Review of child support welcomed

Every Child Counts welcomes review of Child Support

‘We support Peter Dunne’s initiative in reviewing our child support system and how it works,’ said Deborah Morris-Travers, spokesperson for Every Child Counts. ‘After 18 years of social changes in New Zealand families we need to take another look at how the system is working. There is plenty of anecdotal evidence that suggests it no longer is working in the best interests of the children involved.’

’21 percent of today’s households are single-parent with dependent children. One in four New Zealand children will live in single parent families at some stage of their lives. All of those children are affected for good or ill, by how well our child support system works,’ Deborah continued.

‘Children in single parent households also are a significant group of those children living in poverty in New Zealand. One factor contributing to their deprivation is the failure of the other parent to contribute fully to their care through child support payments.’

‘A further factor that needs to be reviewed relates to the penalty that is imposed on parents receiving the DPB who do not name the liable parent. That state-imposed penalty is punitive and simply contributes further to the children involved living in poverty.’

‘There is another government-imposed point affecting the income of parents on the DPB. Child support payments are not included in the exempt supplementary income that beneficiaries are allowed to earn before their benefit payments are reduced. Instead child support payments are taken by the state at source and never get to the parent.’

‘It’s a good and timely initiative therefore and we congratulate Peter Dunne on the initiative, and urge him to ensure that the best interests of the child at the centre of any changes introduced.’ concluded Deborah Morris-Travers.

ENDS