Stewart Barbara: Social Security (Clothing Allowances for Orphans and Unsupported Children) Amendment Bill — First ReadingText is subject to correctionStewart Barbara: Social Security (Clothing Allowances for Orphans and Unsupported Children) Amendment Bill — First Reading[Sitting date: 23 October 2013. Volume:694;Page:14231. Text is subject to correction.]BARBARA STEWART (NZ First): I rise on behalf of New Zealand First to support the Social Security (Clothing Allowances for Orphans and Unsupported Children) Amendment Bill. We have to congratulate Tracey Martin on two particular aspects.Firstly this is an excellent bill. It is well overdue and as the previous speaker Phil Heatley said nothing has come into this Parliament on this particular topic.Secondly we congratulate Tracey Martin on getting her bill drawn from the ballot. It is never easy to get a bill drawn from the ballot. It is totally dependent on luck. I am very pleased that one of our new members has had a bill drawn from the ballot.The fact is that many families are changing and we do not want children to be disadvantaged because of their family circumstances. It is not their fault and therefore they should not be disadvantaged. We know that a lot of grandparents and other kin carers are raising children who are not their own. This is not an easy job. This group of carers gets the same basic payment as those fostering children under the care of Child Youth and Family. But the bottom line is that they do not receive additional assistance for things like clothing which the Child Youth and Family caregivers get through the foster care allowances. That makes a significant difference of up to $1700 per year—$1700. That is an inconsistency that does need to be removed and rectified. The family caregivers do not receive the foster care allowance although many of them will be eligible for the unsupported child’s allowance which is now paid at the foster care allowance rate. Minister Paula Bennett made this adjustment in the Budget in 2009 and we recognise that good work in this area.In 2009—also a very good year—the Government provided 500 respite care places a year for grandchildren in week-long holiday health camps. Grandparents do need a break. It is not an easy job bringing up a child especially in these difficult circumstances. There are many challenges that can be experienced by these families.We have to be clear: this bill proposes to give the orphan and unsupported child clothing allowance parity with the foster care allowance. How much will it cost? Well not a significant amount. The bill will cost approximately $16 million a year for parity. When we relate that to other areas where money is spent by the Government it is not a massive amount.As at February 2012 the membership of the Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Trust stood at 5024 grandparent or kin carer families representing a significant number of grandchildren. It is conservatively estimated that the number of children in full-time grandparent or kin care is in excess of 10000 and I would say that 10000 is the very minimum number that we can expect. In fact it will more than likely be more because not everybody is recognised in this way. However it is well-known that a lot of the caring for these children occurs informally rather than formally. The Families Commission in 2009 commissioned a UMR Research report to survey the changing role of grandparents. We know that that role is changing. I must say that looking after children is never ever cheap and I am sure we all know that.This is a good bill. We do not want these grandparents and kin carers to face any more challenges than they need to. They are largely unappreciated. We support this bill totally.