Persecution of Parents To Be Investigated by National

Nov 4, 2008

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MEDIA RELEASE

5 November 2008

Persecution of Parents To Be Investigated by National

Family First NZ is welcoming comments by senior National MP Judith Collins that if elected, National will check whether the anti-smacking law has resulted in needless prosecutions and persecution of parents.

“We have stacks of evidence and testimony that good families have been targeted by this flawed law and that it has failed to deal with actual child abuse,” says Bob McCoskrie, National Director of Family First NZ. “Families have been referred to CYF by schools, neighbours, members of the public, their children, and even their children’s friends for non-abusive smacking. And some families have also undergone police investigation.”

“This has caused huge stress and anxiety to families who are simply trying to raise good law-abiding kids in an appropriate way.”

“All the records show that police and CYF notifications have sky-rocketed yet there has been no corresponding increase in actual child abuse being discovered or prevented.”

“For people like Sue Bradford and Helen Clark to try and argue that it is not an anti-smacking law is to deny the reality of how it is being treated by the authorities, and what their intention was from day one.”

Family First NZ has already sent a large file of cases to National leader John Key highlighting good families being persecuted and prosecuted as a result of the flawed law, and will continue to collate evidence of the harmful effects of this law.

ENDS

For More Information and Media Interviews, contact Family First:

Bob McCoskrie – National Director

Mob. 027 55 555 42

Comments

2 responses to “Persecution of Parents To Be Investigated by National”

Mrs Dianne Woodward

November 5, 2008

Judith Collins comments in Palmerston North AND also Paula Bennetts track record prove they are both truly inspirational woman within the National Party who are prepared to stand up and speak for the Mums and Dads in NZ who are just trying to do their best. These two MPs say it as it is much like Nationals Chester Borrows and Family Firsts Bob McCoskrie. I believe Manawatu’s renowned for gutsy woman speaking up against the antismacking law and Labour activists in Reverends clothing, this political correctness craziness COOL COOL COOL CHANGE COMMONSENCE COMING
Ben Karewa

November 20, 2008

The Family unit of parent and child first and foremost should be the most important discussion not s59 or family integrity. Although it is all relevent and has valid points namely: “child care and protection”

However there is too much evidence both formal and anecdotal that raises real concerns about the department of Child Youth and Family persecuting, alienating and segregating families that have proven them selves to be safe,competent and loving parents.

CYF have a so called free reign over the standards of front line social work. Where CYF police,assess, monitor themselves. Unfortunately it is the honest caring and competent parents that are frustratingly oppressed by CYF unethical and unfair culture of social workers.

Until there is a independent monitoring body/agency monitoring front line social work at the grass roots with social workers and FGC coordinators. All Families the good, bad and the ugly will always be thrown into one bag and labelled “dysfunctional”,and will be unfairly alienated/segregated from their children.

Not all parents are child abusers!!! But some are definitely treated as though they are!!! The quality standards of CYF social work urgently needs reform to ensure all families are treated
in a fair,valid,honest and consistent manner.