Putting the Strategy into action

Taking a social investment approach

Social investment is about getting better results from our current investments, particularly those focused on our most vulnerable. Our Government is taking a different approach to breaking cycles of disadvantage: through greater use of evidence to understand needs and what works to address them, putting more power in the hands of communities, and having a clearer focus on ensuring there's value for money spent.

Cross-government work in the three priority areas will be one of the ways the Government will give effect to its social investment approach.

Investment principles

The following principles will guide our actions and decisions in the three priority areas. These principles reflect the core building blocks of the social investment approach and have regard to the child- and policy-related principles in the Children's Act 2014. They also take account of feedback received through targeted consultation to inform the development of this Strategy.

• Investment decisions are informed by government priorities and strategic context.
• Investment decisions are informed by data and evidence. Where evidence is lacking, consideration is given to innovative approaches that will improve the evidence base.
• Investment will improve outcomes for children and young people who data and evidence identifies have the greatest needs and/or are at risk of poor long-term outcomes.
• The effectiveness of investments will be monitored and evaluated.
• Investment will seek to address disparities in outcomes.
• Investment will seek to prevent and minimise negative outcomes for children and young people.
• Investment aims to deliver long-term value for money, taking into account wider benefits and costs to government and society.
• Investment will provide opportunities for decision-making, design and delivery of services and interventions to occur at local and iwi level.
• Investment to improve outcomes for children and young people will recognise the importance of family, community and whānau-centered approaches.
• Investments will respect and uphold the rights of children in New Zealand law and acknowledge their intrinsic value and inherent dignity.

Implementing and evaluating policies

The Government is implementing a wide-ranging work programme that contributes directly and indirectly to the priorities in the Strategy and the six enduring outcomes. This includes, but is not limited to, the policies identified on pages 6-8. Further policies may be identified as the Strategy is implemented.

Consistent with the Government's wider approach to social investment, there will be a strong focus on testing, evaluating, learning from and adapting policies and programmes to ensure they are making a difference. The impacts of the package of policies will also be monitored and evaluated on an ongoing basis through the Strategy Annual Report, which will be available here.

Some previous policies will be ongoing and will be included in the next Annual Report on the Strategy to evaluate effectiveness.

Working with and supporting others to make a difference

This Strategy sets out the Government’s priorities for improving outcomes for children and young people. We also recognise the critical role that those outside government play in making a positive difference in children’s lives. We will continue to work with and support others who work directly with children, young people, families and communities. We will look for ways to fund and commission services that provide greater flexibility and responsiveness to local needs. We want children and young people, iwi Māori and communities to have a greater say in determining the kinds of services and supports that work for them.

Thirty percent of New Zealand’s children identify as Māori. We will ensure that our approach to implementing the Strategy takes account of te ao Māori and iwi perspectives and experiences, and supports improved outcomes for tamariki and rangatahi Māori, including by working with Pou Tangata (National Iwi Chairs Forum.)

Working together across government

Collective and coordinated efforts across multiple government agencies are required to make the changes needed so that all children and young people have the opportunity to thrive and succeed in life.

The Minister for Child Poverty Reduction oversees the implementation of the Strategy and works closely with other Ministers with responsibility for funding and delivering services to children and young people and their families.

The outcomes in the Strategy also provide the framework for other important cross-agency work, including the Oranga Tamariki Action Plan and the Youth Plan: Voice, Leadership, Action.

Addressing greater needs

The three priority areas contribute to improving the outcomes of all children, with a particular focus on children with greater needs. We know some groups of children experience worse outcomes during childhood and across the life course, and that there are disparities in outcomes for some groups of children (for example tamariki Māori and disabled children). The work on the priorities will focus on children who are more likely to be experiencing negative outcomes in the first 2,000 days, material hardship, or child abuse and neglect.

The material hardship priority area focuses on reducing poverty and mitigating the impacts of poverty and disadvantage. This priority, and the policies to reduce hardship and long-term disadvantage, will support the Strategy's intent to reduce child poverty and mitigate the impacts of socio-economic disadvantage and poverty on children now and in the future.

In prioritising material hardship, we will consider economic changes and how these are influenced by, and can affect, policies. The latest annual Child Poverty Budget Report assessed the likely impact of specific policies, including policies identified to reduce material hardship, and economic conditions on child poverty and material hardship. The report identified that these policies would lift incomes of working households and are expected to have a positive effect on future child poverty rates within current and forecast economic conditions. The latest annual Child Poverty Budget Report is available here.

The priorities also support improving wellbeing for children who are at risk of involvement in and have experience in the care and protection system.