Anne Tolley
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Minister for Children Anne Tolley says a new trial will start next week for direct purchasing and brokerage of services for children and young people in care or at risk of coming into care.

Anne Tolley Children
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Homecare Medical has been awarded the contract to develop and operate the 24/7 national helpline for New Zealanders affected by sexual violence, say Justice Minister Amy Adams and Social Development Minister Anne Tolley.

“The Government is focused on developing a more sustainable and integrated national system to ensure victims of sexual violence get the support and services they need at the right time,” says Ms Adams.

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An evaluation of the Integrated Safety Response (ISR) pilot has confirmed that families are safer and better protected as a result of the pilot, say Justice Minister Amy Adams and Social Development Minister Anne Tolley.

The final evaluation report released today by Superu found that the level of seriousness and the frequency of family violence incidents reduced significantly in the six months after people came into contact with the pilot.

Anne Tolley Amy Adams Social Development Justice
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Minister for Children Anne Tolley says a new pilot which provides semi-independent accommodation and life skills for young people transitioning out of care will provide young people with more support.

“Young people in care have told us that they need options for where they can live as they transition out of care,” says Mrs Tolley.

“The Ministry is working in partnership with three providers in Auckland and Wellington to pilot a new supported living arrangement for young people.

Anne Tolley Children
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Flood-hit farmers in the Bay of Plenty region will have a further opportunity to apply for a grant to help with clean up and recovery, say Social Development Minister Anne Tolley and Minister for Primary Industries Nathan Guy.

The $100,000 Primary Industries Flood Recovery Fund is part of a package of additional support totalling $295,000 for farms and orchards who suffered damage following the floods. 

Anne Tolley Nathan Guy Social Development Primary Industries
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Short-term housing will be provided to perpetrators of family violence in the Waikato to help ensure victims are kept safe and can stay in their own homes, say Justice and Social Housing Minister Amy Adams and Social Development Minister Anne Tolley.

“The Government is putting $1.1 million into emergency housing for perpetrators at the Integrated Safety Response pilot sites in Waikato and Christchurch, because evidence shows it’s better to remove perpetrators than to uproot victims and children from the family home,” Ms Adams says.

Anne Tolley Amy Adams Social Housing Social Development Justice
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Social Development Minister Anne Tolley says the Community Finance Initiative is helping low income Kiwis to improve their financial capability and independence while saving thousands in interest.

“This initiative has provided $1 million of zero fee, interest free or low-interest lending in the last year, saving low income individuals and families over $500,000 if they had borrowed from alternative lenders,” says Mrs Tolley.

“To date, nearly 400 people have received a loan since the Community Finance Initiative was piloted.

Anne Tolley Social Development
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Social Development Minister Anne Tolley says strong uptake of the $3K to Work grant has seen over 1,200 New Zealander’s move off benefits and into stable employment.

“The $3,000 grant supports people to relocate to take up employment. There has been good uptake of the grant over the last year,” says Mrs Tolley.

“In the year to 30 June 2017, $3K to Work delivered 1,203 grants at a total of $3.6 million. Over 90 per cent of the grant recipients, mostly single men aged 20-29, remained in employment and off benefits for longer than 91 days.

Anne Tolley Social Development
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Minister for Children Anne Tolley says the Ministry for Vulnerable Children, Oranga Tamariki is working with iwi to strengthen whānau connections and improve children and whānau participation in decision-making.

“There are a number of initiatives underway to build stronger connections with iwi to ensure children and young people are connected to their whānau and have safe, loving, stable homes,” says Mrs Tolley.

Anne Tolley Children
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Social Development Minister Anne Tolley says MSD’s latest Household Incomes Report shows median household incomes rose three per cent in real terms in the year to June 2016.

“This increase shows the Government’s focus on strengthening the economy is delivering for New Zealand families and households,” Mrs Tolley says.

“Despite the effects of the Global Financial Crisis, most Kiwi households are much better off today than they were back in 2008.

Anne Tolley Social Development
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The Government will co-invest up to $600 million alongside local councils and private investors in network infrastructure for big new housing developments through a re-purposed ultra-fast broadband company, Finance Minister Steven Joyce and Local Government Minister Anne Tolley say.

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Social Development Minister Anne Tolley says the number of people dependent on welfare continues to drop, with sole parents and young jobseekers leading the way in moving off benefits.

