Agenda for Children slips off Labour’s agenda?

National Party Welfare spokeswoman Judith Collins is asking for a please explain from Steve Maharey over the apparent lack of action on Labour’s much-heralded Agenda For Children.

Information supplied by the Minister shows the ‘Agenda For Children’ hasn’t been discussed for nearly a year and a half.

“Mr Maharey should tell us whether this is yet another politically correct hot potato that Labour is taking off the menu in the lead-up to the election.”

Among the more controversial statements in the document (released in June 2002) is a clause that says the ‘whole child’ approach will be founded in part on the ‘Treaty of Waitangi’.

“Everyone knows Labour doesn’t want to talk about this stuff in election year,” says Ms Collins, “Mr Maharey should just come clean.”

On the 8th of October 2003 the Children’s Commissioner urged Mr Maharey to get his ‘A into G’ on the Agenda For Children.

“A year and a half down the track it appears Mr Maharey is still sitting on his ‘A’. Meanwhile, the number of children being placed into care and into the hands of CYF continues to rise.

“Since Dr Kiro made that statement, answers to parliamentary questions show that Mr Maharey has had just one progress update on the Agenda for Children. I doubt it’s any coincidence that it came on October 9th, the day after Dr Kiro’s broadside.

“It’s perfect evidence of what John Tamihere was talking about.

“18 months has past, and according to Mr Maharey’s official answers he hasn’t had a progress update on the agenda for children since 2003.

“New Zealand kids need real action, not more reports that are never followed through,” says Ms Collins.

Parliamentary Question 03620 (2005)

Sent: Tuesday, 29 March 2005 09:43 a.m. Subject: 03620 (2005) Published - Social Development & Employment - Normal

Question: What reports has the Minister received on the implementation of the Agenda for Children between 2002 and the present and what are the titles and dates of those reports?

Portfolio: Social Development & Employment Minister: Hon Steve Maharey Date Lodged:16/03/2005

Answer Text: The attached document notes the reports, by title and date, I have received on the implementation of the Agenda for Children between 2002 and the present.

PQ 03620 (2005)

I have received the following reports on the implementation of the Agenda for Children between 2002 and the present:

Action for Child and Youth Development: Overview on Progress and Proposed 2002/2003 Work Programme (29/08/02)

Action for Child and Youth Development: Report on training, information and guidance for public service agencies on children’s and young people’s issues (29/08/02)

Action for Child and Youth Development: Report on including children, young people, young adults and their issues in local government planning and decision-making processes (29/08/02)

Action for Child and Youth Development: Report on ways to increase the participation of children and young people in the governance and life of schools (29/08/02)

Action for Child and Youth Development: Report on the outcomes of the interdepartmental work relating to child, youth and young adult participation in the Family Court, and the Law Commission’s work on children’s participation in Family Court dispute resolutions processes (29/08/02)

Action for Child and Youth Development: Report on the effectiveness of different models (including overseas models) of participation of children, young people and young adults at the national political level (29/08/02)

Action for Child and Youth Development: Report on the level of participation of young adults in democratic/electoral processes and ways of increasing their participation (29/08/02)

Action for Child and Youth Development: Report on identifying new or existing mechanisms to increase the participation of Mâori children, young people and young adults, those from Pacific or other ethnic groups, those with disabilities, and those who are vulnerable and marginalised (29/08/02)

Action for Child and Youth Development: Report on the analysis of adult submissions on the Agenda for Children relating to education services and funding (29/08/02)

Action for Child and Youth Development: Report on the need for a co-ordinated strategy to reduce bullying (29/08/02)

Action for Child and Youth Development: Report on the information dimension of the Action for Child and Youth Development work programme (29/08/02)

Action for Child and Youth Development: Report on Work to Increase the Participation of Children and Young People in the Governance and Life of Schools (30/04/03)

Report on work to Reduce Bullying in the Lives of Children and Young People (28/05/03)

Action for Child and Youth Development: Report on Work on Increasing the Participation of Children and Young People in Local Government Planning and Decision-making Processes (27/05/03)

Engaging Children and Young People in Local Government Planning and Decision-making: a Web-based Toolkit for Councils (26/09/03)

Agenda for Children: Update on Progress (09/10/2003)

Agenda for Children: Reducing Bullying in the Lives of Children and Young People (20/11/03)

Progress on Longitudinal Study of Children and Families (05/02/04)

Longitudinal Study of Children and Families: Briefing the Minister of Youth Affairs (12/03/04)

Release of Positive School Culture Publication (29/07/04)

Whole Child Approach Publication (06/08/2004)

Children and Young People: Indicators of Wellbeing (17/08/04)

Children and Young People: Indicators of Wellbeing in New Zealand (07/09/04)

Indicators of Child and Youth Wellbeing in New Zealand (01/12/04)

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