Rosalie Crawford of Webhealth www.webhealth.co.nz

In the Bay of Plenty we have more than 250 services working with and for our children.

We have more than 170 health and social services here that are involved with family and more than 60 Kaupapa Maori services. Whilst we do have this strong foundation of services and support for children and families, we unfortunately also see families that are not able to thrive, with children not finding their place to belong and achieve.

This week, the Green Paper for Vulnerable Children Roadshow has been in Tauranga, letting us know about the opportunity for us all to have our say about parents and caregivers, communities, the Vulnerable Children's Action Plan, legislation changes, working with whanau, hapu, iwi and Maori leaders, sharing information, reviewing government spending, watching out for vulnerable children and better linkages for connecting children and parents to services.|
To quote from the website; http://www.childrensactionplan.govt.nz – the facts speak for themselves:

• Every year an average of 10 children die at the hands of the people closest to them, the people they love and trust.
• More and more New Zealanders are coming forward with their concerns about suspected abuse or neglect of children. In fact, notifications to Child, Youth and Family grew by 205 per cent from 2004 to 2010 and 148 notifications were confirmed by social workers.
• Between 2008 and 2009, 13,315 children under five were admitted to hospital for conditions that could have been avoided and 1,286 were admitted because of assault, neglect or maltreatment.
• More than 30,000 students are truant from schools on any given day and 7342 school leavers left with no qualification in 2009.

To change a landscape involves touch decision making. If we want to see better job prospects, greater life choices, less dysfunction, welfare dependence and crime, then let's think about and respond to this opportunity to contribute thoughts and ideas on how we can ensure our children thrive. I believe it is families which raise children, so how can we better help families do this?

How would you like the future of children in New Zealand and Tauranga to look? We have until February 28, 2012 to have our say.
To find child and parenting health and social services for Tauranga visit www.bop.webhealth.co.nz – your link to wellbeing. To be connected to Rise Up Tauranga go to the Facebook Page ‘Rise Up Tauranga' or email riseuptauranga@gmail.com

Rosalie Crawford is a medical scientist and lecturer. Email Rosalie.crawford@xtra.co.nz, phone 021 072 8255, Skype: Guavablue or Facebook/Twitter: Rosalie Crawford.