Showing papers in "Social Policy Journal of New Zealand in 2004"

The Problem of Defining an Ethnic Group for Public Policy: Who Is Maori and Why Does It Matter?

Abstract: Governments in multicultural democracies are increasingly being challenged to justify the collection of ethnic and racial data, and the targeted policies they support. Given mounting opposition to ethnicbased policies in New Zealand, it is timely to consider two questions that have arisen from ongoing debate. The first is what criteria ought to apply to determine who is Mäori for policy purposes. The second is which Mäori ought to benefit from targeted policies and programmes. This paper addresses both questions empirically and makes two suggestions: (1) that statistical and legal definitions of Mäori be amended to take account of both self-identified ethnicity and descent; (2) that programmes which seek to militate Mäori disadvantage be oriented towards those who strongly identify as Mäori, since they are the most likely to be in need.

A Research Ethic for Studying Maori and Iwi Provider Success

Abstract: Kaupapa Mäori is an emancipatory theory that has grown up alongside the theories of other groups who have sought a better deal from mainstream society; for example, feminist, African-American and worldwide indigenous theories. At a high level, these theories have commonalities and similar concerns, including the displacement of oppressive knowledges and a social change agenda. At a local level, Kaupapa Mäori addresses Mäori concerns in our own land. Kaupapa Mäori research operates out of this philosophical base and is guided by practices that reflect a Mäori “code of conduct”. This paper explores how these practices were operationalised within the Mäori and Iwi Provider Success research project. This project examined the practices of successful 1 Acknowledgments An earlier version of this paper was given at the conference Researching with Others: Crossing the Divides, Bridging Research, Building Relationships, IRI, Waipapa Marae, University of Auckland, 7–12 July 2002. The research discussed in this paper was funded by the Ministry of Research, Science and Technology through the Ministry of Mäori Affairs/Te Puni Kökiri. Thanks are extended to Dale Walker, Roz Dibley, Anne Beaglehole, Paula Mato and Paula Searle. The authors also wish to thank Marlene Levine for her encouragement with this paper and to the reviewers for their very helpful comments. Correspondence Correspondence about this paper should be sent to Kataraina Pipi, k.pipi@xtra.co.nz, or Fiona Cram, fionac@katoa.net.nz. Kataraina Pipi (Paewhenua Hou) was regional manager for the Mäori and Iwi Provider Success research project (MIPS). Fiona Cram (Katoa Ltd) was project manager for MIPS. Rene Hawke and Sharon Hawke were regional coordinators for Tamaki Makaurau (Auckland). Te Miringa Huriwai and Moe Milne were regional coordinators for Taitokerau (Northland). Tania Mataki and Karen Morgan were regional coordinators for Te Waipounamu (South Island). Huhana Tuhaka was regional coordinator for Tairawhiti (East Coast, North Island), and Colleen Tuuta was regional coordinator for Taranaki (West Coast, North Island). The International Research Institute for Mäori and Indigenous Education (IRI) at the University of Auckland was the umbrella organisation for MIPS. ƒMSD11487_SP Journal_Nov04_v6 22/12/04 11:37 AM Page 141

Primary health care in new zealand: problems and policy approaches

Abstract: Primary health care in New Zealand has been funded by a partial fee-forservice payment from the state for consultations and pharmaceuticals, supplemented by substantial co-payments from patients. Despite some targeting according to income and high need, there have been inequalities in access, with poorer people and Maori often using services at rates less than might be expected given their high levels of need. New policies are directed towards changing both the funding and organisational arrangements through which primary health care is delivered. New primary health organisations will be formed by provider groups, including general practitioners, and will have high levels of community governance. The new organisations will be funded through capitation, with funding levels dependent on the level of deprivation of the area within which individuals reside. The problems of funding on this basis are discussed. The paper concludes that this fundamental shift in strategy has the potential to improve access, but that the risks inherent in the new systems will require careful monitoring.

