Big rise in kids being raised on benefits
By GREER McDONALD - The Dominion Post
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National
One in five Kiwi children are now being raised in households reliant on benefits, sparking fears that children are "starving in the age of the recession".
The number of children living with beneficiaries is up 15,000 in the past year to 226,000 in April 2009.
The rise has concerned doctors, child welfare groups and academics, who say living with beneficiaries increases the risk of leaving school early and health effects including hospital admissions and deaths.
They have set up an annual checklist to monitor the situation. The Social Health Monitor, to be launched at the Paediatric Society annual conference in Hamilton today, will track the effects of the economic downturn on child health and poverty.
It shows the number of children reliant on a benefit recipient has fallen since 2000 but is likely to rise in the near future and says the benefit set-up will be unable to protect many children from severe or significant hardship – including more hospital admissions and deaths.
It also points to long-term effects such as leaving school without qualifications.
The Government says the number on the dole has fallen for the seventh successive week and the total is 59,000, down 1722. But the Government doesn't expect that trend to continue as school and university leavers join the queue.
The benefit figures also do not reflect the full picture, with 150,000 people registered as unemployed, up 12,000 in the last quarter.
New Zealand Child and Youth Epidemiology Service director Elizabeth Craig, a public health physician in Dunedin, said it was expected a range of health conditions among children would deteriorate after the recession. "Tracking them would be critical to quickly alert relevant authorities," she said.
"If we find that child health outcomes are deteriorating, this will be brought to the attention of policymakers so that appropriate responses can be implemented."
Wellington Hospital paediatrician Brendon Bowkett said child health was "a basketcase well before the recession".
While supportive of moves to tackle the problem, he said easy access to free medical assessments for sick kids in poorer areas was vital.
"It's not just the cost, it's the perception of cost. Even if something is free, it's the perception that it may cost," he said. "When poverty is fixed then you can charge poor children to be assessed."
He cited a case where a child in Porirua developed a sore throat on a Friday, but was not seen by a doctor till Monday – in which time the child developed rheumatic fever.
In July, Dr Bowkett said hospital admissions for children cost an average of $4000 to $6000 each and forced hospitals to postpone or cancel non-urgent paediatric operations for grommets, tonsils and hernias.
About a dozen people a day are being treated for skin infections at a Porirua clinic – a "cataclysmic" rate.
Social Development and Employment Minister Paula Bennett said living on welfare was difficult for many families and the global economic downturn this year had seen more people reliant on the state for financial assistance. New Zealand had a generous welfare system compared to many other countries.
The three-day conference, themed "Starving in the Age of Recession", will feature presentations on the affordability of nutritious food, Maori health, and international health strategies.
HEALTHCARE IS A LUXURY
Single mum Deb Kilkelly says she has frequently resisted taking her 14-month-old daughter Natalie to the doctor because the money to pay "just wasn't there".
The 23-year-old from Paraparaumu, whose main income is the domestic purposes benefit, said medical care for children aged under five was meant to be free but doctors could charge an "administration fee".
At her local GP that fee is $11, which she said "isn't much" but after bills she was only left with about $10 of spending money each week.
The base rate for the DBP is $272.70 a week after tax.
"It's really not fun, kids under five are supposed to be free."
When Natalie contracted chickenpox on a Saturday, Miss Kilkelly had to pay $37 to see the health centre at the weekend.
"My dad paid for a lot of stuff, not everyone has that luxury. My friend has an $80 doctor bill that she can't pay. The money's just not there.
"I've had weeks I've just eaten toast."
Miss Kilkelly said free healthcare for under fives would change how she would decide about trips to the doctor.
"I would stop hesitating to take her [Natalie] to the doctor when something's wrong."
Miss Kilkelly, who used to work in IT in Wellington, said she had to pay for a landline because places like IRD and Work and Income would not take calls from mobiles.
Her internet connection was her "one vice" and after spending $70 a week on food and nappies, she had about $10 left for clothing or extra food. "Things always crop up."
STATE OF KIWI CHILDREN
* One in five children is already reliant on benefit recipients. The impact of further unemployment, which is likely to keep rising in the short to medium term, will therefore start from a "high baseline".
* A study of children born in 1993 and followed through to 2000 (when unemployment rates were similar to those predicted for the next 18 months) found 54 per cent were reliant, at some point, on a benefit.
* The 2004 NZ Living Standards Survey suggested 58 per cent of families with children who relied on benefits were living in severe or significant hardship, compared with 12 per cent of families receiving market income. Severe or significant hardship was associated with children not having suitable wet weather gear or shoes, and postponing visits to the doctor.
* New Zealand children have a lot of hospital admissions. Asthma, bronchiolitis and gastroenteritis are the main medical reasons.
* Longitudinal studies suggest that 4-10 per cent of children are physically abused and 11-20 per cent sexually abused.
* In the past five years, hospital admissions for injuries arising from assault, neglect or maltreatment were significantly higher for boys living in the most deprived areas. Source: New Zealand Children's Social Health Monitor 2009
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If you can't feed 'em, don't breed 'em.
Not rocket science, is it?
