PlunketLine deserves government support

23 May 2006

PlunketLine deserves government support

PlunketLine should remain in the hands of Plunket so that parents can have confidence in the service and continue to receive the vital support it provides, says Every Child Counts.

“PlunketLine provides a unique service in support of parents, at times when there may be no other support available. Delivered as part of the wider Plunket service, PlunketLine is an early intervention service that has always provided a holistic response to child and family well-being, rather than focussing just on illness.

“Demand for the service has always been high, demonstrating the need for parenting support and well child health services to be available at all times and delivered by a trusted organisation like Plunket,” said Every Child Counts chairperson, Murray Edridge today.

“We are deeply concerned by indications that the government will allow PlunketLine to be absorbed into the Ministry of Health’s Healthline and no longer operated by Plunket. Such a move flies in the face of other government initiatives to develop community capacity.

“There is no doubt that Plunket’s name carries considerable credibility within the community and, in our view, it is critical that parents’ trust in PlunketLine is maintained.

“Every Child Counts has encouraged the Prime Minister to intervene in support of PlunketLine and ensure the service continues, with adequate funding and government support, to ensure it successfully meets the needs of parents and their children,” concluded Mr Edridge.

Every Child Counts is a coalition including Barnardos, Plunket, Save the Children, Unicef NZ and AUT’s Institute of Public Policy, supported by more than 350 other organisations and thousands of individual supporters.

ENDS

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