CHOICES FOR LIVING, CARING AND WORKING

On 31 August the Prime Minister announced Choices for Living, Caring and Working, a ten-year plan of action to improve the caring and employment choices available to parents and carers. 

Balancing work and caring is an issue that faces many New Zealanders, with 43% of employees saying they are responsible for the care of someone, such as a child or elderly relative.  Men and women have said that they want real choices about how they balance their caring responsibilities, their involvement in paid work, time for leisure and learning, and time to be involved with friends, family and the community.

The plan has six key areas of activity which will enable people to better balance their work and caring responsibilities: supporting parents who wish to care for their children themselves in their first year of life; ensuring families with children under five can access and participate in high quality, affordable early childhood education; ensuring families have better access to quality, affordable, and age-appropriate out-of-school services for their school-age children; improving the choices for the one-in-five New Zealanders who are caring for adults of all ages; encouraging flexible work practices; and an ongoing commitment to evaluation and research, to ensure that the plan is effective over the next ten years.

The plan is based on research about the choices New Zealand parents and carers are making currently, the choices they would like to make, and evidence about what works best for New Zealand.   The Choices Plan of Action will make a significant impact over the next decade in improving support for children and families by increasing the choices available for parents and carers.