The Government, through its Budget, has betrayed the children who depend on our Child Youth and Family Services for support and protection," says National MP Bob Simcock.

"Week after week we read about the inability of Child Youth and Family Services to deliver the support families need. Desperate mothers hit out at their children because they can't get help. Children are abused while waiting to be rescued. Foster parents are left with very difficult children, but with no support. And Family Group Conference decisions aren't followed up on because social workers are too busy.

"The Labour Government promised to fix all that.

"Before the election, Labour promised to seriously boost funding for the Child Youth and Family Service. But this service that employs 1350 social workers and deals with 75 new families each week has been given just 22 extra social workers."

"The Service's workload is growing by 12% each year, but Labour has increased the social work team by a miserable 1.6%. This is not a fix, it is a disaster."

"Things can only get worse for social workers and children as a result of this Budget" Bob Simcock says.

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