Headline: Bennett wants kindy teachers to dob in beneficiaries
Parents who end up on a benefit for a period of time are just as capable of making decisions about what’s appropriate for their little children as parents who work.
The National Government is expecting early childhood education (ECE) centres to monitor the attendance of beneficiary children and to “dob in” parents whose kids don’t always attend so their benefits can be cut, information obtained by the Green Party shows.
New social obligations for beneficiary parents came into force on Monday, despite evidence from health officials and child advocates that the obligations will harm children and drive a wedge between agencies and families.
“Answers to my written questions from the Ministers of Social Development and Education show that from next year, the Ministry of Education will for the first time track every child’s attendance at pre-school and, if those children’s parents receive a benefit, that information is likely to be passed on to MSD,” Green Party Co-leader Metiria Turei said today.
“It is completely inappropriate for preschool teachers to be used as de facto benefit police by MSD. That’s effectively asking them to “dob in” the families who know and trust them. Anything that undermines the trusting relationship between teachers and families will only do those kids harm.
“Like the pokies-for-convention centre deal this is another case of the National Government ignoring warnings from its own officials about its policies endangering children.
In papers released to Mrs Turei under the Official Information Act last year, officials warned that the social obligations regime could lead to more child neglect and result in children needing hospital treatment; would undermine relationships between Well Child nurses and families; and warned that the Well Child programme would be “less effective” if parents were forced to participate in it.
“It is simply rubbish to argue that these obligations are good for children. The reason why children are not attending ECE is because there is no appropriate ECE in their area, they can’t afford to get their kids there, or their parents think they will be genuinely better off at home.
“Parents who end up on a benefit for a period of time are just as capable of making decisions about what’s appropriate for their little children as parents who work.
“If the National Government was serious about ensuring kids in low socio-economic areas attend early childhood education, it should establish quality services in the areas where these kids live.
“Social Development Minister Paula Bennett persists in saying that her draconian social obligations and benefit sanctions will be good for kids, but she has been told over and over again that they would actively harm children and their families.
“That she is expecting kindy and kohanga teachers to monitor the attendance of beneficiary kids in order to police these damaging ‘obligations’ is the last straw,” Mrs Turei said.
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