“At the end of the quarter there were 276,331 people receiving a main benefit, a decrease of 3,846 (1.4 per cent) in the last 12 months. This puts the proportion of the population (9.6 per cent) at the lowest it’s been in a June quarter since before the Global Financial Crisis,” says Mrs Tolley. 

Anne Tolley Social Development
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Social Development Minister Anne Tolley and Civil Defence Minister Nathan Guy today visited Edgecumbe to see how the recovery is progressing.

“The Government is committed to ensuring the Edgecumbe community and Bay of Plenty has the support they need to recover from the April floods,” says Mrs Tolley.

“This includes $1 million in funding to enable Enhanced Taskforce Green teams to clear debris from towns, rural properties, and parks and reserves in Edgecumbe, Whakatane, Taneatua, Ruatoki, and other affected areas.

Anne Tolley Nathan Guy Social Development Primary Industries Civil Defence
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Social Development Minister Anne Tolley welcomes today’s expansion of the Red Shirts in Community programme where around 1,000 young jobseekers will gain work experience and earn NCEA credits.

“It’s great to see MSD partner with The Warehouse to expand a programme which will enable around 1,000 young Kiwis to gain valuable work experience,” says Mrs Tolley.

Anne Tolley Social Development
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The Government has announced a comprehensive strategy to reduce the number of at-risk young people not in employment or training in regional New Zealand. 

Economic Development Minister Simon Bridges, Social Development Minister Anne Tolley and Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Paul Goldsmith joined Prime Minister Bill English who made the announcement at Mr Apple in Hawke’s Bay today.

Simon Bridges Anne Tolley Paul Goldsmith Economic Development Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Social Development
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Social Development Minister Anne Tolley is pleased to announce the 2017 KickStart Breakfast award champions.

“Over 29,000 students in more than 950 schools receive a nutritious breakfast through the KickStart Breakfast programme which helps to improve focus, behaviour and energy levels among students,” says Mrs Tolley.

“The KickStart Breakfast awards are a great opportunity to recognise the success of the programme as well as the many volunteers across the country who give up their time to help Kiwi kids thrive at school.

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Christchurch’s Integrated Safety Response (ISR) pilot has helped almost 21,000 victims and perpetrators of family violence since it was set up, say Justice Minister Amy Adams and Social Development Minister Anne Tolley.

“Today marks one year since the ISR pilot was established in Christchurch and already it is showing signs of being a significant game changer in the way that agencies and NGOs respond to family violence,” says Ms Adams.

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The second stage of major reform to New Zealand’s care and protection system reached a key milestone today with the Children, Young Persons, and Their Families (Oranga Tamariki) Legislation Bill passing its third reading, says Minister for Children Anne Tolley.

“I am proud to see the passing of this critical legislation which will provide the foundations for a child-centred care and protection system,” says Mrs Tolley.

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Social Development Minister Anne Tolley says more MSD clients are now accessing online services, making it easier for them to get the support they need.

“We know that New Zealanders want more control of the services they receive including access to more online services at a time and place that suits them,” says Mrs Tolley.

“MSD continues to expand its online services and clients can now manage transactional appointments, update personal details, view letters, declare wages earned, and receive medical certificate reminders online.

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Minister for Children Anne Tolley says a new handbook brings together information about universal health and education services, making it easier for caregivers to find the information they need to access services.

“Caregivers are an essential part of the support we provide for vulnerable children and young people in care, ensuring that they have safe and loving homes,” says Mrs Tolley.

“We know that children and young people in care do not access universal health and education services at the same rates as those who are not in care.

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Minister for Children Anne Tolley says a total of $49 million is being invested in Budget 2017 to boost Family Start, an intensive home visiting programme.

Mrs Tolley today visited Ngati Awa Social and Health Services, Tuwharetoa ki Kawerau and Te Pou Oranga o Whakatohea in Whakatane. This additional funding will help all three providers extend their Family Start programme into rural areas in the Bay of Plenty.

Anne Tolley Children Budget 2017
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The second stage of major reform to New Zealand’s care and protection system took a step forward in Parliament today, says Minister for Children Anne Tolley.

“This Bill is the second significant step in our major reform programme towards a more child-centred care system which will improve the outcomes for vulnerable children and young people,” says Mrs Tolley.

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Minister for Children Anne Tolley says a new after-hours support service is being piloted to provide advice and support to caregivers of children and young people in care.

“Caregivers have said they want more targeted help to support them in their role of caring for children and young people in care,” says Mrs Tolley.

“Budget 2017 invests $26.4 million to support around 4,500 caregivers of children in care, as well as help for those caring for higher needs children.

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