Green solution to wrap around vulnerable kids

Protecting parents is the only way to protect vulnerable children, the Green Party said today.

In her speech to the Women's Refuge, Metiria Turei announced the Green Party's solutions for protecting children, in response to the Government's White Paper for Vulnerable Children.

"The two stomping elephants in the room of the Government's response to vulnerable children are poverty and family violence; these cannot be ignored any longer," Green Party Co-leader Metiria Turei said today.

"The solutions will be found in working with the community on how to combine the leadership, structures and funding systems for family violence with those of child abuse. These issues are not separate, they are the same issue.

"Instead of addressing the real solutions, Government uses gimmicks like drug testing beneficiaries and setting up 'dob-in a child abuser' lines.

"Their 'solutions' misdirect blame and distract from the real issues; they're gimmicks of mass distraction.

"I was a refuge kid for a short period. I know how important it is for mothers and children to have a sanctuary, somewhere calm and supported to work through the next steps in their lives.

"Women's Refuge must be treated with respect for their expertise and be properly funded to do what they are experts at, keeping women and their kids safe.

"What we need is for the issues of poverty and family violence to be addressed so that we can end child abuse.

"This is about doing what works to keep whanau safe. It's about what people actually need."