Every Child Counts welcomes Minister’s initiative on $2b problem

Every Child Counts welcomes the initiative by Paula Bennett, Minister of Social Development, in convening the Experts forum on Child Abuse.

‘The recommendations are challenging and raise civil liberty issues that we all need to think about carefully,’ said Barbara Lambourn, Every Child Counts spokesperson. ‘But I do urge civil libertarians to weigh up the right of dependent children to safety and protection and keep them in the frame when commenting on the rights of the parents.’

‘The scale of child maltreatment in New Zealand is not just a matter of moral outrage however,’ she continued. ‘Most of us do not comprehend the ongoing economic cost to the whole nation of this social problem.’

‘A couple of years ago Every Child Counts commissioned research on the economic cost by the respected independent research group, Infometrics. We were staggered by the conclusion.’

‘Their estimate was that child maltreatment costs New Zealand in excess of $2 billion or over 1 percent of GDP annually. This cost comprised three categories – immediate costs, long term costs, foregone productivity. Their conclusion was that this is a substantial drain on the economy and calls for intensive focussed government intervention,’ Barbara concluded.

A copy of the executive summary of the Infometrics report is attached to this press release.

ENDS

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