Statement of Intent 2008-2011

There are more aspects to family wellbeing than can reasonably be addressed by the Commission at any one time. Consequently some prioritisation of its work is required. The areas of work identified in this Statement of Intent have the potential to make the greatest contribution to family wellbeing in the short and medium term. I believe significant progress in any one of the priority areas will have positive impact on the other areas.

The three priority outcome areas for the Commission in the next three years are positive family functioning, physical and social environments, and the economic circumstances of families. We will also continue to build on our knowledge base through research and extensive consultations with families and institutions.

Each outcome area has several key projects which are designed to impact on policy, practice and the provision of information to families. In the positive family functioning area priority is given to the role of parenting and access to information on parenting challenges. While the Commission will continue to promote the message that “parenting is the best day’s work you’ll ever do” it will place an additional focus on fathers, undertake further engagement with the parenting sector, extend the number and nature of parenting panels and continue to develop information to support parents.

Positive family functioning is also about the importance of relationships. In the 2008/09 years we will focus on young people’s relationships and access to information on relationship issues for couples. A second focus for the Commission is physical and social environments. Families live in physical environments and experience social environments. One aspect of the social environment is family violence. In 2008/09 the Commission will continue its work in the “It’s not OK” campaign and will extend its focus on elder abuse. The physical environment also needs to be appropriate for families. The Commission will work with local authorities as they develop communities that are supportive for families. It will also provide information to families to encourage participation in the development of their physical environments.

The economic circumstances of families, our third focus, affect how they care for members and participate in society. Work plays a large part in family life and affects income. There is a growing interest amongst families to find a better balance between work and family life. These arrangements are affected by family-friendly policies, flexible work arrangements, work-life balance issues, paid parental leave and the provision of services for working parents. The Commission will extend its work in these areas over the next three years.

The Families Commission is now fully established and, as can be seen in this Statement of Intent, it has a sizable work programme. It is increasingly being accepted as a responsible and effective advocate for families. A considered approach to its mandate is giving families the opportunity to be heard by an independent entity. Its modus operandi requires that it not duplicate the work of other organisations. It brings the best intelligence from research and policy analysis to bear on a range of issues that impact on family wellbeing. New Zealand is unique in having such a Commission, and families can be assured that their interests are being placed at the center of matters that affect them.

Rajen Prasad
Chief Commissioner