New Zealand Ministry of Social Development
Encyclopedia
The Ministry of Social Development (Māori
: Te Manatū Whakahiato Ora) is a New Zealand
government
agency which has two main functions: providing social policy advice to the government, and providing social services. It is New Zealand’s largest government department employing people in over 200 locations around the country. The Ministry works closely with other government agencies, non-government organisations, advisory and industry groups, and communities and iwi. The Ministry delivers its services through a number of business groups and agencies.
The Ministry has five key functions:
1909-1912 - Pensions administered as a division of the Post and Telegraph Department.
1913 - Pensions Department established.
1 April 1939 - Social Security Department under the control of Social Security Commission was established by the Social Security Act, 1938. It replaced the former Pensions Department and absorbed the major portion of the Employment Division of the Department of Labour.
1 April 1972 - Department of Social Welfare formed from the amalgamation of the Social Security Department and the Child Welfare Division of the Department of Education.
1 May 1992 - Major restructuring of the Department of Social Welfare into business units:
December 1998 - Housing policy function of the Ministry of Housing transferred to the Social Policy Agency of the Department of Social Welfare.
1 October 1998 - Department of Work and Income (branded as Work and Income New Zealand or WINZ) established with the merger of Income Support with the New Zealand Employment Service, Community Employment Group and Local Employment Co-ordination.
1 October 1999 - Ministry of Social Policy established, with the amalgamation of the Social Policy Agency and Corporate Office functions of the former Department of Social Welfare and the addition of the new Purchasing and Monitoring Group.
1 October 1999 - Department of Child, Youth and Family Services (CYFS) established. Was previously Children, Young Persons and their Families Agency (CYPFA).
1 July 2001 - Housing Policy function of the Ministry of Social Policy moves to Housing New Zealand Corporation.
1 October 2001 - Ministry of Social Development established with the amalgamation of the Ministry of Social Policy and the Department of Work and Income.
1 July 2006 - Child, Youth and Family becomes a service line of the Ministry of Social Development.
Maori language
Māori or te reo Māori , commonly te reo , is the language of the indigenous population of New Zealand, the Māori. It has the status of an official language in New Zealand...
: Te Manatū Whakahiato Ora) is a New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
agency which has two main functions: providing social policy advice to the government, and providing social services. It is New Zealand’s largest government department employing people in over 200 locations around the country. The Ministry works closely with other government agencies, non-government organisations, advisory and industry groups, and communities and iwi. The Ministry delivers its services through a number of business groups and agencies.
Services
The Ministry of Social Development provides:- care and protection of vulnerable children and young people
- employment, income support and superannuation services
- funding to community service providers
- social policy and advice to government
- student allowances and loans.
Community Link
Community Links are centres where people, their families and communities can access a range of [social] services from the Ministry of Social Development and other organisations and community agencies.Work and Income
Work and Income provides financial assistance and employment services throughout New Zealand. They offer a single point of contact for New Zealanders needing job search support, financial assistance and in-work support.StudyLink
StudyLink provides information about student finances and other study-related issues, and provides financial support to students. Their services are provided through their website, a centralised contact centre and a number of offices around the country.Families and Community Services
Family and Community Services' focus is the delivery of early intervention and prevention services and programmes for families, and activities that strengthen the people and organisations working in communities that support them. They:- fund, provide, lead and co-ordinate government and community support services for families and communities.
- provide the Family Services Directory which allows people to search for family and community services within New Zealand.
- administer Heartland Services which provides people in provincial and rural New Zealand with access to Government services.
Child, Youth and Family
Child, Youth and Family provides the statutory care and protection of children and young people, youth justice services, adoption services and funding to community service providers.Students, Seniors and Integrity Services
Students, Seniors and Integrity Services:- provides information about student finances and other study-related issues and provides financial support to students through StudyLink
- provides services to older people including pensions
- administers the SuperGold Card
- oversee the integrity of the Benefit system.
Centre for Social Research and Evaluation (CSRE)
CSRE creates strong evidence based knowledge which supports social development policy and service delivery across government agencies. CSRE engages in research, evaluation and data analysis to help provide a deeper understanding of the social sector. It also publishes information and reports on social issues and trends on the Ministry of Social Development website.Social services policy
Social services policy provides social sector policy advice concerning children and families, young people, working age people, and older people. The Ministry of Youth Development also sits within Social Services.Administered agencies
A number of other agencies are administered the Ministry of Social Development. They are generally responsible to a separate Minister.Ministry of Youth Development
The Ministry of Youth Development encourages and assists young people to be involved in the social, educational, economic and cultural development of New Zealand, both locally and nationally.The Ministry has five key functions:
- providing young people with a central point of contact within government so they can express their views and interests
- providing government with advice on how to improve outcomes for young people
- working with government agencies, local government and communities to deliver positive youth development opportunities
- funding services for young people in local communities
- building and sharing an evidence-base about youth development in New Zealand.
The Office for Disability Issues
The Office for Disability Issues promotes and monitors the New Zealand Disability Strategy; provides policy advice on issues affecting people with disabilities; and provides services to the Minister for Disability Issues.The Office for Senior Citizens
The Office for Senior Citizens provides policy advice on issues affecting older people; promotes and monitors the Positive Ageing Strategy; and provides services to the Minister for Senior Citizens.Organisational history
1904 - Old Age Pensions Department established.1909-1912 - Pensions administered as a division of the Post and Telegraph Department.
1913 - Pensions Department established.
1 April 1939 - Social Security Department under the control of Social Security Commission was established by the Social Security Act, 1938. It replaced the former Pensions Department and absorbed the major portion of the Employment Division of the Department of Labour.
1 April 1972 - Department of Social Welfare formed from the amalgamation of the Social Security Department and the Child Welfare Division of the Department of Education.
1 May 1992 - Major restructuring of the Department of Social Welfare into business units:
- New Zealand Income Support Service
- New Zealand Children and Young Persons Service
- New Zealand Community Funding Agency
- Social Policy Agency
- Corporate Office
December 1998 - Housing policy function of the Ministry of Housing transferred to the Social Policy Agency of the Department of Social Welfare.
1 October 1998 - Department of Work and Income (branded as Work and Income New Zealand or WINZ) established with the merger of Income Support with the New Zealand Employment Service, Community Employment Group and Local Employment Co-ordination.
1 October 1999 - Ministry of Social Policy established, with the amalgamation of the Social Policy Agency and Corporate Office functions of the former Department of Social Welfare and the addition of the new Purchasing and Monitoring Group.
1 October 1999 - Department of Child, Youth and Family Services (CYFS) established. Was previously Children, Young Persons and their Families Agency (CYPFA).
1 July 2001 - Housing Policy function of the Ministry of Social Policy moves to Housing New Zealand Corporation.
1 October 2001 - Ministry of Social Development established with the amalgamation of the Ministry of Social Policy and the Department of Work and Income.
1 July 2006 - Child, Youth and Family becomes a service line of the Ministry of Social Development.