Lessons can be learnt from Every Child Counts - Unicef

Unicef say lessons can be learnt from the Netherlands study commissioned by Every Child Counts.

Unicef New Zealand national advocacy manager Barbara Lambourn said the Netherlands were achieving better results for children than New Zealand.

Ms Lambourn found that even though there were clear differences between the Netherlands and New Zealand, the findings were applicable.

She said New Zealand should invest more in children - the Netherlands spends twice as much on each child as New Zealand.

"The cost of child poverty is in the region of $8 million each year."

She said the findings echo Unicef's briefing paper on the Government's Green Paper - it included submissions from 80 non-government organisations.

"An overall culture of respect for children and of the caring responsibilities of parents, combined with a universal approach to supporting parents , is a feature of life in the Netherlands," said Ms Lambourne.