EDITORIAL

Money — I

BUDGET CUTS IN CHILDREN, YOUTH AND FAMILY PROGRAMS

Over the past months news of budget cuts has dominated our work. A scan of our NewsDesk headlines in January reflects the story ...

Kids worried over school program cuts
Juvenile Justice cuts will bring crime increase, advocates fear
Budget cuts worry service agencies
Cuts will hurt young, child advocate says
Spending priorities put programs at risk
Low-income programs now poorer
Children's ministry struggles with cuts
Cuts in Prison Drug-Treatment Programs
States Slashing Funding for Human Services

For all the tired rhetoric about children being our future, young people and families in difficulty are always low in the food chain. The irony (if that’s not too weak a word, better perhaps, the lunacy) is that our programs find themselves in the budgetary firing lines at the very times when they are most needed, when unemployment and tough times put more children and families at serious risk and in greatest needs of our programs. Imagine closing down our hospitals in the depths of an epidemic!

There are some extremely good state departments who are responsible for children, youth and families – and many find themselves targeted along with our programs at times like these. But there are inconsistencies which it is right for us to question. For example, there is an anomaly in the state which holds out for certain performance standards when registering programs or certificating workers, and then jeopardises these standards by cutting funding and posts. Again, one hopes that the young people themselves never get to witness the horse-trading when a state which committed to them yesterday tries to shed them today as being "more appropriately the responsibility" of some other department. The mentally ill, special needs and justice involved kids are often the step-children passed between departments when convenient.

One’s heart was warmed by the passion of a school board in this news item recently:

School Rejects State's Demand for Budget Cuts
Roosevelt's embattled school board last night rejected state demands to close a growing budget deficit, which district officials said would require "devastating" teacher layoffs and elimination of kindergarten classes, sports and other student activities. The board's 4-0 rejection could set the scene for a showdown with state school officials, who have threatened to oust board members if they do not comply ... "If we make these cuts, we might as well shut the school system down," said board member Sara Gilliard, who was appointed last week to fill a vacancy. "Whether they remove this board or not, I'll go down fighting."

In this case the state had demanded that budget cuts be in place by January 28. Wonder what happened?

Looking at programs around the world today, we see the dramatic growth and improvements we have made in such areas as program design, family and community inclusion, sensible levels of intervention, cost-effectiveness, staff skills and accountability. There is more muscle and less fat on our services and there is continuously growing proficiency in our profession as we have sought to be good partners with our respective states in relation to children, youth and families.

How do we get to be more assertive about the mutuality and responsibility implied by that partnership? How do we advocate for our programs – or do we just roll over? How do we maintain services – or do we shut them down? How do we hold on to professional standards ...

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Money — II

For more than three years, many of our readers have been suggesting a subscription or membership fee to support CYC-NET’s continuing service. In the past CYC-NET has been supported entirely by a sponsorship from the Royal Netherlands Embassy in Pretoria and Pretext Publishers in Cape Town who this past year met about 60% and 40% of our costs respectively.

We are in the final stages of registering as a non-profit organisation. In our Constitution we have provided for Ordinary Membership at no cost. We welcome all interested people as participants and users of CYC-NET’s services. But we have proposed voluntary paid membership for individuals (Associate Membership) and organisations (Collegiate Members) who would like to support CYC-NET.

International currency exchange and banking is complicated, but we will simplify it in the following way: Because our administration office is currently in South Africa, transactions must be in South Africa Rands. However we will apply a rough "price-tag" quoted in US Dollars which most people around the world will recognise.

Also, because the US Dollar has a very different value between developing and developed countries, people will be able to choose a comfortable fee. For example, the individual membership can be $10, $20 or $30 – you choose. The Collegiate Membership (for agencies, associations, colleges, etc.) Can be $50, $100 or $200 – you choose.

In the next week or so we will be introducing a secure on-line credit card transaction service for those who would like to take this step. It could be a move towards the healthy position where CYC-NET comes of age.

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New kid on the block

And talking of coming of age, we are delighted by the news that Niall and Susan McElwee are proud new parents. Warm congratulations from all of us who have come to know you through the columns of CYC-NET. We all add our voices and good wishes to Grant Charles’ message for ‘Wee Conor’ in this issue.