MENZ Issues: news and discussion about New Zealand men, fathers, family law, divorce, courts, protests, gender politics, and male health.

Eleven troubled Christchurch teens are being tailed at school by government-funded minders because of concerns about their aggressive and sexually inappropriate behaviour.

The minders are paid by Child, Youth and Family (CYF) to accompany the students to school each day, sit next to them in class and follow them around the playground to ensure that they do not behave in ways which could have them expelled.

Most of the eight boys and five girls with minders are living in CYF care; some are completing rehabilitation programmes for juvenile sex abusers.

Attrill said trackers were not trained social workers, and were employed on a casual basis, after undergoing a police check, for an average hourly rate of $15.

By TARA ROSS

The father of slain six-year-old schoolgirl Coral-Ellen Burrows believes mandatory reporting - repeatedly ruled out by successive governments - could have saved his daughter…

Under mandatory reporting regimes overseas, teachers and doctors must report instances of suspected child abuse, but efforts to introduce that here have been rejected by both National and Labour governments.

CYF Minister Ruth Dyson confirmed the government had no plans to introduce it in the future.

But a former Commissioner for Children and advocate of mandatory reporting, Roger McClay, said even the slightest suspicion of abuse should be acted on. If one child’s life was saved for every nine false alarms, he said, “so be it”.

By HANK SCHOUTEN

A ministry of men’s affairs could be set up to deal with serious men’s issues, says Youth Affairs Minister John Tamihere.

He was commenting on a call to set up a ministry made by organisers of a men’s rights picnic that marked Father’s Day with a protest at Parliament yesterday.

“I think the concept of a men’s affairs ministry is on the radar screen,” Mr Tamihere said. “I think we’ve got to have a far more intelligent conversation about men’s health, welfare and performance issues generally.”
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Plunket is celebrating Father’s Day by congratulating the men who are making their children a priority in their lives.

“When we consider the short and long-term benefits to children of having both parents fully involved in their care and upbringing, it is clear that society will also ultimately benefit,” says Erin Beatson, clinical advisor with Plunket.

“International research 1 supports what we all know to be true - that fathers make a real difference in child development outcomes for both boys and girls, especially with self-esteem, emotional wellbeing, the capacity to love and be loved, and the ability to participate in society.

“Plunket acknowledges the difficulties for many parents of achieving this, but it is exciting to see fathers themselves wanting things to change,” she says.
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Dr Muriel Newman - Press Releases - Social Welfare

If Youth Affairs Minister John Tamihere is so concerned with Kiwi boys lacking adequate role models, then why doesn’t he put his money where his mouth is, ACT New Zealand Deputy Leader and Social Welfare Spokesman Dr Muriel Newman challenged today.

“Mr Tamihere is right: many boys in sole-parent families do lack suitable male role models. But if he were truly sincere, he would have acknowledged that one of the biggest contributors to this problem is our flawed Family Law,” Dr Newman said.
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ACT New Zealand Deputy Leader and Social Welfare Spokesman Dr Muriel Newman today urged Chief Family Court Judge Peter Boshier to continue his push for more openness in the Family Court.

“The Care of Children Bill currently before Parliament is a step in the right direction towards greater openness, but it does not go far enough. As Judge Boshier is aware: if we want to stop child abuse, then the true stories that the court hears on a daily basis of what happens in violent households must be exposed.”

“Only when we have a Family Court that is open to public scrutiny will the hard facts be known, and the problems recognised by the wider public.”

A pilot programme aimed at reducing domestic violence will see Family Safety Teams established in Wairarapa/Hutt Valley, Auckland/Hamilton, Christchurch, and Counties Manukau, Justice Minister Phil Goff said today…

“While family violence reports may initially increase with greater awareness of effective services, the initiative is expected to reduce family violence.

“The new services will focus on high-risk situations and put in place preventive measures.” Mr Goff said the four sites had been chosen by a steering committee comprising representatives of relevant government agencies and the non-government agencies Women’s Refuge, Stopping Violence Services, Child Abuse Prevention Services, and Northern
Regional Advisory Group…

Funding of $15.2 million over four years was made available in this year’s Budget, and the teams’ work will be evaluated over a three-year period.

The select committee report on the Care of Children Bill is now available (as a pdf).

Principal Family Court Judge Peter Boshier says the Care of Children Bill before Parliament will see more children being heard directly in court and their views given more weight.

Judges had traditionally not welcomed directly interviewing children in Family Court cases, preferring to learn their wishes through psychologists’ reports, Judge Boshier said yesterday.

But many children were able to express their wishes and should be given the ability to do so, he told a Psychological Society seminar on the Family Court.

A recent High Court ruling on a Family Court case emphasised that the wishes of children should primarily be heard through an interview by the judge or via the lawyer appointed to represent the child in court.