Latest news with #ClaireAchmad
Otago Daily Times
23-05-2025
- Health
- Otago Daily Times
Commissioner backs proposed youth hub
A proposed central Dunedin youth hub has been given the tick of approval by the Chief Children's Commissioner, who says it would be a "game-changer" for offering support services to the city's young people. Dr Claire Achmad was in Dunedin yesterday as a guest speaker at the "Lighting the Fire" Child, Youth Mental Health and Addictions Conference, hosted by Mirror Services in the Glenroy Auditorium. The child and youth mental health, addictions and social services provider is among those who submitted on the Dunedin City Council's 2025-34 long-term plan. In its submission, director Deb Fraser-Komene said they were advocating for "significant investment and support" to establish a youth hub for Dunedin. "This initiative is vital to ensuring that all rangatahi in Ōtepoti have the opportunity to lead healthy, safe, and valued lives, enabling them to fulfil their potential and contribute positively to their communities." It requested $30,000 of funding per annum over nine years. After her address, Dr Achmad said everywhere she went around the country she was told by mokopuna (descendants) about the importance of youth-focused spaces that could give them a place to be themselves. "And so that's why I'm so pleased to hear about the development of the hub here in Otepoti. "I think that will really be a game-changer in terms of creating some of those spaces." She encouraged the mokopuna of Otago to "continue to be bold" in making their voices heard on the matters and decisions that affected their lives. "This is their world, it is their community, and it is only right that they should have a say." Mrs Fraser-Komene said support from the council would be important to help launch the project. It would be "designed by youth and for youth" and have multi-agency involvement with a social housing function, she said. Charity organisation Tamariki Together (T&T) announced in January its own plans to open a new two-storey headquarters in St Andrew St in June. Founder and director Tanga Tiatoa said at the time its top floor, to be known as "K-Block", was planned to host a hub where youth leaders could engage with participants aged from 8 to 24 on a one-on-one basis or in small groups. The ground floor would welcome any of Dunedin's youth, including those at the city's bus hub, Mr Tiatoa said. T&T recently received $85,000 from the Lottery Grants Board to help develop its venue.
Scoop
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Children And Families In Poverty Let Down By Today's Budget
Press Release – Mana Mokopuna Looking at Budget 2025, I dont see the investment thats needed to significantly reduce, and ultimately pave the way to ending child poverty,' says Chief Childrens Commissioner Dr Claire Achmad. Budget 2025 doesn't address the urgent needs of many of our country's children and young people facing the greatest disadvantage, says Chief Children's Commissioner Dr Claire Achmad. 'Budget decisions have a direct and significant impact on our country's 1.2 million mokopuna – nearly quarter of our population – and on their families and whānau. The decisions made in the Budget are an opportunity to ensure children and young people facing disadvantage are invested in, so they can flourish. 'Looking at Budget 2025, I don't see the investment that's needed to significantly reduce, and ultimately pave the way to ending child poverty. For example, how will this Budget significantly help the 156,000 children in our communities who are living in material hardship? 'Today, I repeat my call that is becoming increasingly urgent: the Government must make ending child poverty a project of national significance, working across the Parliament, so real, meaningful change in children's lives is supported and sustained, now and into the future. Today's Budget is a missed opportunity for the Government to show that bold leadership, so that children today don't grow up in poverty, meaning better lives both today and tomorrow. 'The reality is that right now, we are continuing to let children down on the most basic things: having enough healthy food, safe and healthy housing, and their physical and mental health. For mokopuna Māori, as well as mokopuna whaikaha and Pacific mokopuna, the impacts of things like food insecurity are even more extreme. From a children's rights perspective, Budget 2025 does not play the part it needed to, so that all children in our country are growing up thriving with an adequate standard of living. This is basic stuff that we can't afford to keep letting children and families down on.' The Chief Children's Commissioner notes that the Government's social investment fund does provide opportunities to invest in children, young people and families especially those in the most complex circumstances. 'I welcome the focus on mokopuna and families in the social investment three pilots that have been announced. I'm keen to understand how these pilots will be evaluated, so their impact will be well understood. Alongside this, I emphasise the urgency of the need for real, practical action and investment now across the three priority areas outlined in the Government's own Child and Youth Strategy: support for children and families in the first 2000 days of children's lives, reducing material hardship affecting children, and preventing harm. 'I acknowledge the crucial role that education plays in children and young people's lives, so I am pleased to see that the Budget places a significant focus on education. My team and I will be taking some time to dig into the detail of the Budget's education initiatives, especially relating to learning support. I also want to understand more detail about the changes to the Jobseeker Benefit, in particular about how this might impact on children and young people who have been in or who are in State care and/or custody. 'As their independent advocate, I hear directly from children and young people about what matters most in their world,' says Dr Achmad. 'They want to have their basic needs met – to have a warm, safe, dry home to grow up in, and enough food for their family. Young people want to be involved in decision-making about their own future. As one mokopuna told me recently: 'We, too, are concerned about what goes on in our world, especially our country. What happens now WILL affect our future.'
