The Wilson Home Trust

Rodney: Tuesday lunchtime2nd September 12.30-2.30 Where: Orewa Community Centre, Moana Court

North Shore: Tuesday lunchtime 9th September 12.30-2.30 Where: Glenfield Community Centre, Cnr Glenfield Rd & Bentley Ave

Waitakere: Tuesday evening 16th September 5.00-7.00pm Thursday evening 18th September 2.30-2.30
Where: Kelston Community Centre Cnr Great North & Awaroa Rd

Family/Whanau Focus Groups
Are you a parent or family member of a child or young person who has had a mental illness, emotional or behaviour issue? If you are we would like you to have your say about How Waitemata DHB Child and Youth Mental Health and Addictions services to develop over the next 10 years.

Light refreshments will be served & children welcome If you would like to come please contact: Anita McFarlane (Project Lead) Anita.McFarlane@WaitemataDHB.govt.nz OR Claire Cox (Family Advisor) laire.Cox@WaitemataDHB.govt.nz Phone: 09 486 8983.

Family Matters Newsletter for August and September is now published.
Articles include:

Wilson School Opening
ME interactive health programme
Child Psychotherapy at AUT
Trust Partnerships Conference
Spectacles Subsidy
Depression Research
Autism Workshops
Parent2Parent
Transition Expo MSD & Parent & Family Resource Centre
Disability Law & Special Education Advocacy

Family Matters August September 2008

Child Psychotherapy is a specialist way of working with children who are experiencing some distress or difficulties in their life. These difficulties may be as a result of past or current experiences such as abuse, neglect, medical intervention, or a change in their environment, for example the death or illness of a family member or a change in their family circumstances. Symptoms may include; school refusal, regressed behaviour, tantrums, separation anxiety, unusual aggressiveness etc.

How can Child Psychotherapy help?
Child Psychotherapy provides an opportunity for the child to work through their difficulties so that they have mastery over them. This is done in an environment conducive to providing a safe and helpful experience for the child. Child Psychotherapists work alongside parents in order to support them and to offer some understanding of their child’s distress.

Our Child Psychotherapy Clinic and Ethics
The Auckland University of Technology Child Psychotherapy Clinic is located at the Akoranga Campus, Northcote. The Clinic is designed and equipped specifically for children to enable them to feel at ease in an unfamiliar situation. The preferred medium for working with children is play, which enables them to express their feelings and worries in a non threatening way.
Child Psychotherapy is provided by students studying the Master of Health Science. Sessions are video taped and/or screened to ensure safety for the child and the best training for the student. Weekly supervision is provided by a senior practising Child Psychotherapist.

The Practice undertaken at the clinic will adhere to the Code of Ethics set by the New Zealand Association of Child and Adolescent Psychotherapists.

Referrals are accepted by GP’s, Child and Family Mental Services, CYFS and other statutory agencies. Parents are welcome to self refer and contact the clinic for consultation. Contacts Carol Shrinkfield, Clinic Co-ordinator.

Appointments Phone: +64 9 921-9999 ext 7219 Fees and Cancellations for Both (Adult and Child) Psychotherapy Clinics. There is a sliding scale with a maximum of $30.00 per session. Gate 2 Entry, AR Building, Akoranga Campus, Northcote.

Carers NZ is pleased to announce the launch of Family Care Radio, a one hour internet radio show for families with health and disability needs.

Family Care Radio’s hosts are Pip Fowler, Margie Wheeler, and senior journalist and broadcaster Todd Niall … all past or current carers.

The magazine-style radio show is the first of its kind in the world, offering interviews with carers, medical experts, political decision-makers, and others with an interest in caregiving.
Family Care Radio was made possible with funding from the Government’s Digital Strategy Community Partnerships Fund. Carers NZ has been able to secure other funding to ensure the monthly show is viable ongoing.
The inaugural programme can be accessed by going to http://familycareradio.net.nz
Interviews in the first Family Care Radio Show:

• Tina Cross reminisces about travelling north with her family as a child to care for her grandfather, who had been diagnosed with a terminal illness. “What we didn’t know at the time is that Mum, who was his primary carer, was herself very unwell, and nearly died.”
• A special report about the Government’s recently launched Carers’ Strategy. Interviews include the Minister for Social Development and Employment, Ruth Dyson; Carers Alliance chair John Forman; carers who attended the Strategy launch at Parliament; and Baroness Jill Pitkeathley, Carers NZ’s mentor, who in 2004 urged the non-profit to establish a Carers’ Alliance to create a unified voice to lobby for a Carers’ Strategy … with speedy results!
• Our first ‘five minute’ features: ActiveWellness, with tips and advice from ACC about how to prevent injuries and stay well; and Anna Filliol’s Melt meditation, one of a library of meditations designed for carers by Anna which will be available at the Family Care Radio website 24/7.
  Our September programme will be live later this month, featuring interviews with political leaders for Carers NZ’s We Care We Vote! election special.

