The Star: April 05, 2018

Deans Ave
The Star Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi
Thursday April 5 2018 11
Local
News
Now
Fire rages, homes at risk
of DNA from quake-affected parents
New cases of children
referred for mental
health treatment through
Canterbury DHB
•2005: 1450
•2006: 1338
•2007: 1306
•2008: 1222
•2009: 1427
•2010: 1543
•2011: 1510
•2012: 1770
•2013: 2172
•2014: 2600
•2015: 2767
•2016: 3009
•2017: 3087
“The earthquakes have
changed many aspects of daily
life in the form of parents’ distress,
lack of certainty and EQC
and insurance issues. The fabric
of society here in Canterbury has
changed and it is more stressful
for many people,” Dr Swadi said.
“Children, as a result, suffer.
They have new worries and have
fewer supports from the adults
around them. They become more
insecure and more anxious.”
Anxiety often affected children’s
behaviour and led to
emotional difficulties and school
and relationship problems.
Stop, a Christchurch-based
organisation that helps people
struggling with concerning
sexual behaviour or who have
sexually abused others, has seen
a sharp increase in referrals to its
programme for primary and intermediate
school-aged children.
In 2007, nine children were
treated through the programme.
Last year, 58 kids under 12
sought help from Stop.
Demand for Stop’s adolescent
and adult services, however, was
static.
The organisation’s services are
available to people in Nelson,
Dunedin, Christchurch and
Invercargill but most clients are
from Canterbury.
Suzanne Alliston, team leader
of Stop’s children’s services, said
while exposure to easily accessible
online pornography had
contributed to the rising number
of kids needing treatment, the
earthquakes had also had a significant
impact.
“Sexualised behaviour in children
can be seen as one way of
coping with hard feelings. It’s not
related to sex as much as it’s related
to an unhealthy expression
or way of not coping,” she said.
“Kids might be acting out at
school – kicking, punching,
destroying property – or they
TROUBLED: School principals have noticed “increased
prevalence of anxiety and behavioural issues in children since
the quakes.”
might be engaging in sexualised
behaviour and often the reason
for those things are very similar
and anxiety is a part of that.”
James Morris, chairman of the
Secondary Principals’ Council
and principal at Darfield High
School, said Canterbury school
principals had noticed an
increased prevalence of anxiety
and behavioural issues in children
since the quakes.
“The stress or anxiety plays out
in different ways in different students.
It’s not necessarily that a
student is cowering in the corner
or anything like that. Sometimes
that anxiety plays out in the way
that they behave or engage with
their work.”
Young people who were in
pre-school or just starting
school during the 2010 and
2011 earthquakes were now in
year 6 to year 9 and, along with
usual challenges that came with
transitioning from primary to
secondary school, they had to
deal with earthquake-related
post-traumatic stress.
A 2016 university study of
young children in Canterbury
concluded that children who
started school after the earthquakes
had significantly more
behavioural problems and PTSD
symptoms than children born
pre-quake had at the same age.
Prime Minister Jacinda
Ardern announced in February
the Government would roll out
a $28 million mental health programme
for Canterbury’s school
children during the next three
years. The funding would be put
towards ensuring every child had
access to a mental health worker.
Mr Morris said schools in
the area were working with
the CDHB and Ministry of
Education to develop strategies
to support communities and
ensure the education and health
sectors and families were using a
consistent approach to deal with
mental health issues in children
and young people.
– NZ Herald
Our first show-home apartments are ready for viewing.
Welcome to the attitude of living well at Park Lane!
Twigger St
AMI Rugby
Stadium
Whiteleigh Ave
Jack Hinton Dr
Blenheim Rd
Living Well Centre
& Parking
Lincoln Rd
South
Hagley
Park
Park Lane Retirement Village
35 Whiteleigh Ave
Tower Junction
Christchurch
At Living Well Park Lane, we’ve created a
community where you can live the retirement
lifestyle you’ve always dreamed of. You are
welcome to come and view our two furnished
and dressed show homes this weekend and see
what the future of retirement looks like!
Living Well Park Lane Open Home
Saturday & Sunday
7th & 8th April, 11am-3pm
35 Whiteleigh Ave, Tower Junction.
Limited parking available on site.
Please phone Trish Veronese anytime on
03 338 4495 or 027 526 0628
or email sales@parklaneretirement.co.nz
18557_WEST5_0418
The attitude of living well. www.livingwellparklane.co.nz 0800 278 432