New era of social welfare promised

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33141, 3 February 1973, Page 18

New era of social welfare promised

A new era of social welfare was planned by the Labour Government, the Minister of Social Welfare (Mr King) said in Christchurch this week.

j Included in the changes I would be a complete revision of the Child Welfare Act, [and an assessment of the nation’s aged—the first survey of its kind in New Zealand. On a visit to members of the department’s staff in Christchurch, Mr King said that although he envisaged a number of changes in the Child Welfare Act, he was not prepared to comment on them yet, except to say that the department would attempt to get away from the traditional ways of doing things.

The exact format of the survey of the aged was’still being considered; it was intended to establish a comfortable, and dignified, standard of living for old people. A basic benefit would be set accordingly, and revised every 12 months. An expansion of the department would also be undertaken. “Benefits are only one side of the question,” said Mr King. “We are dealing with people, and we must consider the individual. If we can meet the needs of the individual and of the family unit, then the community will be all right. We can’t just pigeon-hole human beings.” A chief educational train-; ing officer had been appointed, and a social work training council would be established to take responsibility for research and staff training. “Our staff are not sufficiently well trained,” Mr King said. “When they deal with juveniles and families they have to concentrate on reports to courts, instead of getting down to prevention. We won t see a dramatic change for a time, but we’ll be laying the basic foundation for the change we want; to see as fast as possible.” , Speaking about the situa-f tion in the department’s 'Christchurch premises. Mr ! King said: “Conditions ar? terribly overcrowded, and this, combined with the pre-, sent condition of the Here-i ford Street building, pre-' vents staff giving the com-i Imunity the service they should have. “Efforts will be made toj get all 250 members of the Christchurch staff into the new State Advances building

in the Square in 18 months to two years.” Mr King added that it might be some time before senior posts were properly staffed: 30 per cent of the present staff were under 19 years of age.