Youth and the Law

In New Zealand we have laws stating the level of supervision required for children under 14. Should be really simple shouldn’t it?

Take today’s dilemma.
Miss 7 comes in at 5am with a sore stomach, by school time she’s been sick 3 times. No school for her today. Dad is out at a meeting. Neighbour’s nanny agrees to walk the 5 year old to school.

But… if the nanny hadn’t been available or obliging what were my choices?

• take the 7 year old to school – but she’s sick
• leave her at home while I take the 5 year old to school – but she’s under 14
• let the 5 year old tackle the walk alone – but there are roads to cross and he’s under 14

Another dilemma

No bread for lunches. There is a dairy on our block so the kids can go there without crossing roads. Still have to watch for people backing out of driveways etc but generally safe in a quiet neighbourhood. So, we figure it’s ok to let them walk to the dairy to buy a loaf of bread, etc and they like doing it. But on cold, wet days when you can’t bribe them to do anything at all it’s not ok to leave them snug at home while I walk to the dairy?

Now, we all know that the law only counts if you get caught and the police in New Zealand are having a hard enough time coping with rapists and burglars – if the example set by the beleaguered Papakura station is anything to go by. Even so I thought I’d look online for some guidelines and found heaps about what to do if a teenager is arrested but nothing for parents. This booklet at $44 Youth and the law looks hopeful but $44 isn’t accessible to the average parent who has got most things right.

So I picked up the phone.

• CYFS said it wasn’t for them to interpret the law and to talk to a parenting organisation – umm, I thought CYFS was there to support families, which normally means the parents too!
  I then emailed them

  Child, Youth and Family is unable to give legal advice to members of the public. However, if you contact either a Citizen’s Advice Bureau or Youth Law, they will be able to give you the right information.

  I hope this helps.

  Jenny Alexander
  National Media Advisor
  Child, Youth and Family Services

• I rang the Plunket Line but it’s so underfunded that there are never enough nurses on to answer the phone. You feel guilty for calling them with anything trivial.
  Their email response:

  This issue relates to older children and since Plunket is concerned with under five year olds, it falls outside our area of expertise. It would be appropriate if you could talk to someone who knows the particular act to look up, perhaps the police youth aid section would be more helpful.

• I rang the Citizens Advice Bureau and they said to ring CYFS or WINZ
• I rang WINZ who were somewhat perplexed at how a work and income agency could help with an obvious parenting issue
• I tried the Police website but nothing obvious there. I filled in the contact form and their reply was
  

  Thank You for your message to Police.
  Your best source of reference is to the Child, Youth & Family Service agency or CYFS as they are more commonly known.

• I’ve emailed the Parenting with Confidence people but not really their area…

It’s not a biggie but as a parent it’s something we are faced with every day. We have our own fears for our children’s safety but we also have nanny state saying that until they are 14 they have to be under lock and key. We know that’s nonsense but there’s nothing official leading the way.