Family Tensions Grow with Economic Pressures

Mana (Auckland), Volume 2, Issue 2, 20 April 1978, Page 2

Family Tensions Grow with Economic Pressures

“As the number of New Zealanders unable to obtain work continue at very high levels, the social and emotional costs on families and individuals become increasingly heavy,” said the national president of the New Zealand Association of Social Workers MikeO’Brien).

“In many instances unemployment, or the threat of unemployment, has resulted in tension within families increasing to the point where the marriage becomes intolerable and family life strained by both the direct economic consequences and the effect on the family morale,” he said.

“Unemployment has also had a major impact on those whose employment opportunities are limited by their own circumstances — this particularly applies to the handicapped, physically, intellectually and emotionally. Rehabilitation opportunities are in many instances markedly affect the lack of adequate employment opportunities,” Mr O’Brien said. “They are often the first people to be dismissed and job opportunities for much less readily av-

ailable.” He went on to say that' all this is having a major effect on their morale and sense of wellbeing as well as creating significant extra demands on the already overstretched resources of the social services. “An important part of many rehabilitation programmes is the opportunity to secure satisfactory employment in a situation that allows the person to make maximum use of his or her abilities and feel that he or she is contributing to society. Unemployment has its major impact on those who are most vulnerable in our community,” he said.

“Young people seem to be the most significant age group among the unemployed, being particularly penalised by their lack of experience and qualifications, a gap that they have no control over because of their age. The continuing lack of adequate employment opportunities for young people will have important social consequences,” Mr O’Brien claimed. “We will find ourselves with a substantial group of angry dissatisfied young people whose furstration at not being able to secure emp-

loyment could produce many significant social consequences — apathy, hostility, resentment, to name but some,” he said. “Social workers will continue to give the unemployed all the assistance they can to secure their rights and to deal with the personal consequences of being unemployed. Such assistance cannot, however, be any more than a stop-gap and the real solution lies in the political and economic realm to ensure that there are sufficient meaningful job opportunities for all,” Mr O’Brien concluded.