Scoop
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Children And Families In Poverty Let Down By Today's Budget
Press Release – Mana Mokopuna Looking at Budget 2025, I dont see the investment thats needed to significantly reduce, and ultimately pave the way to ending child poverty,' says Chief Childrens Commissioner Dr Claire Achmad. Budget 2025 doesn't address the urgent needs of many of our country's children and young people facing the greatest disadvantage, says Chief Children's Commissioner Dr Claire Achmad. 'Budget decisions have a direct and significant impact on our country's 1.2 million mokopuna – nearly quarter of our population – and on their families and whānau. The decisions made in the Budget are an opportunity to ensure children and young people facing disadvantage are invested in, so they can flourish. 'Looking at Budget 2025, I don't see the investment that's needed to significantly reduce, and ultimately pave the way to ending child poverty. For example, how will this Budget significantly help the 156,000 children in our communities who are living in material hardship? 'Today, I repeat my call that is becoming increasingly urgent: the Government must make ending child poverty a project of national significance, working across the Parliament, so real, meaningful change in children's lives is supported and sustained, now and into the future. Today's Budget is a missed opportunity for the Government to show that bold leadership, so that children today don't grow up in poverty, meaning better lives both today and tomorrow. 'The reality is that right now, we are continuing to let children down on the most basic things: having enough healthy food, safe and healthy housing, and their physical and mental health. For mokopuna Māori, as well as mokopuna whaikaha and Pacific mokopuna, the impacts of things like food insecurity are even more extreme. From a children's rights perspective, Budget 2025 does not play the part it needed to, so that all children in our country are growing up thriving with an adequate standard of living. This is basic stuff that we can't afford to keep letting children and families down on.' The Chief Children's Commissioner notes that the Government's social investment fund does provide opportunities to invest in children, young people and families especially those in the most complex circumstances. 'I welcome the focus on mokopuna and families in the social investment three pilots that have been announced. I'm keen to understand how these pilots will be evaluated, so their impact will be well understood. Alongside this, I emphasise the urgency of the need for real, practical action and investment now across the three priority areas outlined in the Government's own Child and Youth Strategy: support for children and families in the first 2000 days of children's lives, reducing material hardship affecting children, and preventing harm. 'I acknowledge the crucial role that education plays in children and young people's lives, so I am pleased to see that the Budget places a significant focus on education. My team and I will be taking some time to dig into the detail of the Budget's education initiatives, especially relating to learning support. I also want to understand more detail about the changes to the Jobseeker Benefit, in particular about how this might impact on children and young people who have been in or who are in State care and/or custody. 'As their independent advocate, I hear directly from children and young people about what matters most in their world,' says Dr Achmad. 'They want to have their basic needs met – to have a warm, safe, dry home to grow up in, and enough food for their family. Young people want to be involved in decision-making about their own future. As one mokopuna told me recently: 'We, too, are concerned about what goes on in our world, especially our country. What happens now WILL affect our future.'
