The Green Paper for Vulnerable Children - Ministry of Social ...

Being our friends but also maintaining a work relationship. Finding the boundary.(child/young person)Don’t teach naughty habits. (child/young person)GovernmentChildren and young people saw the primary role of government being to provide themwith access to services. To a lesser extent, children and young people saw government asresponsible for providing things for children and young people to do. Children and youngpeople also talked about government creating an environment for families to be well, forchildren and young people to be safe, and for children and young people to feel represented.Provide equal opportunities and access to services: Children and young people want freeeducation, transport and healthcare. Healthcare included mental health support, sexual health,disability, and teen pregnancy programmes. They want employment opportunities and waysto get into employment; for example, work experience for young people, apprenticeships,and giving incentives for businesses to hire young people. They want access to services not tobe based on income, suggesting there should be transparency and fairness in distribution ofresources by government. Some suggested means-testing (to target those needing help).Don’t expect all families to have computers – you can’t afford internet or the newspaper sohave a free internet café that you can use. Not everyone can afford an iPad or a computer,so if it’s important, we should get them and they should update them. The Governmentneeds to make sure that all kids get a fair chance. They should have the same opportunitiesto learn, like rich kids get scholarships, not all the poor kids. We need to make sure thateveryone gets an equal chance. If you are on a benefit, the price of university should belowered. There should be equal opportunities for education. (child/young person)The Government should help special-needs kids so they can be treated in New Zealand.Thank you. (child/young person)Ensure schools are supported: Children and young people had a lot to say about schools.They suggested reducing class sizes, equipping teachers to teach the right stuff, providingmore teacher aides in schools and valuing them appropriately, more truancy officers inschools, more counsellors in schools and running parenting sessions at school.Come and support our school, make better programmes and courses for kids.Give schools the resources to do really good things, like more challenging coursesand get outside more. (child/young person)Value teacher aides, train them and pay them properly. (child/young person)Keep families together by providing services: Children and young people suggestedideas such as providing services to keep families well (counselling and health services)and to help families parent properly; for example, by providing Plunket and parent education.Children and young people want parents to take responsibility for their children. Somesubmissions also talked about valuing parents more.I reckon the Government should make a place so that children can go there and familiesthat are struggling can go there, because some families have five kids in their family andthey can’t afford to feed them and the Government is cutting back people’s benefits.(child/young person)Practice Changes Policy Changes Show Leadership Share Responsibility Children / Young People Executive SummaryThe Green Paper for Vulnerable Children Full Summary of Submissions39