The Cost of Family Breakdowns

A new report from New Zealand Institute of Economic Research (NZIER) has tried to quantify the cost of family breakdown. The NZPA headline “Loose morals costs NZ $1b a year” is typically misleading as the report is actually talking about family breakdown, rather than infidelity per se. Families fall apart for many reasons other than “loose morals” (however you define them). 

The report was commissioned by Family First and I always find it fascinating how the comments following an announcement by Bob McCoskrie are always ad hominem. I have seldom seen anyone actually produce contrary data or a viable counter-argument. In this case, it would be next to impossible to do so, because Bob is right. There is no doubt that the breakdown of the nuclear family has very expensive repercussions for society.

Most arguments about family breakdown costs disintegrate into accusations that they are (ridiculously) “against solo parents”. So, to forestall silly comments of this nature, I should point out that the vast majority of solo parents do a superb job of bringing up their children, despite the difficulties involved. Nevertheless, children from broken homes are more likely to be jailed, be abused or commit suicide. They are more likely to experience poverty and are more likely to be solo parents, perpetuating the cycle. They are also more likely to access both health and mental health services.

I have to admit, I find the costing in the family first report a little dubious (the report can be found here) However, the actual financial details are a little irrelevant, as it is the social cost that is the highest and the most unquantifiable. The missed opportunities and damaged lives have a far great consequence on all of us than, say, the half a billion dollars paid out for DPB each year (a direct cost of damaged families). US statistics show that children from broken homes are 5 times more likely to commit suicide, 10 times more likely to take drugs and 20 times more likely to have a behavioral disorder. The consequences for these damaged children are enormous.

Can anything be done about this?

The gentle Lucyna Maria at New Zealand Conservative, believes that “If parents really knew what the long term effects are on children I doubt they would separate.” This is a lovely idea, but the cynic in me (25 years of emergency medicine is hard to shake off) tells me no amount of knowledge would overcome the vast self-centeredness I see in most family breakdowns. As one lawyer acquaintance of mine put it “if people weren’t self-centered, divorce lawyers would be mostly out of work”. Lawyers are the only people I know more cynical than ED doctors – with the possible exception of politicians.

So I don’t believe making people aware of the costs of separation (fiscal or otherwise) will make a lots of difference. Here are some suggestions that may:

• Tax laws that favour marriage rather than the opposite. Income splitting comes to mind here.
• Free parental and marriage workshops for “normal” marriages as well as “rocky” ones.
• Better social supports for solo parents including baby sitting, parental advice and parental mentoring.
• Mentoring of children of solo parents (right from the time of family breakdown, not just when they come to the notice of authorities).

I am embarrassed that we Christians have been enormously slow to step up to the plate in helping out with the last three. We respond to the political message of family renewal readily enough, but do not shine when it comes to offering practical support.

So, how about it, Bob? Want to organise some practical help for struggling families, instead of political reports? Should cut down on the ad hominem attacks, mate.

Related posts: