Parents Against Negative Intervention by CYFS

PANIC
PO Box 7071 Palmerston North

Director: Phone 06 357 7402
Email: jktonson@xtra.co.nz
Website: www.panic.org.nz

NOVEMBER 2006 NEWSLETTER

The Select Committee to report back on S.59 bill on November 22 - there is time to put our views, esp. to MPs!

The Select Committee will meet again on 20 and 21 November, having supposedly begun their deliberations on Oct 5!, and will report back to parliament on November 22. The main debate (on the second reading) may take place soon after that. The committee received a total of 1718 submissions on the Bill but there is no breakdown provided.

The Family Integrity organization have led the campaign against the Bill and urge us to make worthwhile representations to our MPs by writing/visiting/phoning/faxing them with our opposition to this most subversive bill. www.FamilyIntegrity.org.nz has a lot of good information to help with writing letters/emails/faxes to the MPs.

As highlighted in our February newsletter I repeat here the main headings to remind us of the most serious dangers of the Bill, which would remove the provision which allows parents to use reasonable force in correcting children.

Bill to Repeal Section 59 seriously threatens family life

• The Bill will criminalise parents who smack their children
• The Bill will undermine the authority of parents and increase State control
• The Bill will not lower abuse rates - it will lead to increased assaults on children
• The Bill will lead to many more children removed and damaged by CYFS

I would add another point refuting an assertion so often made by Sue Bradford:

She said that parents were hiding behind s.59 in abusing their children as it was promoted that parents in two or three widely-publicised cases were acquitted of assaulting their children under the protection of s.59. These cases were blown in the media out of all proportion. The facts are that in these cases the juries considered that the parents used reasonable discipline and didn't assault their children. S.59, in fact, protects children and provides a benchmark for appropriate discipline!

Prayer

Not only is communication with our MPs conveying our views important so is prayer to Almighty God that he will have mercy on us and overrule in the parliament deliberations that this legislation will not go through. Let us be like the people of Nineveh in Jonah 3:5-10 who cried mightily to God and repented of their evil ways and God had mercy on them and did not punish them.

Leadership in PANIC

If PANIC is to grow into a group able to respond effectively to the needs of all people who request help, we need people who will exercise leadership and responsibility in each major area.

We want to appoint people of stable character and commitment as regional coordinators who will take responsibility to assist or facilitate assistance for our clients. Auckland is the area most lacking in leadership although recently a new member volunteered to assist people as she is able as a support person. People who volunteer as support person may well develop into effective regional coordinators. For such a position we require documentation such as people normally provide for job applications - CV, resume of community involvement and names of two referees who will give a mature assessment of the applicant's suitability.

If any of our members want to pursue the possibility of assisting as a local support person and perhaps building up to a position of regional coordinator, please contact the Director.

Lawyers

New inquirers often ask about suitable lawyers. We have as yet not been able to compile a list of the better ones. We would like to hear from members and contacts the names and addresses of lawyers you would recommend and those you would not!

Membership

We receive a new membership every so often which is very encouraging. I urge those still to join PANIC to do so and feel more connected to our group. You can contact me for a membership form if you do not have access to our website. Also if you have been receiving snail mail up to now but have since got email, let me know so I can add you to the email list.

Cases for Review by CYFS Directors

Barbara Bishop has made contact with some of the CYFS hierarchy and has asked for people to send in their story using a list of questions (below) as a guideline for their account. She hopes to have these cases reviewed by the Chief Executive, Peter Hughes, the CYF Director, Doug Craig and the Head Social Worker, Andrew MacGregor. These people have said that they believe the newly-formed Ministry should be focused on strengthening rather than destroying the family unit. Barbara's case is being investigated by two of these leaders at present.

Guideline questions

• What led up to intervention by CYF?
• What happened when they intervened?
• When did this happen? i.e. day, month, year?
• Have the parents feel they have been listened to and treated fairly by the caseworker?
• At any stage were you told by the social worker what your rights were?
• Has the caseworker been accurate and truthful in their presentation of the "facts"?
• Has counsel for child treated the parents fairly?
• Has the Judge given more credence to the social workers than to the parents?
• Where are the children now?
• If they are not in your care, how often do you have access and what problems have occurred?
• If they are not in your care, are you happy with their placement?
• If they are not back at home, has there been any indication of when this might occur?
• Have the social workers provided you with a list of requirements to fulfill in order for your child/ren to be returned home to you?
• Have your whanau been supportive or destructive in this process?
• What course of action have you taken to try and have your children/ren returned to you?
• Was there a more positive approach that could have been taken in your case by CYF, if so, what?

I encourage the readers of this letter to make an effort and write down their story along those guidelines. Your story could help change the direction of CYFS!

John Tonson
National Director