Help for grandparents

Grandparents raising their grandchildren have won the right to the same allowances paid to other foster parents - but only if they are on the pension.

The Labour Party's social development policy, unveiled by Prime Minister Helen Clark at St Mary's Family Centre in Otahuhu yesterday, removes a longstanding anomaly where grandparents have got about $3000 a year less than other foster parents. But the party would pay foster parent rates only to about 700 grandparents who are on superannuation, and not to about 6300 others who are not yet 65.

The national convener of Grandparents Raising Grandchildren, Diane Vivian, said she was pleased for superannuitants but worried about those under 65 raising their grandchildren on benefits or in the workforce.

Unrelated families who take in foster children for Child, Youth and Family Services (CYFS) are paid between $111 and $159 a week, depending on the age of the child. They also get clothing allowances averaging $950 a year and can claim for school and medical expenses.

Grandparents and other "kin carers" who take on custody or guardianship of children get only the unsupported child benefit of between $95 and $129 a week - an average of $22 a week less than the foster care payments. They get no clothing allowance, and have to pay for all school and medical expenses.

Social Development Minister Steve Maharey said it would raise "more difficult policy issues" to extend foster parents' rates to all kin carers. Relatives who care for children informally do not get any state subsidies except for family support payments available to all parents.

But Mrs Vivian said a survey of 323 kin caregivers in March found that 37 per cent of them were living on less than $20,000 a year, mainly on benefits.

National spokeswoman Judith Collins said she would push for a National Government to pay grandparents who were pensioners too, and would look at extending payments to those under 65.

Allysa Carberry, of the South Auckland Caregivers and Foster Care Association, said the Government should pay the same allowances to anyone caring for children who have been removed from their natural parents for care and protection.