Oranga Kaumatua: Perceptions of Health in Older Maori People

Abstract: Explores some of the opportunities for Maori health uncovered by recent developments in the measurement and analysis of health-related behaviours. Presents the findings of a survey of more than 400 older Maori, many considered kaumatua (respected older Maori men and women). Uses a case study, Oranga Kaumatua, to outline a range of issues relating to the risks and protective behaviours of Maori aged 60 years and older, in order to discuss health-related behaviours, consider cultural norms and social values for a group of Maori and describe preferences for health status. Identifies important cross-links between health and other factors contributing to health. Mentions implications for the policy sector.

Working for Families: The Impact on Child Poverty

Abstract: The Working for Families (WFF) benefit reform package was the centrepiece of the 2004 Budget announcements of the Labour-led coalition government in New Zealand. The package is targeted at low-to-middleincome families with dependent children. One of its core goals is to improve income adequacy for these families as one of the key means of reducing child poverty over the next three years. In this regard, it is an example of the government implementing many of the poverty alleviation strategies outlined in the 2002 Agenda for Children, which committed to eliminating child poverty. This paper gives an account of a modelling and analysis exercise that provides estimates of the likely impact of the WFF reforms on income poverty through to 2007, with a major focus on the impact of the Family Income Assistance (FIA) component of the WFF on child poverty. It uses two internationally recognised poverty thresholds of 50% and 60% of the median equivalised income of households. The impact analysis finds that, when the WFF reforms are fully implemented in 2007, child poverty can be expected to have been reduced by the FIA by around 70% and 30% respectively at these two thresholds. A distinctive feature of the paper is the extensive sensitivity testing regarding the possible effect on the impact estimates of different assumptions and parameter settings that go into the construction of the poverty measures.

More Than Just Another Obstacle: Health, Domestic Purposes Beneficiaries, and the Transition to Paid Work

Abstract: The difficulties faced by sole mothers in the welfare-to-work transition are well documented, but policy researchers tend to focus on “employability” issues rather than the known relationship between poverty and poor health. This paper explores the impact of self-reported poor health on the ability of beneficiaries to seek and retain paid work. The research material is derived from a two-year study funded by the Health Research Council. In this paper we focus on the results from qualitative interviews with 120 sole mothers receiving the New Zealand Domestic Purposes Benefit. Two major findings are presented. First, poor health presents a substantial and under-appreciated barrier to a transition into sustainable paid employment for some sole mothers. Second, health is more than just another obstacle to employment when it is understood within the social context of their lived experiences and identities. The implications of these findings for policy and programme delivery, which we outline in the final section, are significant both for New Zealand and for other countries with similar social programmes.

Understanding Social Capital within Community/ Government Policy Networks

Abstract: There is an increasing need for joined-up government and joint working between agencies and across sectors in order to address “wicked” social problems and improve policy outcomes. Consequently, it has become imperative to understand the nature of policy network settings, and also the endogenous and exogenous factors that positively and negatively impact on interagency and intra-agency collaboration. From senior managers to front-line workers needing to work collaboratively to achieve outcomes, knowing the types of relationships people have with other agencies may assist in identifying where greater time could be spent improving existing relationships or making new ones. While it is easy to assume that more coordination and cooperation will automatically lead to better and more efficient policy outcomes, collaboration can often be resource intensive, slow the whole process down and actually inhibit the achievement of policy outcomes. Therefore, if agencies are going to invest time and money in collaborative efforts, they need some assurance that such investment will pay dividends. The policy implications for using network analysis within a social capital framework to study policy networks and partnerships are discussed in this article. This paper concludes by describing how a policy network/social capital framework approach could be used to examine the Strengthening Families interagency case management process used in New Zealand. 1 Acknowledgement I would like to thank Associate Professor Bob Gregory, Dr Karen Baehler and Patrick Nolan from the School of Government, Victoria University of Wellington, and the two anonymous referees for their helpful comments on earlier drafts of this paper. All errors are my own. I am using the Strengthening Families Strategy as a case study for researching cross-sectoral policy implementation as part of my doctoral research. My doctoral research was supported by funding from the Social Policy Evaluation and Research Committee (SPEaR). ƒMSD11260_SP Journal_June_v7 27/7/04 9:15 AM Page 1

