C+ not acceptable on Social Report
A C+ is not acceptable, says National’s Welfare spokeswoman Katherine Rich on the Ministry of Social Development’s 2004
Social Report released today.
“The report card highlights yet again areas of critical need in New Zealand that are not improving.
“For the sake of our children we cannot accept such a dismal pass mark.”
The Social Report shows in the year to June 2003, 31,781 care and protection notices were made to Child, Youth and
Family, and 7,361 children were assessed for being abused or neglected. Our youth suicide rate remains the highest in
the world for males and second highest for females.
Mrs Rich says sadly these are not new problems.
“Poor literacy rates and an average wage that lags behind that of our closest neighbour Australia provides real cause
for concern.
“You would expect an improvement in some of these indicators in the current economic environment.”