Tagged With "Office of the Children's Commissioner"
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Child Youth and Wellbeing Strategy NZ
The New Zealand Child Youth and Wellbeing Strategy https://childyouthwellbeing.govt.nz/resources/child-and-youth-wellbeing-strategy-html For further information, you can visit https://childyouthwellbeing.govt.nz/ Our Prime Minister, Jacinta Adern is currently the Minister for Child Poverty Reduction. The following is an excerpt of the Forward to the Child Youth and Wellbeing Strategy Our vision for the Child and Youth Wellbeing Strategy is a bold one - that New Zealand be the best place in...
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NZ Office of the Children's Commissioner
In NZ we have the Office of the Children's Commissioner who advocates for the interests and well-being of children and young people in NZ. Currently, the Children's Commissioner is Judge Andrew Becroft They have a number of resources. Visit: https://www.occ.org.nz/our-work/ The Office of the Children's Commissioner is currently monitoring Oranga Tamarki - Ministry FOR Children. https://www.occ.org.nz/about-us/our-role-and-purpose/monitoring/ On 8 June 2020, The Children's Commission also...
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Oranga Tamariki - Ministry FOR Children are trauma-informed but NOT in the way they work
In New Zealand, we have Oranga Tamariki - Ministry FOR Children. This is what Oranga Tamariki state on their webpage: Oranga Tamariki was established on April 1, 2017. We are a Ministry dedicated to supporting any child in New Zealand whose wellbeing is at significant risk of harm now, or in the future. We also work with young people who may have offended, or are likely to offend. Our belief is that in the right environment, with the right people surrounding and nurturing them, any child...
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NZ ~ Royal Commission of Inquiry into Historical Abuse in State Care and in the Care of Faith-based Institutions
The Royal Commission of Inquiry are looking into what happened to children, young people and vulnerable adults in State and faith-based care in Aoteoroa New Zealand between the years 1950-99. They may also listen to survivor experiences before and after these dates. The inquiry is considered to be the largest in the world given its scope and terms of reference Why have an Inquiry? Many people and organisations - survivors, community leaders, iwi and Māori, the Human Rights Commission and the...
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NZ Education and Workforce Committee recommends the legalisation of teachers use of force against students
In the recently released final report the Education and Workforce Committee has recommended that teachers can use "physical force" on their students. They recommended that a definition of "physical force" be inserted into clause 95 (p.5). The definition of force they have provided reads, " force in relation to a student, directed toward the body of a student so as to move, or prevent, restrict, or subdue the movement of, the student's body or any part of the student's body against the...
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Dame Whina Cooper ~ Take care of our children
Dame Whina Cooper ONZ DBE was a Te Rārawa leader and woman of mana, who worked for many years for the rights of Māori, especially Māori women. Born on 9 December 1895 in Pangaru, Northland, NZ and died 26 March 1994. Aotearoa means land of the long white cloud. It is used by many as another name for New Zealand Watch her speak "You can never WIN anything unless you are there to do something" Her quotes include:
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Welcome to ACE and Trauma-Informed New Zealand
Kia ora, I was born and raised in NZ and I live in Papakura which is located in South Auckland. I am a mother of four beautiful children and grandmother of three granddaughters with more to come. I am Maori (indigenous people of NZ) and whakapapa to Ngati Kahu ki Whangaroa Ngati Kahu ki Whangaroa is in the Far North of the North Island of NZ A very beautiful place with beautiful beaches including Taupo Bay, the area from where my whanau (family) come from. ACE and Trauma-informed NZ is a...
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Baby Courts ~ A way forward for our vulnerable children and their whanau in NZ
I joined a Zoom meeting with ACES Connection covering the topic Baby Courts in Florida. Baby Court heals multigenerational trauma by bringing together the science of child development into decision making for infants and toddlers who have been removed from their homes. It also works to prevent children from moving into the child welfare system. Both Mimi Graham and Judge Lynn Tepper speaks about Baby Court Their contact details are: Judge Lynn Teppler: ltepper@jud6.org Mimi Graham:...
