There are nice little nuggets scattered throughout the Budget, “but let’s be clear they are small scale and are not going to flip the dial to relieve the suffering faced by children and whānau today. This is not the bold investment required to build the foundation for a thriving future.”

Belinda Himiona Chief Executive of Te Pai Ora SSPA says despite soaring demand across the social sector, Budget 2025 fails to address chronic underfunding to support children and whānau.

While it is positive to see investment for Oranga Tamariki social service contracting, learning support, strengthening the safety of the care system and redress for survivors, social investment initiatives and an increase for Māori and Pasifika Wardens.

“The challenge for the government is to match its investment rhetoric by being brave to invest comprehensively in the services that our sector has consistently shown improves lives. Community must have a revitalised role with services devolved to community, iwi and hapū.”

Belinda cautions, “There are clear indications that things are not ok in Aotearoa.”

Lest we forget – recently:

• UNICEF ranked NZ towards the bottom of all of its Child Wellbeing indicators of 36 OECD countries [source: Report Card 19 Fragile Gains - Child Wellbeing at Risk in an Unpredictable World, UNICEF]

• Reports of concerns for children to Oranga Tamariki rose 35% in the last year alone with more than 95,000 reports of concern made [source]

• Concerningly in the last year most child outcomes have worsened across poverty, violence, education achievement, mental health [source: State of the Nation 2025, Salvation Army]

Rather than choosing to respond comprehensively, the decision in this Budget to invest in youth justice and truancy programmes is short-sighted. Investment in early intervention is the most impactful. It is critical to understand that these decisions will disproportionately harm Māori and their whānau.

We can’t keep waiting for early investment, it is needed now in:

• Interventions for children and whānau at risk

• Poverty reduction and whānau support

• Fair pay that recognises the value the social sector workforce brings

“Governments choose where to invest. There are trade-offs. Once you improve the lives of whānau you set the foundation for all our future.”

ABOUT SOCIAL SERVICE PROVIDERS TE PAI ORA O AOTEAROA | www.sspa.org.nz

Te Pai Ora SSPA is a membership-based organisation, representing more than 250 non-profit, community-based social service organisations from around Aotearoa New Zealand. Our member organisations are diverse, including small rural organisations, Iwi and kaupapa Māori service providers, Pacific providers, and large national children’s organisations. Our member organisations provide life changing and often life-saving services and support in their communities.

Te Pai Ora SSPA’s full members are funded by government to deliver social services in our communities every day, with a predominant focus on children, rangatahi, families and whānau. Our affiliate members are organisations that deliver social services for these people, and organisations and individuals working in areas aligned to the interests of children, young people, whānau or communities.

Te Pai Ora SSPA’s vision is that Aotearoa New Zealand’s community-based social services are sustainable, making a positive impact every day in our communities and hapori, supporting children, young people and whānau to thrive now and into the future. Te Pai Ora SSPA works to strengthen Aotearoa New Zealand’s social sector through advocacy and engagement, learning and development, relationships and sector leadership.

© Scoop Media