PC Police Attacking Parents
PC Police Attacking Parents
Friday 3rd Sep 1999
Muriel
Newman
Media Release -- Social Welfare
A suggestion
from the Children, Young Persons and their Families
Service
that parents should seek permission from teenage
children before getting
information on them must not be
taken too far according to ACT Social
Welfare Spokesman
Dr Muriel Newman.
"In the journal 'Social Work Now',
CYPFA's acting lawyer, Stewart
Bartlett suggests a
person, even if a parent or guardian,
seeking
information on a teenager, should get the
child's consent first", said Dr
Newman. "He then goes on
to say that 'the public interest which justifies
the
release of information about children to their guardians
will lessen as
the child's right to determine the passage
of information about themselves
increases'.
"While
that suggestion is possibly sensible for teenagers in
abusive and
at risk family situations, it should not
be taken too far. Applying
it in a widespread sense
will simply drive a wedge between family members,
making
the already difficult job of parenting even more
difficult.
"Being a parent is hard enough these days
without the State's 'PC
Police' undermining your role.
Children are now being taught that they
have 'rights',
but all too often the responsibilities that accompany
those rights, are neglected.
"Over the last couple
of years we have heard dreadful stories of
teenagers
refusing to let parents see their school reports, and
avoiding
telling them about serious medical problems.
More recently there have
been more and more cases of
children threatening to take action when their
parents
try to set down boundaries.
"The teenage years are
difficult for both children and parents, but
with
understanding, support and clear values, most families
manage to pull
through. The last thing parents need
however, is the state, in the name
of political
correctness, interfering and undermining their role.
Dr
Newman said that the state does not raise children well,
and rather
than undermining the role and rights of
parents, government should be
committed to strengthening
families, and supporting them in their vital
role of
raising the next generation of New Zealanders.
ENDS
For
more information visit ACT online at http://www.act.org.nz
or contact
the ACT Parliamentary Office at
act@parliament.govt.nz.