Child poverty: 'Substantial policy' needed

The children of low-income parents often suffer poor health and stunted opportunities. Photo / Getty Images

The Child Poverty Action Group says Prime Minister John Key's goal of addressing the urgent needs of New Zealand's poorest children is pleasing, but his Government has so far hasn't come up with policies to do that.

The group's co-convenor Janfrie Wakim said Mr Key's post-election comments about tackling child poverty were encouraging "but we are yet to see any substantial policy".

"Current policies have achieved little progress on child poverty in the last six years and a fresh approach is clearly overdue."

The group had offered Mr Key's Government a briefing which includes five immediate steps to lift children out of poverty;

* Immediate changes to Working for Families to boost incomes for the poorest families, including adding an amount equivalent to the In Work Tax Credit to the Family Tax Credit for beneficiary families.

* An improvement in the volume and quality of houses available to low income families.

* Better quality early childhood education and government subsidies for NCEA and scholarship exam fees for students in decile 1-4 schools

* Free GP visits for 6-17 year olds.

* Targets for the reduction of child poverty.

Ms Wakim said, "We need to create an environment where every child can thrive; with adequate family income, housing, nutrition, education and access to health care. This requires an immediate and substantive response from government, starting with the adoption of a comprehensive plan with transparent measures, targets and monitoring."

"While the government has introduced some good programmes to address aspects of the problem, tinkering around the edges will not achieve the significant reduction in child poverty we all wish to see."