Source: PSA
A proposal to shut down Birthright Hutt Valley after six decades of service will leave hundreds of local single-caregiver families without a lifeline, and the staff that support them without a job.
Birthright, which has supported the Hutt Valley community since the 1960s, has proposed an “orderly wind-down” due to a dire lack of funding. The PSA says government cuts have forced more groups to compete for a shrinking pool of philanthropic grants, effectively starving the sector.
For 60 years, Birthright has been the only local service dedicated to helping single parents and their children. They provide home visits, social work, and practical help to make sure kids have a fair start in life. The service is a vital safety net that keeps families connected and helps them through financial hardship.
“Birthright has been a constant for local families – a place where the jug is always on and there is always someone to listen,” says Fleur Fitzsimons, National Secretary for the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi. “This proposed closure should not occur.”
“Birthright are there to support everything from the joy and challenge of a new baby to the heartbreak of losing a child. That kind of local, trusted support has been built over decades, and it can’t just be replaced overnight.”
With the community sector under immense pressure, the PSA is concerned that essential infrastructure is at risk of disappearing right when families need it most.
The PSA is calling for a halt to the closure proposal and is urging government agencies like Oranga Tamariki to work with the Board to find a path forward.
“The closure of Birthright will be a devastating blow to Hutt Valley families and will leave a massive gap in the community with no equivalent service in the region,” said Fleur Fitzsimons, National Secretary for the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi.
The Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi is Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest trade union, representing and supporting more than 95,000 workers across central government, state-owned enterprises, local councils, health boards and community groups.