Gambling: A Social Hazard

Abstract: Gambling needs to be reframed as a social hazard rather than a harmless leisure pursuit Maori are at particular risk of the adverse effects of gambling, and the government’s obligations under the Treaty of Waitangi should be the basis for gaming legislation that recognises gambling as a social hazard Such legislation should be modelled on the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996, which is aimed at the protection of people and communities through appropriate management of chemical and biological hazards

Methodological Lessons Learned from the Process Evaluation of the Comprehensive Strategy for Serious, Violent, and Chronic Juvenile Offenders

Abstract: Five important methodological lessons learned from the national process evaluation of the Comprehensive Strategy for Serious, Violent, and Chronic Juvenile Offenders, conducted in the United States, are discussed. The Comprehensive Strategy is an example of a comprehensive community initiative (CCI), which is an initiative targeted at an entire community and intended to provide holistic, multifaceted responses to complex social problems. The five lessons learned for future evaluations of CCIs are: (1) the need for explicating theories of change; (2) a process of clarifying stakeholder roles; (3) the importance of mechanisms for engagement of evaluator with sites; (4) the need to develop a stakeholderdriven anticipated timeline of change within communities; and (5) the value of empirically testing pathways of change in CCIs.

Building better contexts for partnership and sustainable local collaboration: a review of core issues, with lessons from the "waitakere way"

Abstract: The prospect of government agencies, local government and community groups working together holds a number of promises. In Waitakere City, collaborative activity in social sectors is based on a long tradition of community activism, interagency collaboration and city council facilitation. Through these processes, a number of lessons have been learnt, and a language and new processes of collaboration have been developed. Drawing on these lessons, and also on international literature and wider New Zealand policy developments, this paper explores a number of critical areas for policy around collaborative planning and partnership working. It describes the need to create a better environment for local collaboration by being much clearer about the mandates that are to be managed locally, and lining these up with appropriate funding and (shared) accountability structures. These are policy challenges for central government as well as local government. There are also everyday, practical policy issues to address, including the need to recognise and resource the roles of “strategic brokers”, to enable community networks and forums to achieve better “mandated representation”, and to support better-coordinated action around shared outcome indicators. In particular, it suggests the formation of local “common accountability platforms” as a sustained basis for substantive local and regional collaborative action.

Understanding and Altering the Longitudinal Course of Intimate Partnerships

Abstract: Basic psychological research on couples and families can be valuable in informing social policies and interventions. This article provides an overview of recent research addressing factors that contribute to satisfying and enduring adult partnerships. Surprisingly, evidence linking communication between intimate partners to the outcome of their relationships has been weak and counterintuitive. This has prompted several new lines of research on how intimate relationships change. Recent findings reviewed here highlight the value of (a) expanding conceptions of intimate communication by considering how social support and positive emotional expressions moderate the effects of problem-solving skills on changes in relationship quality, (b) examining partners’ personal strengths and vulnerabilities as antecedents of aggression and hostile interaction, and (c) recognising the central role of chronic circumstances and acute stress in governing fluctuations in partners’ judgements of relationship quality. The implications of these findings for strengthening intimate partnerships are outlined. 1 Acknowledgments The text of this article is based on a keynote address given by the first author at the “Strengthening Family Relationships” conference, December 2003, in Wellington, New Zealand, organised by Jan Pryor and Allen Gomes, and sponsored by the Centre for Social Research and Evaluation in the New Zealand Ministry of Social Development, the New Zealand Social Policy Evaluation and Research Committee (SPEaR), and the Roy McKenzie Centre for the Study of Families, School of Government, Victoria University of Wellington. A previous version of this talk was given by the first author in November 2003 at the annual meeting of the National Conference on Family Relations (see Bradbury and Karney 2004). Preparation of this article was supported by NIH grants R01 MH048764 (Bradbury) and R01 MH59712 (Karney). We thank Lexi Rothman, Lisa Story, Natasha Emmerson, Athena Yoneda, Matthew Johnson and Rebecca Cobb for their valuable contributions to this article. The couples presented in this article have given us permission to use their data for this purpose; nevertheless, identifying information has been modified to protect their identity. Correspondence Thomas Bradbury, UCLA Department of Psychology, Box 951563, Los Angeles CA 90095-1563. Email: Bradbury@psych.ucla.edu. Additional information about the research presented here can be found at www.uclamarriagelab.com ƒMSD11487_SP Journal_Nov04_v6 22/12/04 11:37 AM Page 1

