Father & Child supports the ‘Income Splitting’ Bill currently before select committee. The bill would treat parents who live together as an economic unit for taxation purposes rather than tax them as individuals, as is presently the case. The present taxation system disadvantages families with only one income earner compared to a family where the same earnings are split about equally over both parents. This affects almost all parents who just had a new baby.

Father & Child believes that choices over how parents divide income earning and caring responsibilities should be tax-neutral.

The bill is not expected to make it into law as it does not have the support of either National or Labour. It was brought into parliament by United Future leader Peter Dunne under a coalition agreement with National.

Father & Child’s support for the bill does not indicate support for any political party.
Full text submission here: Submission Income Splitting

The Ministry of Social Development has produced a new resource called ‘Supporting Teen Fathers’ aimed at those working with young dads. It was developed in consultation with local researchers and practitioners, including Father & Child. The resource covers conceptualisation of a service through to delivery and evaluation. Order from MSD, ph (04) 916 3300, or contact Father & Child.

Father & Child would like to start an office in Wellington in response to requests from the local community, and is looking for a well-organised dad to make it happen.

The position is initially for 10 hrs/wk and fixed term for 3 months to find out if a Wellington office is financially feasible and attracts enough support from funders. Equivalent positions in Christchurch and Auckland are permanent and we expect this to happen in Wellington as well.

F&C manager Harald Breiding-Buss was on Radio NZ today (25 Nov), talking about parenting issues for separated fathers. See here for audio file.

Thank you to all who came to see us at the 2010 Auckland Parent & Child show. It was great to be able to meet and talk with you. We trust that you are finding the information helpful.

Thank you also to all those who entered the draw to win a dad pack of cap, T-shirt, frisbee, pen, key-ring and one year subscription to Father & Child magazine – New Zealand’s best father focused quarterly magazine.

The winner of the draw is

Noel Coward of Howick

and the runners up who each receive a free one year subscription to Father & Child magazine are

Shane Barnett of One Tree Hill

Paul Cleary of Pukekohe

David Blackaby of Epsom

Kirk Wedgwood of St Johns

But if you missed out and didn’t win don’t despair – you can still purchase dad gear and magazine subscriptions

Dads might run the danger of delayed ‘crashing’ after the Canterbury Earthquake. Many of the men we have seen at Chch Father & Child recently report high anxiety levels in their partners and their children, especially daughters. Dads have taken on the role of the stable ‘rock in the storm’ for their families as the ground continues to shake regularly at night.
Experience, for example with postnatal depression, shows that fathers cope very well while a crisis is going on, but ‘crash’ when things in the family overall are improving as they have been postponing their own dealing with the situation. This sometimes leads to quite severe depression. With nerves being frayed, there is also a danger that couples fight more.
A good technique is to ‘debrief’: Talk honestly and earnestly to a trusted friend about how it all was, or come to us and we’ll ‘debrief’ you. If you’re feeling stressed already, or are arguing a lot more with your partner, it also helps a lot to talk things through.
The Chch office is open 10-2 weekdays, or by appointment, 1/369 Hereford Street, 982-2440.
Harald Breiding-Buss, Father & Child General Manager.

Here in Auckland the close relationship we have developed with the Onehunga office of CYF is helping to ensure that dads get the recognition and support they deserve.

This is from an article by Janie Smith in the Auckland City Harbour News on 3rd September 2010:

CYF Onehunga site manager Barbara Thomson says fathers play an important role in their children’s lives that can sometimes be lost in times of strife.

“Where there’s a lot of anger and grief between parents, for the child that’s half their family. A child needs to have some contact with their dad or at least their dad’s family. Even if dad doesn’t live with the family, he still has things he needs to give to that child.”

She says even if the father can’t provide a positive role model for his children, it’s something his family can often do.

“Dads are important.”

010910 NEWS Photo: Jason Oxenham/Fairfax Media. The Onehunga branch of Child, Youth and Family is working closely with the Father and Child Trust to make sure fathers are supported and recognised. Brendon Smith(left) from Father and Child Trust and Barbara Thompon, CYF site manager.

Read the full article here:
Support for fathers in times of strife

Father & Child Auckland has received funding from the Manurewa Community Board (Manukau City Council) towards a series of 3 seminars on what it means to be a father. These seminars will be held later in 2010.

Details will be announced shortly but if you are interested or know anyone who might be send us an email to auckland@fatherandchild.org.nz, phone us on 09 525 1690 or send us a letter to Father & Child Trust, PO Box 11931 Ellerslie, Auckland.

Dan Brown, a young father being supported by the Father & Child Trust, was interviewed on TV3 about the new “In Your Hands” DVD produced by Great Fathers.

Daniel Brown TV3 13th July 2010

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The Auckland Father & Child Trust has been granted $5,000 for a short-term project involving teen dads after having been approached by the Ministry of Youth Development. Youth Development minister Paula Bennett and local MP Peseta Sam Lotu-liga have both issued media statements about the funds (Paula Bennett here; Lotu-liga here).
Father & Child understands that the funds are part of unspent monies from the 2009 budget rather than ‘new’ funding. The money going to Father & Child appears to be the only funds from this pool tagged for teenage fathers, but some organisations working with teenage mothers in other parts of the country have also benefited.
Teenage parents have been getting a big funding boost in the 2010 budget, with government more than doubling the number of directly funded case-work positions to 19 nationwide, and special funds set aside for teen dad projects.