Child and family policy
Child and family policy
Contents | Introduction |
Why have a child and family policy? |
Children and families in Auckland city |
Getting your views |
Guiding documents |
Auckland City's role |
Making things happen |
Work progressed during 2005/06 |
Child and family action plan 2006/07 |
Appendix: Other relevant Auckland City policies
Guiding documents
First City of the Pacific
Every six years Auckland City consults with the community and then develops a
shared vision for the future. Currently, Auckland City's community vision to
2020 is to make Auckland the First City of the Pacific. The council developed
this vision from community consultation between 1998 and 2000. Out of this
vision, a number of community outcomes were identified:
- strong and healthy communities
- economic prosperity
- celebrating and recognising diversity
- urban intensification
- unique and valued natural environment
- effective transport
- Auckland leadership
A process to identify new community outcomes is now complete. Auckland City
consulted extensively to identify the outcomes with community organisations and
interest groups, including Maori, central government, other local authorities,
volunteer organisations and business groups. The First City of the Pacific
vision will be replaced with these new community outcomes in 2006.
The council acknowledges that children and their families experience the city
in a unique way, and it is committed to empowering children and families to help
shape our city and foster a sense of belonging. Sustaining interest in and a
sense of ownership towards the natural environment among children and families
is important to ensure future generations are able to meet their needs. The
council is committed to protecting, maintaining and enhancing Auckland's unique
and diverse environment as the city continues to grow.
Auckland City's long-term council community plan
The council considers community outcomes for the city when developing the
long-term council community plan (LTCCP), which sets out council's plans for the
next 10 years. The next LTCCP will be produced for consultation in April 2006.
Current strategies that relate to children and families include:
- building healthy communities through sport and recreational activities
that are accessible to a range of people at a reasonable cost
- supporting the arts and taking a cultural leadership role guided by the
city's Arts Agenda to further develop the city as a celebrated arts and
cultural centre of the South Pacific
- managing Auckland's growth by aligning identified growth areas with
improvements to infrastructure, public transport and amenities
- enhancing the quality of the built environment with good urban design
- ensuring that processes and structures are in place to make Auckland City
accountable and responsive to its communities and stakeholders
- providing advice, financial assistance and neighbourhood venues so that
communities of interest can organise events and activities for themselves, and
participate in community life
- working with others so that people feel safe in their homes and
neighbourhoods
- providing parks and open spaces across the city to cater for the growing
population
- pursuing investments and initiatives that improve environmental outcomes
for land, water and air to develop a city with a sustainable environment
- providing street improvements and cycleways to promote walking and cycling
as transport alternatives, particularly in growth areas.
Other relevant council policies, plans and strategies
This child and family policy is also linked with other council documents,
including the youth action policy and the sense of place, recreation and
community precincts, open space, and cycle and walking strategies. For a full
list of these other documents and how they relate to children and families see
the appendix.
National and international context
Growing up together is also consistent with and based on the same
principles as key national and international child and family strategies.
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child
The 1989 United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCROC) is an
internationally accepted document that recognises that all children have human
rights. The convention's provisions include requiring children to have their
opinion considered in anything that affects them and for all actions involving
children to be considered in their best interests. New Zealand officially
adopted UNCROC in 1993. With the development of its own child and family policy
(and it's current youth policy - "Youth
Action"), the council seeks to promote and increase
compliance with UNCROC.
Child Friendly Cities Initiative
The Child Friendly Cities Initiative (CFCI) is a United Nations International
Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) initiative that was launched in 1996. A
child-friendly city is a local system of good governance that is committed to
fulfilling children's rights. It is a city where the voices, needs, priorities
and rights of children are an integral part of public policies, programmes and
decisions. By developing its own child and family policy, the council seeks to
adopt these principles and become a recognised child-friendly city.
New Zealand's Agenda for Children
The 2002 Agenda for Children is central government's strategy for improving
the lives of children. It sets out a programme for action to give higher
priority to children's interests, rights and needs. It has seven key action
areas including increasing children's participation and improving local
government and community planning for children.
Sustainable development for New Zealand
This 2003 programme for action is central government's approach to
sustainable development in New Zealand. Investing in child and youth development
is one of the four key areas identified. The programme's overarching goal is for
all children and young people to have the opportunity to participate, succeed
and make contributions that benefit themselves and others, both now and in the
future.
Treaty of Waitangi
This 1840 document forms the historical foundation of New Zealand's
bicultural society. Auckland City is committed to building on this unique
identity and having initiatives that respect and reflect the spirit of the
Treaty.
The Maori pattern used in this policy is based on the vine of the gourd. The
proverb "He Kawai Tangata" likens the kawai or tendrils of the gourd plant to
that of the growth of a whanau (family). It naturally extends to the
intermarriage between peoples. It is used as a metaphor to discuss
relationships, and how those relationships can be strengthened, while still
acknowledging strength in diversity.
Reviewed August 2006