Research Strategies for Policy Relevance

Abstract: Research can fail to be policy relevant when too little attention is paid to the “why” and “how” of policy change in the real world, and when relevant information remains elusive due to the complexity of social reality. Five strategies for researchers to consider when conceptualising new research are proposed, each of which addresses something about the mechanism of policy change. The strategies address issues concerned with both the availability of information and the fit of that information with policy argument needs. The five strategies serve to (1) generate new ideas about “what works” or what accounts for policy-relevant effects; (2) accrue ideas about the way mechanisms work for different people and in different circumstances; (3) improve understanding about why and how one mechanism works, and how it works in comparison with other mechanisms; (4) reveal the indirect mechanisms at work in a policy system; and (5) reinforce a realistic view of “causality” that supports timely action.

Triggering movements into and out of child poverty: a comparative study of new zealand, britain and west germany

Abstract: We know quite a lot about cross-sectional child poverty rates. But we want to move closer to answering the dynamic question of why children move into and out of poverty. Using a longitudinal data set developed out of the Income Supplement to the Household Labour Force Survey, this research examines trigger events (like losing a job or losing an adult from the household) and responses to these triggers by families, as a means of considering child poverty dynamics in New Zealand. It compares New Zealand’s dynamic experiences with Britain and West Germany. The comparative approach provides information on whether it is differences in frequency of trigger events or in responses to trigger events across countries that drives cross-national differences in chances of children moving into or out of poverty. A study of the trigger events and responses associated with transitions gets us one step closer to understanding causes of child poverty, an important part of making policy to reduce poverty.

Time-Use Data and Work-Life Policy Development

Abstract: Work–life balance is a relatively recent social policy concern in New Zealand. This research note illustrates how the New Zealand Time Use Survey can provide an understanding of the way New Zealanders manage their work and family lives. It shows that while a significant proportion of individuals undertake some paid work outside of core Monday-to-Friday daylight hours, New Zealand is still far from becoming a 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week society. Equally, while many workers undertake some work at home, home has not become the primary workplace for most New Zealanders. The data also show that, for some workers, long hours of paid work do not automatically mean little time spent with children. Using these and other examples, the paper demonstrates that there needs to be some caution when developing simple indicators of work–life balance. Finally, some suggestions for further time-use research are set out.

Parenting through Family Transitions

Abstract: Children with divorced parents, compared with children with two continuously married parents, tend to score lower on a variety of measures of adjustment and wellbeing. Although several mechanisms are responsible for the link between divorce and children’s problems, the most important factor is a deterioration in the quality of parent–child relationships. Following divorce, many single custodial mothers experience stress that interferes with the quality of parenting. The amount of time that non-custodial fathers have to spend with children is often inadequate to develop anything other than superficial relationships. Weak emotional bonds with parents, in turn, predict a variety of negative longterm outcomes among children. This paper reviews several policies in the United States that attempt to strengthen parent–child bonds following divorce, including parent education courses and the shift toward joint custody. This paper also looks at recent policies that adopt a preventive approach, that is, programmes that aim to strengthen marital quality and decrease the rate of divorce.

Ill-prepared for the labour market: health status in a sample of single mothers on welfare

Abstract: This paper present the results of a survey of the health of a group of lone mothers receiving the Domestic Purposes Benefit who were not exempt from work test for any reasons related to their health, to introduce a discussion of the potential ramifications of work activation policy for the health and wellbeing of lone mothers on welfare. The survey data indicate that the self-reported health status of those women who took part in the survey is very low in comparison with national data for New Zealand women. The results not only bring into question the basis on which fitness for work is assessed by welfare agencies, but, perhaps more importantly, necessitate a consideration of the potential of work activation policies to exacerbate the discrepancy in health outcomes between lone mothers and the rest of the population.