@ Tala #3
"look after the children..." Ummm I'm pretty sure that's exactly what she IS doing, why else wouldn't she be at work? You ever tried to bring a one year old to work with you?
Having worked overseas in countries where their is no government assistance we should be grateful for the assistance given. I am not kissing the governments arse but when you see kids picking food out of huge rubbish dumps in Manila you soon realise how lucky we are in NZ.
Im a solo mother on the DPB it really gets on my nerves when people keep going on and on about people on a benefit taking their taxes and being lazy.
If i could work, damn straight i would be. BUT your not in my position are you? If you were, would u sit here being a arse about people on solo parent benefits?
I do what i can to get by, i may not like it, i may not be able to cope, but i do whats best for mys on, before thinking about myself. I go without food and clothing, just so i can give him food and clothing, coz thats what any parent would do, benefit or not.
I was on the pill, yet got pregnant. I was in a relationship, but then my sons father left us not long after he was born. He is a complete useless father, doesnt pay child support, barely sees his son, and when he does, tells me how to raise him.
There are far worse things in the country/world to complain about, like the amount of murderers our country has, or how young teenagers wreck havoc around the place.
SERIOUSLY, being on a benefit because ur partner left u, isnt a big deal. its a part of life, and where the hell would any of us be without taxes helping us.
Grow up, stop complaning, and get a real life. I dont abuse the system, nor do i sit on my arse all day. Half of u who complain prob dont even have kids so have no idea how hard it is!!!
Andy #20 "uncompetitive useless people "
Andy, life is not about competition, production or economics. Its not even obout usefulness. Learn to give, learn to love, learn to live.
But, Pete #16, I think exactly what the country IS doing is encouraging uncompetitive useless people to have more children.
I agree it will lead to chaos.
I agree that this Deb mother is not a great example to use . But I wonder how many people who moan about the inadequacy of benefit payments smoke,drink, have cars, computers , mobile phones and the like. I think a minor charge to see a Doctor is the least of their worries.
@ 18
"as their choice to carry to term and raise that child does not have any effect on us as they are not taking our tax money" As I said in my comment, in many situations common families are actually also 'taking our tax money' (sounds so selfish) to raise their children because their own incomes are not enough to make ends meet. Benefits such as working for families are tax dollars too, and I support these, whether the child is planned or not.
The whole point of my comment is to say that not everyone who accidentally gets pregnant is irresponsible and bludging off the tax payer. I do however recognise that there are some who do.
"I do acknowledge that their are people who abuse the benefit, but for those who genuinely need it and would have nothing without it I have no problem giving 'my' tax dollars."
#11's comment, seemed to imply that no one who is actually being responsible can accidentally get pregnant, when this is not true.
Bex #17 "Contraception does not pick and choose who it fails on and no one tells people who can 'afford' a child and accidentally get pregnant that they should learn how to use contraception if they are having sex and imply that they are being irresponsible"
No, we probably don't tell those who can afford it that they are being irresponsible, as their choice to carry to term and raise that child does not have any effect on us as they are not taking our tax money - which could be used for many other worthwhile uses. They are paying for it themselves.
That's the whole point.
Not that I believe benefits should be stopped, but the point of the comment (#11) is that there are a lot of people who could be working, but choose not and stay on the benefit, and then like this woman, whinge that they do not have enough money. As many others have mentioned - she has options but she isn't using them - so why should she get more from the government?
@ 11
Ok well I personally know two people who have gotten pregnant on the pill (and yes they were taking it responsibly),
I know one person who got pregnant twice, using condoms,
And I know one person who got pregnant using the pill AND condoms.
Some of these people were in committed relationships and could financially support their children and some where not, those people did rely on the government and their parents for financial support.
Contraception does not pick and choose who it fails on and no one tells people who can 'afford' a child and accidentally get pregnant that they should learn how to use contraception if they are having sex and imply that they are being irresponsible (as your comment suggests) Don't forget alot of NZ people who do have children and are not on the benefit still get financial support for their children through benefits such as working for families. Do you disagree with your tax dollars being used for purposes such as these too? Are you happy to pay for the family down the street with 6 kids groceries a week? Just cause they decided to have a big family, cause that's tradition? Or they really like kids, or they had a couple of 'accidents'? And they can't quite make ends meet by themselves??
Most of the young solo parents who rely on the benefit will end up paying for it when the start work once their kid goes to school, then they have a good 40 or so years to pay their share of tax dollars.
I do acknowledge that their are people who abuse the benefit, but for those who genuinely need it and would have nothing without it I have no problem giving 'my' tax dollars.
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My Mother was on the DPB whilst I was growing up. She worked part time when I was at school, but the main part of her income was DPB. Life was tough for her, I did not realise at the time as I never went without anything that I needed (please read NEED not WANT). But I did not see the sacrifies she made. She was a lot younger than Deb when she had me. When I started highschool she went to uni, she has a degree and is now a company director. I too have been to uni and have a pretty OK job. My life was not perfect, but we had very good extended family support which made a big difference. The vast majority of Mums on the DPB are not bludgers, they need support from people in general, not judgements. I often talk with my Mum about horrible things people would say to her when we were out (This was the early 80's, when single Mum hating was at its peak).