12 July 2012:
As one of the 80 organisations to contribute their submission to Unicef to collate, the New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) strongly supports the themes outlined in the ‘What will it take’ paper. It is essential that the government take note of the key messages in the document as they develop their White Paper for children.
NZNO Nursing Policy Adviser/Researcher, Dr Jill Clendon says, “The well-being of all children in New Zealand must be a priority and no child should miss out on important services. It is not ok for the Government to target “vulnerable” children at the expense of all other children.”
“Every single child in this country must be provided for. The Government must focus on addressing underlying inequities and particularly child poverty.”
“Nurses are at the forefront of children’s health providing care, supporting families and leading innovations to address child health. They see poverty and the effects of poverty on children everyday. It is essential that the Government gets this right and listens to those that work with children,” Clendon says.