New Zealand Context - Conclusion
This research found that there is little or no disagreement about the negative impact of low paid and precarious work in the homecare, residential and cleaning sectors on both the quality and viability of the service purchased and the lives of the providers' employees. The level and nature of government funding and contracting processes is acknowledged as one of the key drivers of this.
Changes to the funder/provider relationship, the way in which the services are purchased and the nature of the services provided are all crucial. However, fundamental to the success of these changes will be the raising of funding levels and contract prices specifically targeted at improving the wage rates and job security of those actually providing the services.
