Policy Watch - 30 July

GENERAL

From the Controller and Auditor-General: Managing funding to non-government organisations – from principles to practice The Controller and Auditor-General recently looked at nine case studies of Ministry of Health/NGO relationships, focusing on the main funding arrangement in each case. The Ministry's systems for managing its NGO funding arrangements (in general), how the Ministry managed the nine specific arrangements, and the issues encountered (from both the Ministry's and the NGO's point of view) were all looked at.

Article off Stuff: Unions now allowed to register as third parties and will start an issues based campaign.

CHILD AND FAMILY

The NGO Study Awards 2009 application round for the NGO Social Work Study Awards opened on 30 June and closes on 3 October - there will be a minimum of 65 new study awards available for the 2009 academic year. Each study award has a maximum possible value of $32,750 - this funding contributes towards the cost of fees for students, and the costs to employers of supporting their student in study.

Pathway to Partnership funding rolls out (Scoop item) Pathway to Partnership funding is underway with the first of many additional payments going out to community groups this week.

Initiatives will make real difference for families (Scoop item) The Minister for Social Development and Employment, Ruth Dyson, said today that the launch of the service charter, an enhanced complaints process, and the opening of a new South Auckland office, demonstrate Child, Youth and Family’s commitment to meeting the needs of clients and communities.

An article about the importance of Plunketline recently featured in the NZ Herald.

HOUSING AND POVERTY

I came across this excellent British website dedicated to child poverty issues when searching for information on Dr Tess Ridge who I heard speak a couple of days ago about child focussed research. She has been involved in research re lone mothers and children’s experiences of poverty. This website gives a selection of articles from this 3 x year publication named Poverty and has a link to her research.

The NZ Herald recently ran a story about a trial to improve child health by trialling enriched milk for toddlers. The statistics on the effects of poverty on child health are probably more of interest than the trial itself.

The Dominion Post ran a good short article on homelessness in NZ that suggests that up to 20,000 are homeless and most don’t fit the stereotype. Many are women and children escaping domestic violence moving from house to house. The researcher is also a doctor and has produced a movie on homelessness.

SERVICES FOR OLDER PEOPLE

Disability Convention good for seniors (Scoop item)
Older people have a lot to gain from moves to ratify an international Disability Convention Age Concern New Zealand says.

Dementia Care Crisis Looms, Warns Alzheimers NZ (Scoop item)
The Government needs to act now to prevent a crisis of care for people living with dementia in New Zealand.

Medicines for treating dementia (Scoop item)
“Alzheimer’s New Zealand should be congratulated for its excellent report on the economic impact of dementia in New Zealand. This was launched last night” said Researched Medicines Industry chairman, Dr Pippa MacKay.

The SuperGold card list updated.