The SIDS Care-Workers Study: Perceptions of the Experience of Maori SIDS Families

Abstract: Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) continues as a significant cause of death of infants, particularly among Mäori. While much attention has been focused through biomedical research on causation, little attention has been paid to the social and contextual issues surrounding these tragedies and their consequences among families. This paper reports on a qualitative scoping study with members of the national Mäori SIDS Prevention Unit, drawing upon their cumulative knowledge and expertise to shed light on the fraught interfaces between families and institutions that follow SIDS. A thematic analysis presents the main issues, and the discussion considers their significance for the grieving of the bereaved parents, and the social practices of service institutions that deal with SIDS.

Identifying future research needs for the promotion of young people's sexual health in new zealand

Abstract: An increasing focus on the sexual health status of New Zealand youth has followed in the wake of somewhat alarming statistics on abortion rates, sexually transmitted infections and teenage pregnancy. The call for further New Zealand research to guide policy and practices to improve the sexual health status of young people, as stipulated in the Sexual and Reproductive Health Strategy (Ministry of Health 2001a), is both timely and necessary. This paper addresses the question of what research is needed to inform the improvement of young people’s health status. Two approaches are employed: firstly, the paper reviews current New Zealand literature to identify the research knowledge currently available to inform development of the strategy, and, secondly, the paper draws on the findings of a scoping study that aimed to identify research needs from the perspective of those working as educators, service providers and researchers in the field of adolescent sexual health. Taken together, the literature review and study findings suggest the need for more qualitative research to illuminate the evident gap between young people’s knowledge and practice, and the considerable need for more evaluation of both services and sexuality education programmes.

The desegregation of gambling media and the emergence of a single form of gambling

Abstract: This paper compares the findings of government reviews of gambling in the United Kingdom and New Zealand. It focuses on the desegregation of gambling media, a process that makes possible one-stop gambling venues where different gambling media are combined in a single site. The authors argue that although this process makes large-scale casinos/gaming machine venues subject to state control in both countries, it is the way in which desegregation takes place outside of these gambling sites – with gaming machines and virtual gaming – that differs. It is these areas that are found to drive debate and ongoing attempts by the state to regulate and to secure both surveillance and revenue, as well as protection of the vulnerable (e.g. problem gamblers). The authors conclude that the technology of the networked random number generator has determined how gambling has affected society.

Building Social Capital through Devolved Decision Making: The Stronger Communities Action Fund

Abstract: This paper examines the impact on community levels of social capital of an initiative by the Department of Child Youth and Family Services, the Stronger Communities Action Fund. The initiative has the goals of testing models of devolved decision making, encouraging communities to identify their social service needs, supporting innovative responses and increasing the stock of social capital. The high-level objective of the project is to improve outcomes for children, young people and families in disadvantaged communities. The research was based on Bullen and Onyx’s (1998) work on the empirical measurement of social capital in communities. It was also informed by other social capital theorists and recent research on the measurement of social capital. The initiative appears to have had a positive effect on social capital. Indicators include increased participation, the creation of new networks and associations, and greater proactivity. The high-level objective of child and family wellbeing has provided some glue to hold the project together. The resulting growth in social capital needs to be matched by investment in economic, environmental and human capital to ensure positive future outcomes for the communities involved.

The measurement of training opportunities course outcomes: an effective policy tool?

Abstract: Training Opportunities is an active labour market policy initiative, and part of a response to the entrenched problems of unemployment in Aotearoa New Zealand. The funding and implementation of Training Opportunities are determined in part by a particular system for measuring course outcomes. This paper argues that this measuring system should not be used for policy development, due to measurement errors and problems assigning causality to the intervention. Consequently, various disincentives arise that contradict the objectives of Training Opportunities. While accountability is important, the overreliance on the narrowly defined Training Opportunities outcomes undermines the ability of providers to assist the unemployed, and thereby contribute to the policy goals of reducing unemployment and labour market disadvantage in New Zealand.

Equal pay for work of equal value: making human rights and employment rights laws work together

Abstract: This paper backgrounds the policy issues concerning equal pay for work of equal value and offers some thoughts on how human rights and employment rights could work together to ensure pay equity. Renewed interest in pay equity in New Zealand has links to international agendas in that New Zealand has ratified conventions on employment equity for women that are viewed as fundamental rights by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the United Nations. Nevertheless, New Zealand has come under criticism for lack of compliance on “equal pay for work of equal value”. This paper addresses the question of how an effective policy for equal pay for work of equal value could be delivered under our current legislative frameworks.