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Our child protection services and authorities to listen and to act to protect our children
This is a message from our child protection agencies including Oranga Tamariki in NZ Let us not forget Gabriel Fernandez He was one of many children, let down, by not only his parents but from police and other authorities tasked to protect him It's Not Enough to Mean Well “This is not about the intentions of those who developed the system we have. It is about listening to the people it harms.” #OrangaTamariki #Childprotectionservices #Childwellbeing
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Trauma-informed judicial system in NZ and across the world
Kindness in court: a novel approach by Victoria Greening Link this to my previous post regarding Baby Courts is evidence that there is a change in the mindset of those in the judicial sector. Is that happening in NZ? Is it happening fast enough? Act early, Act fast Our children depend on it
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They "think" they know what it is like ~ They don't
Anita Baker, Mayor of Porirua, NZ made the statement when discussing child poverty in NZ : They "think" they know what it is like. They don't In NZ, we have many vulnerable people who are marginalised because of who they are and who they are not. Their culture, their beliefs, their ability, their disability, the colour of their skin, the country they come from, their identity. Kevin McLeod uses the term "otherness". I see "otherness" happening right here in NZ, our paradise in the pacific.
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We learn from the stories from those who have gone before us
Who we were is not who we are now Incarcerated youth need more guidance and support to uncover their inner selves So that they understand who they are and why they do what they have done Then they need guidance and support to learn how to forgive themselves for doing what they believed they had to do to survive. They need to learn how to care and love themselves So that they can care and love others. Books can expose us to the thinking and life journeys of others Books can show us how we can...
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The Regulated Teacher ~ Emily Read Daniels
This would help NZ teachers An important resource for all NZ teachers with the increase in teacher stress and increase in challenging behaviour. Self-regulation has to be learned When the teacher knows how to self- regulate they then have the capacity to teach and model to our children how to self-regulate The Regulated Classroom: "Bottom-Up" Trauma-Informed Teaching was developed by Emily Read Daniels after her 20 years of helping staff and students learn to cope and self-regulate. The...
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Protected Factor Framework ~ Free introductory webinar
I attended the Protected Factors Framework Introduction webinar with Elizabeth Smith from Project Whole Child. It was a very good presentation. Very interactive, great video clip and great slides There is another free webinar - closing date Wednesday 16 December USA time Places are limited I recommend that you register for this if you want to know more about what you can do to strengthen families. The Protected Factors Framework is an approach ~ a way of viewing the world When we change the...
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Renee A McDonald
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New Zealand's first comprehensive assessment of the prevalence of ACES in the NZ population
This is NZ's first comprehensive assessment of the prevalence of ACES in the NZ population It shows what many of us have known for years, especially those of us who have been raising our concerns, that NZ has a problem The problem is that our children are facing Adverse Childhood Experiences in NZ especially those who are are Young From low socio-economic backgrounds are Maori It also shows that exposure to Adverse Childhood Experiences are significantly associated with exposure to Intimate...
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New Zealand Human Rights violations known to the United Nations
I have PTSD. It is an invisible disability. It took me years to accept that I had mental health issues and it took longer for me to accept that I was a person with a disability. I have faced layers of trauma from what others have done to me. Those "others" included those who had a responsibility to protect me. They were not just people I loved but people who held positions of power and they were paid and employed by the NZ government to protect me. They did not They effectively used their...
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Moving Upstream: Confronting Racism to Open Up Children’s Potential
The scientific evidence is clear and growing: racism imposes unique and substantial stressors on the daily lives of families raising young children of color. Understanding how these stressors affect child health and development provides a compelling framework for new ideas about how communities, policies, programs, and funding streams might confront and dismantle these inequities and build a stronger future for us all. This new brief discusses how racism creates conditions that harm the...
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Listen up NZ government - You need to STOP harming us with urgency
NZ Study - School Readiness, Adversities in Childhood Experience and Access to Government Services A Scoping Study on Potential Protective Factors December 2020 This report is based on the NZ context. It is interesting because Oranga Tamariki, Ministry for Children and the Ministry of Social Development (aka MSD) were involved. This means that both Oranga Tamariki and MSD know about the experiences of our people beyond anecdotal observations. They have in fact done the research. They have...
