The direct line between pay equity and the crisis among our children

Monday, 12 May 2025

Many families are facing impossible choices, and children pay the price, writes Matt Reid.

Matt Reid is chief executive for Barnardos Aotearoa.

OPINION: Recently, Oranga Tamariki social workers went on strike for the first time in decades. But unlike industrial action in higher-profile sectors, their action barely made the news.

When the people entrusted with protecting our most vulnerable children feel this is a necessary step, and it barely registers in public conversation, it’s a symptom of a much deeper issue: our social sector might be at breaking point — and too often, it feels invisible.

The recent amendments to the Equal Pay Act – and manner in which changes were recently made - only deepen this feeling.

Every day across Aotearoa, social, community, care and other workers are the steady hands that catch families before they fall. They work quietly and relentlessly behind the scenes — visiting whānau in their homes, helping them navigate systems they were never meant to navigate alone, and walking alongside them through poverty, trauma, family harm, mental health struggles, housing insecurity, parenting skills… the list is huge.

At Barnardos Aotearoa, these workers are often the difference between a family holding it together or falling apart. They support parents rebuilding from intergenerational trauma. They help children who have stopped speaking find their voice again. They advocate for tamariki whose well-being might otherwise be overlooked.

This is complex, courageous, life-shaping work. And yet, many people – particularly those in community organisations – are not being recognised. I’d like to thank and applaud every single one of them.

Matt Reid, chief executive of Barnardos Aotearoa, with children attending one of the charity's early learning services.

We know the Government faces tough fiscal choices. But surely, the well-being of our tamariki should never be optional. If we want to build a stronger Aotearoa, we must start where it matters most — by backing the people and services, often behind the scenes and against the odds, that support children and families every day, who need us the most.

The recent changes to pay equity legislation risk making this even worse. While Oranga Tamariki social workers have fought for improved terms and conditions, many other workers are still waiting. Barnardos has led the push for pay equity across the community sector, but delays mean too many workers are being left behind.

It’s unjust, and it’s unsustainable.

We’re already seeing the consequences. Wait lists are growing. Services are being reduced or cut. Aotearoa doesn’t have enough social workers to keep up with demand, and we know fewer new social and community workers are staying — they’re burning out or leaving the profession altogether. When we lose them, we don’t just lose staff – we lose trusted relationships, deep community knowledge, and the ability to intervene early before crises escalate.

And crises are escalating.

Last year alone, reports of concern to Oranga Tamariki about at-risk tamariki spiked by over 35%. More than 95,000 reports were made. These aren’t just numbers – they are children in our communities whose lives are shaped by decisions made – or not made – about investment in social services.

Behind those reports are families under strain, facing impossible choices between paying rent or buying food, accessing support or going it alone. With fewer accessible services, many whānau don’t know where to turn. By the time they reach us, it’s often already a crisis.

Barnardos sees the power of early support for children every day, writes Matt Reid. (Photo posed by model)

The truth is, no single agency can meet this need alone. Oranga Tamariki has one of the toughest jobs in the country, working with children already in care or close to it. Barnardos is proud to support and work alongside them.

But if we truly want to protect our tamariki, we must also invest in the work that prevents them from needing care in the first place. This is a challenge for all of us.

At Barnardos, we see the power of early support every day. In our early learning centres, kaiako (teachers) nurture tamariki through their most formative years. Through models like Te Korowai Mokopuna, our teachers and social workers work side by side to walk alongside whānau early—before challenges become crises. And through our What’s Up helpline, children can reach out for support when they need someone to listen. When the right people are in place at the right time, it can change the course of a child’s life.

That’s why this moment matters.

We must fund social services, value our social and community workers, and invest in prevention. Because when we support families early – not late – fewer children end up in care, fewer whānau reach breaking point, and the long-term cost to society is lower.

But even more importantly, children get the futures they deserve.

Let’s start by recognising our community workers and kaiako fairly, regardless of whether they work for the government or in the community. Let’s ensure early intervention services are sustainably funded and accessible to all. Let’s break down the barriers that stop families from getting help. Let’s stop making children pay the price for years and years of systemic failure.

Because childhood shapes a lifetime. And when we properly invest in the people who walk alongside whānau through those years — with empathy, skill and consistency — we all benefit.