  Other interviews will include Iain Gordon, the keyboard player with well-known group Fat Freddy’s Drop, who composed the Family Care Radio theme music … and new five minute features about physical wellness with Wayne Halkyard, managing continence at home with the NZ Continence Association, preventing common carer injuries with ACC, and St John’s advice about how to manage common health emergencies at home.

  In October, tune in for our interviews with Dame Kate Harcourt and Dame Fiona Kidman, who both supported elderly parents as younger women. And lots more!

  You can listen to the whole Family Care Radio programme each month at http://familycareradio.net.nz … or the segments that most interest you. You can also download the programme to your MP3 device, so you can listen to Family Care Radio anywhere!

  Carers NZ thanks the Community Partnerships Fund, Iain Gordon and his musicians (including his sister Jane!), and especially Pip Fowler, Margie Wheeler, and Todd Niall.

  Our We Care We Vote! election special will be live in late September. Discover what the leaders of political parties currently represented in Parliament will do to recognise and support family carers if they are part of the government after the upcoming election.
  © Copyright 2005 Carers New Zealand. All Rights Reserved

Families of diagnosed ASD pre-school children are invited to attend the INFORMATION MEETING of the NAS EARLYBIRD® PROGRAMME
WAIPUNA HOTEL AND CONFERENCE CENTRE 58 Waipuna Road, Mt Wellington
The EarlyBird® Programme is a three month programme which combines group training sessions for parents (caregivers) with individual home visits when video feedback is used to help parents apply what they learn.
The EarlyBird Programme will help you:
- Understand your child’s autism
- Develop interaction and communication with your child
- Manage your child’s behaviour
Applications for the EarlyBird Programme are accepted from parents of a preschool (not yet in full time education) child with a diagnosis of an autism spectrum disorder. Two parents (or carers) from each family may attend. The family must live within two hours traveling distance from Auckland and must make their own arrangements for travel and childcare for this information meeting. For further information please contact Autism New Zealand Inc.
This invitation does not constitute an enrolment in the program. After this meeting has been held, individual families will be approached with offers of places.

Villette Kolose Ph 09 8460913 ext 1
Auckland@autismnz.org.nz

The Family Matters newsletter for June & July 2008 has just been published and includes articles on the following topics:

• Wilson Home Trust initiatives
• Know How Day
• Spina Bifida Coffee Group
• Carer Strategy
• What Do I Say? Talking to children about disability

Download june-july-08Family Matters June July 2008 [260 KB pdf]

This is a recreational learning Programme for ADHD Children. There are well-constructed eisure activities that will enhance Physical, Social, Cognitive, and Communication skills, as well as movement, action, team building, art, music and much more.

• There are only eight in the class.
• Staff are fully trained and provide an accessible, safe environment.
• Using Carer Support days (HFA) may cover costs.

An exciting development - a new group has been proposed within this framework, to address anger management issues. It is research based and incorporates drumming, using bongo drums that require the hands to make the sound/rhythm etc. For more details please call: David Curtis, Ph: 0800 210 019 or 021 285 3078. Email: dcurtis@activ8.org.nz

www.activ8.org.nz

Meeting dates for the rest of the year are: 19 June – 16, July – 21 Aug – 18 Sept – 15, Oct - 20 Nov - 17 Dec - 15
A support group for Parents… to share experiences… Also, to find solutions. Coffee, tea and biscuits are available as you relax….
When: The THIRD Monday of each month
Where: IGNITE WAITAKERE
184 Lincoln Road, Henderson.
Time: 7 pm – 9 pm A coin donation to help with expenses would be appreciated!
Enquiries: Please call Sue on Ph: 834 9559 [Mobile: 027 2144 954]

PFRC is seeking your support to identify a parent whose disabled family member is aged between 0-5 years. I have attached Terms of Reference for the PFRC Focus Group. The parent will be a member of a Focus Group that will help to inform PFRC how we might better respond to the information and support needs of families. (more…)

For Parents of Children with ASD Expand your knowledge: Choose the best for your child!

If you would like the opportunity to learn about a range of topics that may assist your child to achieve their optimal potential these workshops will answer many questions for you. Being more informed should reduce your stress about making the right choices for your child. This is a great opportunity to network, ask questions and feel more connected with the autism community. (more…)