Media Release
TEENAGE BIRTHRATE ALMOST TEN-FOLD IN POOREST AREAS
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Released today by the Paediatric Society of New Zealand, "Monitoring the Health of New Zealand Children and Young People " reveals teenage birth rates that vary enormously across geographic and economic regions.
"These statistics confirm a strong correlation between low income and teenage births, "said Lindsay Mitchell, welfare commentator . "The birth rate in the most deprived areas (decile 10) is 60.49 per 1,000 15-19 year-olds. This drops to 6.56 in decile 1 areas. This confirms that it is those girls who are least able to financially afford to raise children who are having them. Hence so many end up on welfare."
"The teenage birthrate also varies geographically from a low of 13.5 in Otago to a high of 59.4 in Gisborne, which is also home to the highest number of children living in one parent homes."
"Maori have the highest teenage birthrate at 77.64 compared to 16.43 for Europeans. Earlier Ministry of Social Development data shows that Maori are 8 times more likely to be a teenage parent on welfare."
"As the report notes, 'High teenage pregnancy rates are a cause for concern as young maternal age has been associated with a number of adverse birth outcomes ... and impact on the educational attainment, not only of the young women themselves but also the aspirations and opportunities available to their children.' "
"The government must now face facts and examine how paying girls to have babies is influencing this unacceptable situation. Employing eight people to work with teenage parents, when over 4,000 give birth each year, is not an answer."
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7 comments:
There would need to be some votes in it for this Government to take any notice.
There would need to be some votes in it for this Government to take any notice.
Well, with the inevitable answer of "Give them some more 'government' money", we will see a much-trumpetted 'solution' of expanding working for families even more. So unfortunately, there IS votes in it.
Spam, the votes are already accounted for in the present policy (or lack thereof).
So no minor Party has a bargaining chip for coalition favouritism by by poking Labour in the eye with a burnt stick in this policy area.
Besides, who would vote for any Party principally on the basis of policy addressing this situation?
Only one "by" necessary.
(But "bye bye" to coalition baubling power with Labour.)
Anon, I would.
Lindsay, I have yet to encounter anyone with opinions as sincerely expressed in these matters as yours.
Your constructive rationale is refreshingly inspirational.
Yours seeds of wisdom need to be sown on a much grander scale than in your own garden.
I hope your vote has real value too.
Linday you are playing their game. The deprivation index will be homespun to make sure that "deprived" agrees with the media defintion. Is a solo parent who is earing more than an the median wage and gets supplementary payments to buy brand new baby gear and go to university in the high decile category. What about our kids who have to take out a $50K loan to go to uni?
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