Lecturer ticks off old-girl minister

Paula Bennett has run foul of her former lecturer over her plan for camps. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Social Development Minister Paula Bennett was told off by her former university lecturer yesterday over a Government plan to provide school holiday camps for foster children as young as 5.

Jill Worrall, who taught Ms Bennett social work at Massey University's Albany campus in the mid-1990s, embraced the minister as she left the stage at a conference of the Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Trust in Auckland.

Ms Bennett used her speech to promote a plan announced in August for 500 places in "respite camps" this summer for children aged 5 to 12 in the care of grandparents, other extended family or foster parents, "with an emphasis on the ages 5 to 8".

"They will help them develop new skills, but they will be recreational and fun," she said.

"When [the Ministry of] Education starts stepping in and saying, 'Where's the educational curriculum for this?' I say there isn't one. We are going to judge them on the kids still being there, but just as much to give you guys a break."

But Mrs Worrall, in her own speech to the conference immediately after Ms Bennett left, said it would be "a grave mistake" to send 5-year-olds to camps.

"It's not good for 5-year-old children to go into a totally alien camp situation," she said. She agreed that grandparents bringing up grandchildren needed a break, but suggested that could be done by looking for "partner families" who could be paid by Work and Income to take the grandchildren when needed, such as one weekend a month and a week in each school holiday.

"It really needs to be the same stable family so the child builds up a relationship with that family and looks forward to going," she said.

"I'm sure there are people out there who don't want to be fulltime foster parents but could do this."

Mrs Worrall, a founding trustee of the Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Trust, said Ms Bennett did not consult her about the camps.

"I would like to know what consultation took place before that move," she said.

Ms Bennett later told the Herald that she "consulted on these camps with those who already provide them for 5-year-olds", including Children's Health Camps, which will run the holiday camps.

"The feedback I've had from foster parents and caregivers since making the announcement is that the respite camps will be very welcome."