Plunket praise

So now we have a Ministry for Vulnerable Children.

While I applaud those who lead and work in this area, I can’t help but hark back to the good old days of the wonderful Plunket Society – whose motto was ‘‘To Help the Mothers and save the Babies’’.

As a first-time mother we stayed in the nursing home where we were given invaluable advice and help for two whole weeks. With subsequent births we still stayed for as long as was required for either the mother’s or baby’s needs. On returning home the Plunket nurse visited weekly/ fortnightly/monthly until the mother could take the baby to the Plunket Rooms. The child was checked until turning 5 years of age.

I wonder whether, if this was reinstated, any problems of child vulnerability would be detected and dealt with before the problems become insurmountable. The initial costs might be greater but could so easily avoid ongoing expenses of picking up the pieces. Kate Gore, Rotorua