MEDIA RELEASE
28 August 2012

Jigsaw Urges Political Parties to Invest in Children

The child abuse prevention network Jigsaw is urging all politicians to get behind the Children’s Commissioner’s recommendations to tackle child poverty in New Zealand.

The Commissioner’s Expert Advisory Group’s initial recommendations released today include payments to parents for the first five years of a child’s life and measures to make homes warmer and more affordable, as well as creating better access to health services for pregnant women.

Jigsaw’s chief executive (Strategic Operations) Sally Christie says it’s important that we invest in children at an early age.

She says all political parties must embrace the evidence that poverty is harming our children and develop long term policy that is supported by that evidence.

“Jigsaw’s social service agencies working on the front line have known for years that poverty is one of the main causal factors in child abuse and neglect,” Sally Christie says. “There is strong evidence that investing in early childhood and preventing negative health and social outcomes will save money later on.”

Sally Christie says Jigsaw also believes that all housing, education and social services must be linked up properly to provide the best wrap around care for vulnerable children.

Jigsaw will be engaging with the expertise in its diverse network to gather feedback for the Children’s Commissioner’s work and is strongly encouraging all New Zealanders to participate in the consultation process over the next few weeks.

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