Does Anyone know...

If a Mother has no money, and has run out of nappies, whether or not WINZ or someone else can give them money to buy them some?

Would they make them prove what they have spent their money on?

I got asked for money today from a mother (of whom I hardly know) due to professional reasons I wasnt allowed to buy them. But now Im sitting here worried sick this child is sitting in the same nappy

Thanks, do you know if they only offer the grant every so often?

You can only get 4 food grants a year from memory, and you have to provide reciepts and a bank statement showing where your money has gone.

Possibly, it is probably too late now as it was yesterday that she had run out. She was being paid her benefit today, just hoping she went to winz yesterday.
Is the benefit really so little? She manages to buy cigarettes

Anyway, thanks so much ladies

Yup, Kazzle thats exactly my thinking as well, which is why I am super frustrated.

I had offered to give the boy breakfast tommorow as she was asking for money for milk, and she said "yeah but he still doesnt have nappies for today or tommorow" I told her I didnt have any money (cause I actually didnt!)
No, "thanks for the offer" from her or anything. It was if she was making it my problem, and it I felt incredibly guilty all night. Was up all night with worry, dammit!

I just wanted to know if she had "other" options really.



Edited by kaiz231

That is terrible, and put you in an awful situation too.

It is a tough situation to be put in, she is not a close friend, you will never see your money back, & she will come to you again & again. Bet she has a cloth nappy or old towel somewhere. Money for smokes I think. (sorry if that sounds hard)

I get anoyed at the ones who smoke & play the pokies, they always have money for that & drinks, but cheap nappies $5 & $3 milk they never have money for that.

It is tough now with money for most with the price of things.

As far as I know you can not get the food grant unless you are on a benifit & beg. Correct me if I am wrong as I would love one, my boys don't stop eating

This is going to sound really harsh but anyway...

of course she's trying to make it your problem. If she is running out of money because she isn't budgeting correctly and blowing it all on ciggies etc rather than providing the basics for her baby then she obviously has *no* idea of how to take responsibility.

I think you're very kind to worry (and I would be the same) but I agree with the others - you just can't afford to get involved in that way. Best you can do is direct her to a budgeting service - though I bet she won't thank you for that.

I've been hanging out all morning for morning tea so I could write a proper response to this one I get this kind of thing too. Our number is down as a contact number for our Church, and so we get begging calls - you know 'the children are hungry and the DPB isn't due for two days and I can't feed them etc etc'. It puts me in a tough situation. I tend to be a bit of a cynic at heart. I know most of these people are trying it on (and through my super-sneaky methods , have proved this most of the time).

At the same time, I know that there are people with kids who genuinely struggle for food. Sometimes this is because they just don't have the budgeting skills - it's hard for me to comprehend, but some people don't seem to get the fact that if you buy smokes/booze one week, there might not be money for food the next. Sometimes it's because there actually isn't enough money to go round.

Because of my beliefs, I genuinely think I've got a responsibility to help out people who aren't as lucky as we are. But you don't want to teach people they can lie and get given free stuff - that's not good for them. So it's *rock* me *hard place* - do you give things to people who you are sure are trying it on, or do you not, and risk missing the one genuine case in 100?

What we've started doing is donatating to the Salvation Army on a regular basis. It's not my Church, but I know they have real programs set up to help people in need - and provide things like budgeting services. They also screen people so they send the undeserving ones packing. When I get a begging phone call, I just give them the Sallies contact details.

Gosh - that was a long post. Not relevant to your situation, really - but it's how I deal with a similar one!

Edited by Hopes

Oh my gosh that poor boy! That is so unfair on him! His clothes must be filthy especially if he hasn't had any nappies How old is he?

This really peeves me off especially as the benefit IS enough to cover these costs. And hey if she had no money for nappies she could have improvised with something, and changed the boys clothes and kept him clean.

Good on you for looking after him - this really is an awful situation!