State care

Damien Grant (‘‘Let’s not let the State look after our kids’’, Focus, January 14) quite rightly points out that some of the thousands of children who have been in State care, as a result of the abuse or neglect they have suffered in their family life, are further abused or neglected and some end up in prison as adults.

But he then says, without providing a shred of evidence but bags of opinionated bar-room claptrap, that this is all the fault of the welfare state: that same welfare state which provided state housing, education. a health service, superannuation pensions etc.

Apparently all this ‘‘discourages stable families’’.

He offers no solution to the problem he thinks he has identified.

The Ardern-led Government’s programme of financial and other family social support might help

him there since he seems unaware that poverty is a major factor in causing family instability and dysfunction.

David Townsend, Wellington