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Silence divides us. Speaking up unifies us
Silence divides us Speaking up unites us By speaking up By telling our stories We are seen and heard By listening we discover we are not alone The media has a responsibility to report the truth To give people the opportunity to speak up So that the public is informed Sadly, many of our major media providers in NZ do not report many stories of child abuse and harm to our children and harm done to parents who protect their children and to advocates fighting to address the harm done to our...
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Helping stop childhood harm a priority for Harkness Fellowship award recipient [stuff.co.nz]
By Carly Gooch, Stuff, July 12, 2021 Studying how to curb childhood harm in Aotearoa will be at the top of Jane Kinsey’s agenda when she heads to the US on a prestigious fellowship award. Nelson Marlborough Health’s general manager of mental health, addictions and disability support services Jane Kinsey has been awarded the Harkness Fellowship, allowing her to take a sabbatical from her role for a year to research adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) at the University of California, Los...
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Ben Birks Ang
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Social and Emotional Supports for Educators During and After the Pandemic
Americanprogress.org released an article 'Social and Emotional Supports for Teachers During and After the Pandemic' giving a ton of great information on the stress that educators deal with regularly. The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning defines SEL as the process where youth and adults learn skills to manage emotions, establish and maintain supportive relationships, and make responsible decisions. "Research by Pennsylvania State University found that teachers who...
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5 ways of helping ease the stress from 2020 in children
Hechingerreport.org released an article giving five ways of helping ease the stress from 2020 in children. Be responsive - By engaging in conversation with children, it helps to stimulate their brain. This is especially important for the first 3 years of a child's life. Share information - "Being transparent with kids, at an appropriate level for their age, can help lessen anxiety kids may feel" Help children share their feelings - Children tend to show their feelings which can lead to...
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Maternal Voice reduces pain in premature babies
Notice and read this article: Maternal Voice Reduces Pain in Premature Babies Featured Neurology Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles Pain August 27, 2021 This is especially for all employees of Oranga Tamariki (Child protection services in NZ), NZ Family Court judges, and NZ Lawyers for Children Get informed with scientific evidence Work harder at getting trauma-responsive Babies need to be kept with their mothers at birth, from birth and onwards If you want the best for our children...
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Charlotte Hardy
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We're Going on a Bear Hunt I'm not scared with Michael Rosen
We're Going on a Bear Hunt is an old favorite of mine. When I was a teacher I would sing this song and do the actions in our school assemblies. The children loved it. Now that I am older with all my lived experience of trauma. I can identify the strong message the story gifts to us We are all going on a bear hunt When we face adversity We can't go over it We can't go under it We can't go around it We got to go through it Then when we find the bear in the deep dark cave We can run home to our...
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The Lake ~ Uncovering the Truth Lake Alice New Zealand
Many thanks to Stuff and Popsock Media , investigative journalist AARON SMALE for all the hard work you have done in order to get THE LAKE series released. Lake Alice was a psychiatric hospital between Whanganui and Palmerston North in New Zealand. Lake Alice is effectively isolated as it can be found in the middle of farmland. Nowhere to run. Noone to see. Noone to hear. Lake Alice was a place for both adults and children with "psychiatric problems" including children with bad behaviour. It...
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NZ Family Violence Prevention Strategy
ACC is investing $44.9 million over four years to establish a fit-for-purpose sexual violence primary prevention system, Minister for ACC Carmel Sepuloni announced 3 October 2021. “Almost a quarter of adults in New Zealand have experienced sexual violence in their lifetime, and around one in six people are affected by sexual violence before the age of 18,” Carmel Sepuloni said. “These high rates cannot continue. We need to put in place systems that protect our whānau and our future...
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More support for learners with highest needs in New Zealand October 2021
This announcement was made by Associate Education Minister, Jan Tinetti on 22 October 2021 Students most in need of extra help in the classroom are the focus of a new review that gets under way today, Associate Education Minister Jan Tinetti says. About 50,000-80,000 children and young people are expected to benefit from a Ministry of Education review into Highest Need Learners that will help to ensure all young people are receiving the education they deserve. “All our tamariki should be...