Aftermath: Using Research to Understand the Social and Economic Consequences of Workplace Injury and Illness

Abstract: “Aftermath: The Social and Economic Consequences of Workplace Injury and Illness" study is an example of undertaking research to link with policy development. Much evaluation research (for example, assessing the impact of workplace illness and injury) isolates one area or perspective to study: clinical, functional, psychological, or financial outcomes. This study aimed to explore both quantifiable and non-quantifiable costs, and presents social and economic consequences case studies. This allowed the inter-connections between various areas and perspectives to be included, to present an overall picture of the visible as well as hidden costs. Behind the eventual products from this study are some lessons learnt about the research process, and how this contributes to policy development.

What do we know about gambling in new zealand

Abstract: A public health approach to gambling policy depends upon careful socioeconomic analysis to guide resource allocation to education, information provision and treatment. This paper argues that existing research does not provide the required factual basis for such an approach, yielding conclusions that are either inconclusive or inconsistent in crucial areas, because it tends to be aimed at exploring pathology not social processes. We conclude that a better research agenda must be based on studies that explore gambling in its social and economic context.

Building Research Strategies in Child Welfare: A Research and Evaluation Framework for Policy and Practice

Abstract: While sound public policy development is built on rigorous research, research tends to occur in an ad hoc way, with little strategic attention being paid to identifying research information needs as they interact across a system of policy interest. The development of research strategies that address integrated information needs can help to ensure that the best possible advantage is gained from current and future research. This paper discusses the collaborative development of a research strategy that responds to the information needs of the statutory care system in New Zealand. The strategy addresses the contextual, operational, evaluative and developmental needs of the child welfare statutory care system. The paper discusses the way in which the research strategy was developed, broadly describes the menu of projects that emerged, and considers the implications of the strategy for social policy and practice development.

Cohort vulnerability to lack of extended family support: the implications for social policy

Abstract: Recent decades in New Zealand and other Western countries have seen a move away from state support to increasing reliance on family and oneself. This paper presents a cohort analysis of the potential supply of and demand for extended family support. The four cohorts examined are: (1) those born 1912–16, aged 80–84 in 1996; (2) those born 1932–36, aged 60–64 in 1996; (3) those born 1952–56, aged 40–44 in 1996; (4) those born 1972–76, aged 20–24 in 1996. Family supply variables include average number of children and siblings, marital status, mother:daughter ratio and daughters’ labour force participation. Demand for support includes life expectancy at 65 years, proportions of cohort aged over 65 and over 80, and simultaneous child and parent dependency. Analysis of cohort vulnerability to lack of extended family support is then compared to cohort vulnerability to lack of income support from the state and economic demographic compression. The same cohorts are found to be advantaged or disadvantaged across the different areas of vulnerability. The implications for social policy are then considered in terms of which cohorts are likely to be most in need of support beyond the extended family, and which sector of a mixed economy of welfare is most appropriate to provide this.

An Employment Barrier: The Health Status of DPB Recipients' Children

Abstract: A sample of Domestic Purposes Benefit (DPB) recipients identified a number of issues preventing them from obtaining paid employment. This paper focuses on one of these issues, their children’s health, and compares this with the health of all New Zealand children as represented in Taking the Pulse: The 1996/7 New Zealand Health Survey (Ministry of Health 1999b). The results indicate that the DPB recipients’ children have greater longterm health problems and disabilities relative to children in the national survey. The DPB recipients’ children also have greater unmet health needs, as many did not see a doctor when they needed to due to the cost, the inability to get a suitable appointment time, and transportation problems. The paper acknowledges that while a return to paid employment that results in increased incomes for these DPB recipients may have a positive impact on their children’s health, there are significant issues that need to be overcome to make this possible.

Promoting Resilient Development in Children Receiving Care Conference

Abstract: I attended this conference because of its relevance to a project being undertaken within the Ministry of Social Development to develop a system of outcome measurement for Care and Protection service providers. The conference provided an opportunity to meet with international experts in outcome measurement in child welfare and to assess the effectiveness of other information measurement systems in providing data on outcomes for children in care.