Anti-Smacking Law Confirmed as Wasting Valuable CYF Time

Jul 8, 2008

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MEDIA RELEASE

8 July 2008

Anti-Smacking Law Confirmed as Wasting Valuable CYF Time

Family First NZ says that the evidence is in that CYF’s limited resources are being wasted, with a ‘blow-out’ in CYF notifications but the levels of actual abuse not increasing, or at worst not being caught.

“This is perfect proof that the ideologically flawed anti-smacking law has resulted in unwarranted reports of good parents which is a waste of the limited resources of CYF,” says Bob McCoskrie, National Director of Family First NZ.

Statistics released by CYF to the Nelson Mail reported today showed that the total number of notifications received by CYF had increased steadily over the last four financial years. However, the agency’s figures showed a significant drop in actual cases found to involve abuse or neglect.

And figures from CYF’s national 2007/08 Third Quarter report show a 32% increase in notifications over the previous 12 months but numbers requiring further action remaining the same.

“If the figures could be attributed to a rising intolerance to child abuse and domestic violence, we would be seeing an increasing rate of cases requiring further action – but we are not. That is simply because of a misguided law,” says Mr McCoskrie.

“CYF resources are being wasted because of a law that labels good parents as potential child abusers, and distracts CYF and Police from dealing with the real causes of child abuse and actual child abuse.”

“The police report released last month also confirmed that there had been a 300% increase in families being investigated yet less than 5% were serious enough to warrant prosecution. And the number of actual child assaults are now at almost the same rate as before the law change.”

Family First NZ continues to call on the politicians to change the law so that non-abusive smacking is not a crime (as wanted by 85% of NZ’ers according to recent research). Then CYF and Police will have the time and resources to focus on the ‘rotten parents’ who are abusing and killing their children.

ENDS

For More Information and Media Interviews, contact Family First:

Bob McCoskrie – National Director

Mob. 027 55 555 42

Comments

One response to “Anti-Smacking Law Confirmed as Wasting Valuable CYF Time”

Mrs Dianne Woodward

July 14, 2008

The only married Miss I’ve ever heard of is now denying 85% of us a chance to be heard, (as the latest Littlies Opinion Poll proved on Monday 14th July moving on just hasn’t happened here for 8 in 10 Kiwis) this absolute arrogance from Labour, Greens, Progressives and United Future to the Public of NZ in denying us the opportunity to a voice Voting Day is wrong. National, Act, Family, Kiwi Parties and Family First support the Referendum on Smacking and Mr Cullen being a finance man understands in a democracy we must answer the question when we vote as it will save our Country money by answering at the Polling Booth in 3 months. Radio Live’s Paul Henry interviewed Nigel Latta (clinical psychologist) who deals with the worst end of family violence he’s an authority on child abuse who agrees a light smack shouldn’t result in a visit from CYFS (A Feilding and Christchurch Mum both know all about this reality) or the Senior Journalist in Auckland horrified when visited by a few Police Officers because her loud toddlers tantrum was reported to Police by her neighbour. Parents have been sold a lie by MPs that a smack is violence against children.