NZ has 'intergeneration problem' with child abuse

Social Development Minister Paula Bennett says child abuse is a cyclical problem. Photo / Herald on Sunday

A study indicates 70 per cent of parents who abuse their children were abused themselves, Social Development Minister Paula Bennett said today.

Ms Bennett said an OECD report on children's wellbeing showed some horrifying statistics, but she was cautious about the comparisons being made between some countries.

Child abuse data collected in New Zealand showed this country had an intergenerational problem.

"I unfortunately look at child abuse statistics more than most and it still horrifies me and I wonder if that is intergenerational. We are now getting into third and fourth generation of welfare dependency, we are seeing young people who know no other way," Ms Bennett said.

"I want to be careful around the statistics, but one small evaluation said that 70 per cent of those that are notified of child abuse were notified when they were children. So you see on the outskirts... some pretty hideous stuff going on and you have to make a significant difference to that."

The report, Doing Better for Children, was the first time the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) had reported on child well-being within its 30 member countries.

New Zealand was struggling in terms of health, with the highest youth suicide rate in the OECD and an above-average child mortality rate.

Children lived in poor material conditions, average family incomes were low by OECD standards and child poverty rates were high.

In the general measure of "health and safety" of children, New Zealand was ranked 29th out of 30, with Mexico on 28.

Ms Bennett said she had doubts whether the data could be used for comparison.

"Looking at some of the data collection it is not very clear they are recording against what we record," Ms Bennett said.

"I think we are more honest and upfront in where we are at. We don't try and hide figures, we lay it on the line a lot more."

Ms Bennett said the figures showed New Zealand children were doing well in terms of education.

"How can they be having such positive education outcomes when they are [doing badly] health wise and living in poverty?"

Ms Bennett said the report was good in that it would focus debate on where New Zealand was heading, but as a study of the overall quality of life of children it was not a good guide.

"Ask me whether I would want to raise a child here in New Zealand or in Mexico, it is going to be New Zealand every time."

The report said the government should spend considerably more on younger, disadvantaged children and make sure high rates of spending on older children met the needs of the disadvantaged.

France, Germany, Britain and Belgium spent the most on children while Switzerland, Ireland, Australia and Italy spent the least, the Associated Press reported.

Despite spending more than the OECD average on children, the United States and Britain both had high teenage pregnancy rates.

The US was among the worst countries in terms of infant mortality and child poverty and Britain's underage drinking rates were the worst in the OECD.

- NZPA