Parent benefit a ‘ridiculous sham’

Press, 29 May 1978, Page 1

Parent benefit a ‘ridiculous sham’

"A ridiculous sham under the guise of a carving gesture” was the description given the emergency maintenance allowance by Mrs Margaret Grenfell ar a seminar on solo parents in Christchurch at the weekend.

The reduced domestic purposes benefit was actually a new poverty benefit. Mrs Grenfell told the 100 persons at the seminar. Marriages were still failing. in spite of the intention in the reduction of the benefit for the first six months of separation. “Poverty is being experienced in a disgraceful way clearly contrary to the definition laid down in the Social Welfare Act,” said Mrs Grenfell. “Children are suffering emotionally and financially, especially during those first six months, when grief and major ad-

justments are being worked through.”

A social worker, Mrs Grenfell is the founder and co-president of the Christian Family Movement’s solo parent group, and a member of the Catholic Commission for Justice and Development. She was one of the opening speakers at a seminar organised by the National Organisation of Women, entitled “Solo parents — facts and fallacies.” Mrs Grenfell, who is divorced, is the mother of three children.

A parent with one child on the emergency maintenance allowance receives $54.80; with two children, $57.80: and with three children, $59.05. For each additional child there is an extra $1.25. Supplementary assistance can be allocated by the Department of Social Welfare at $lO to $l6 a week

depending on house rental or mortgage repayments. The rates of the domestic purposes benefit paid after six months separation are $l6 more a week in each case. Supplementary assistance is also available at the discretion of the department. “Many people fail to admit that these benefits are there for the welfare of the children,” said Mrs Grenfell. “These children are part of the hope of New Zealand’s future, surely a small price to pay for the well-being of our future citizens?” The inability of solo parents to refinance joint family homes was a constant worry. Unless some relief was given through legislation, joint family homes would have to be sold when the children of the family reached the age of 16.

Whether separatior was

chosen or thrust upon solo parents, their situation was the same. A grief process with all the attendant stages had to be “worked through” by parents and their, children. Widows and widowers, and their children, had a certain traditional ritual, and immediate monetary aid from the Government. The newly separated and divorced had a harsher ritual to follow; visits to a lawyer, days spent in court, embarrassment of friends, torn family loyalties.

Loneliness was very much a reality for solo parents. “A relationship with a man, or in the case of a father, with a woman, is definitely considered suspect by the Social Welfare department,” said Mrs Grenfell. Joining organisations was difficult because it necessitated acceptance of solo-parent status and the

“undeniable stigma that goes with it.”

Worry about housing was another of the realities of solo parenthood, “To start building a new home for oneself and one’s children on $54.80 a week is impossible,” said Mrs Grenfell.

The seminar agreed that a wage should be paid to all people who were raising children, and because women were the main child-rearers, this would be a way of raising the status of women.

The problems that women faced when they were separated from violent husbands were discussed. W’omen were forced to leave homes because of their violent husbands but were unable, in many cases, to support both themselves and their children because of the reduced benefit. Violence was more

common than many realised and even with a nonmolestation order it was very difficult for many women to escape the attentions of a violent man, the seminar was told.

Child care, glide time, and job sharing for solo parents and tax allowances for child care were also discussed. It was suggested that local bodies should finance child-care facilities and provide more day care centres for working women.

Among the speakers at the seminar were three candidates for the Papanui electorate — Mr M. K. Moore (Labour), Mr H. A. Kunowski (Values), and Mr G. Clover (Social Credit). All three spoke of the need for the reinstatement of the full benefit from the time of a marriage break-up.