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New Zealand Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission ~ February 2021
Nau mai, haere mai The Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission opened its doors on 9 February 2021. Establishing the Commission was one of the recommendations of He Ara Oranga, the Government inquiry into mental health and addiction. The Commission's objective is to contribute to better and equitable mental health and wellbeing outcomes for people in New Zealand. It will perform an enduring role in transforming Aotearoa New Zealand's approach to mental health and wellbeing. Karen Orsborn...
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NZ Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission's first report - on access and choice
On Friday 29 October 2021 the Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission’s released their first report: 'Access and Choice Programme: Report on the first two years - Te Hōtaka mō Ngā Whai Wāhitanga me Ngā Kōwhiringa: He purongo mo ngā rua tau tuatahi'. This is the first report released by the Commission since their establishment in February this year. The independent report on the Access and Choice Programme has found that the programme has put much-needed investment into primary and community...
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Growth through trauma
There is growth through trauma. Hard as it is, there IS growth through trauma. Very often, we do not see it at the time. It is not until we reflect on what happened and find possible reasons why we faced a flashback or responded so badly to a trigger. I have been forcing myself to attend the Royal Commission Inquiry into Abuse in Care hearings because I wanted to discover WHY professionals working in our State institutions would cause harm to children and youth. I wanted to discover WHY they...
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Rudi Go
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How do I contribute to the state of our education system in New Zealand?
Life learnings for today Many of those I support Those facing schools that target their children Clarification of target: Effectively actions the school uses to discriminate against children in a way that the children know that they are different and that difference is not acceptable to them, the school Whanau (family) often face these types of responses Group 1: Shut up and put up - stop complaining and it will go away Group 2: You or your kid must have done something wrong ~ You deserve it...
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Wahoo traction ~ NZ is reaching out to get Trauma Informed
I attended Global Resiliency Accelerator group on Tuesday 7 March 2023 at 6 am NZTime hosted by Warren Larkin and Becky Haas. I was smiling this morning ~ Great News I heard New Zealanders are reaching out to attend Trauma-informed programmes and Warren Larkin has visited New Zealand to work with others here in NZ Warren Larkin shared this report with us this morning He Oranga Ngakau ~ Maori Approaches to Trauma-Informed Care He Oranga Ngākau is a research project funded by the Health...
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The danger of Flashbacks
The danger of flashbacks is that once you are back there, You can get stuck and Never find a way out. That is why we need strategies To find our way out again When you are with a person especially children who are facing flashbacks Please show us kindness and compassion And if you have absolutely no idea about what I am saying Please educate yourself If there is anything that is going to help us ALL to get unstuck Is empathy and that means EVERYONE knows about trauma and what it is like...
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Ironically, today we "celebrate" Waitangi Day and yet....The case of a father that loved his children
This post has been withdrawn
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Support our mothers to be the best that they can be
Mothers need our support and guidance to become the best mother that they can be for their children Social workers and principals/teachers in New Zealand MUST use best practices in order to keep those they work with, both children and their parents safe Currently, there are far too many social workers and principals/teachers that do not use best practices causing significant harm to our parents and their children. Sadly, many professionals using bad practices are women, many are mothers.
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Find the WHY to know WHAT to do
Once you find the WHY Then you can find the WHAT WHY the behaviour WHAT I NEED TO DO In order to address a problem In order to address a behaviour You need to find out WHY it is happening That requires a thorough ecological assessment The collection of evidence from a number of sources Analysing the evidence To see if it matches If the evidence does not match You have to go and find more evidence TRUTH is when you get the same message From all sources When you have the TRUTH Then you can...
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Underlying issues with solutions for NZ child protection services
Our child protection services in NZ have the knowledge they struggle with the implementation I identify the problems I have found supporting parents who have had their children removed by child protection services in NZ (CYFS) These are the solutions: Build trusting relationships - change social worker when required Create full, accurate, objective records Complete thorough ecological assessments Identify the strengths of parents and use them to address the needs Support parents in the...
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Use Trauma to Heal, not Harm
My trauma started when I was harmed by people I trusted When I screamed for help Nobody came Those that watched They turned and walked away I was stuck in fear With no way out I was a child I became a victim Succumbing to the control of others in the hope that they would leave me alone Submission Pleasing Consoling Making excuses for their behaviour Creating another narrative Dissociating Living in a fairy tale The princess to be saved by a knight in shining armour He never came Sadly, I...