Scoop
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Children And Families In Poverty Let Down By Today's Budget
Budget 2025 doesn't address the urgent needs of many of our country's children and young people facing the greatest disadvantage, says Chief Children's Commissioner Dr Claire Achmad. 'Budget decisions have a direct and significant impact on our country's 1.2 million mokopuna – nearly quarter of our population – and on their families and whānau. The decisions made in the Budget are an opportunity to ensure children and young people facing disadvantage are invested in, so they can flourish. 'Looking at Budget 2025, I don't see the investment that's needed to significantly reduce, and ultimately pave the way to ending child poverty. For example, how will this Budget significantly help the 156,000 children in our communities who are living in material hardship? 'Today, I repeat my call that is becoming increasingly urgent: the Government must make ending child poverty a project of national significance, working across the Parliament, so real, meaningful change in children's lives is supported and sustained, now and into the future. Today's Budget is a missed opportunity for the Government to show that bold leadership, so that children today don't grow up in poverty, meaning better lives both today and tomorrow. 'The reality is that right now, we are continuing to let children down on the most basic things: having enough healthy food, safe and healthy housing, and their physical and mental health. For mokopuna Māori, as well as mokopuna whaikaha and Pacific mokopuna, the impacts of things like food insecurity are even more extreme. From a children's rights perspective, Budget 2025 does not play the part it needed to, so that all children in our country are growing up thriving with an adequate standard of living. This is basic stuff that we can't afford to keep letting children and families down on.' The Chief Children's Commissioner notes that the Government's social investment fund does provide opportunities to invest in children, young people and families especially those in the most complex circumstances. 'I welcome the focus on mokopuna and families in the social investment three pilots that have been announced. I'm keen to understand how these pilots will be evaluated, so their impact will be well understood. Alongside this, I emphasise the urgency of the need for real, practical action and investment now across the three priority areas outlined in the Government's own Child and Youth Strategy: support for children and families in the first 2000 days of children's lives, reducing material hardship affecting children, and preventing harm. 'I acknowledge the crucial role that education plays in children and young people's lives, so I am pleased to see that the Budget places a significant focus on education. My team and I will be taking some time to dig into the detail of the Budget's education initiatives, especially relating to learning support. I also want to understand more detail about the changes to the Jobseeker Benefit, in particular about how this might impact on children and young people who have been in or who are in State care and/or custody. 'As their independent advocate, I hear directly from children and young people about what matters most in their world,' says Dr Achmad. 'They want to have their basic needs met – to have a warm, safe, dry home to grow up in, and enough food for their family. Young people want to be involved in decision-making about their own future. As one mokopuna told me recently: 'We, too, are concerned about what goes on in our world, especially our country. What happens now WILL affect our future.'
Scoop
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Chief Children's Commissioner Says Oranga Tamariki Must Action Auditor-General's Recommendations On Contract Management
Press Release – Mana Mokopuna It is vital that Oranga Tamariki actions the Auditor-Generals recommendations, to ensure that the rights and wellbeing of children, young people and their families are front and centre of funding decisions that affect them. Today's report from the Auditor-General on Oranga Tamariki procurement and contract management is being welcomed by Chief Children's Commissioner Dr Claire Achmad. 'Last year, I was very clear about my concerns as to how Oranga Tamariki was making and communicating its decisions about contracted services for children, young people and their whānau. 'As the independent advocate for all children in Aotearoa New Zealand, I was very concerned that I did not see adequate evidence that children and young people, and their needs and rights, had been at the centre of the decisions being made about contract changes. 'I heard directly from iwi and communities that these funding changes were causing significant uncertainty, stress and harming their relationship with Oranga Tamariki. The Auditor-General's report today shows that my concerns, and those of others, were well-founded,' says Dr Achmad. 'Some of the contracts that were reduced or closed by Oranga Tamariki were in the important area of early intervention and prevention of harm, such as support for new families, Youth One Stop Shops (YOSSs), mentoring for young people and counselling for children and families. 'In particular, I wanted to understand what evidence had informed these decisions, and what transition plans were in place for children, young people and whānau affected by changes and reductions to services. I note in particular the Auditor-General's finding that his Office's inquiry did not find evidence that Oranga Tamariki understood how its decisions would affect children and their families, before those decisions were made. 'Oranga Tamariki is our Ministry for Children – its core role is to support the wellbeing of children and young people in Aotearoa New Zealand. Therefore, its decision-making must be informed by detailed analysis of the likely effect on children and young people. I am pleased to see that is one of the key recommendations made by the Auditor-General. 'Together with my oversight of oranga tamariki system colleagues, I'll be watching closely to ensure that Oranga Tamariki implements all of the recommendations in the Auditor-General's report, including establishing clear and standard processes for contracting services, and properly considering how funding changes will impact children and young people's lives. I'm pleased to know that the Chief Executive has said that Oranga Tamariki has accepted all the Auditor-General's recommendations, and I have discussed this with him today. 'It is vital that Oranga Tamariki actions the Auditor-General's recommendations, to ensure that the rights and wellbeing of children, young people and their families are front and centre of funding decisions that affect them. The relationships Oranga Tamariki holds with its partners are crucial to this, and must be continue to be strengthened.'
