Articles published by print/web media

Index

> After the referendum: what next?
> NewsMakers - the Mike Yardley interview
> Child abuse
> Chief Justice Sian Elias's speech
> Child abuse reports increase
> Faultline families
> Trust slashes violence in at-risk families
> Overcoming this shame
> Public rally to the cause
> Finding art behind prison bars
> Charity art reflects life for inmates
> Coddington reacts to Key address
> Key strikes a chord
> Plea to review aid for young
> Family agency cuts abuse cycle
> Kahui deaths tip of abuse iceberg
> Profile on Bill Pringle
> Breaking the family ties that bind
> Support Essential, says Community Board
> Breaking the cycle - A volunteer's view

For earlier articles,
view news archives.

After the referendum: what next?
- Christchurch Press, 27 August 2009, page A13. Perspectives article by Dr Annabel Taylor

So, the referendum on section 59 of the Crimes Act ran its predictable course, with a majority of the slightly over half of us who responded voting to oppose a possibly ambiguous statement that senior parliamentarians on both sides had made clear they intended to ignore.

With the result now announced, both sides in the so-called 'anti-smacking' debate will claim their own version of victory, but neither can be truly satisfied with the outcome.
Read the full article as submitted here »

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NewsMakers - the Mike Yardley interview
- CTVinNZ, 4 August 2009.

Libby Robins and Dr Annabel Taylor were interviewed for a full commercial half hour on CTV, and we have the full video here for you to watch. The comprehensive interview examines the work of FHT, its goals and challenges, and why it is needed in our society. The interview is in three parts, each about 7 minutes long, presented in sharp definition on YouTube.
View part 1 »
View part 2 »
View part 3 »

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Child abuse
- New Zealand Listener, 18 July 2009, Letter to the Editor.

Thank you for your timely and welltargeted editorial on child abuse (“Abuse of the system”, July 4). What has not been widely publicised on this issue, widely referred to as New Zealand’s greatest shame, is the long-term economic impact that child abuse has, blighting the whole community, not just the lives of the youngest and most vulnerable New Zealanders.
Read the full letter here »

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Chief Justice Sian Elias's speech on responses to criminality
- Christchurch Press, 19 July 2009, Perspective page.

On 9 July Chief Justice Sian Elias gave a speech that ignited national debate on New Zealand's criminal justice system. Perhaps the speech and the subsequent debate will stimulate some new thinking to guide policy on our responses to criminality.

Some of Dame Sian's comments have been widely reported. It is worth seeking out her whole speech to understand the context of the observations on prisoner numbers and victims' rights, which upset some commentators, including the Minister of Justice.

The speech is in fact an entreaty to reassess how we as a nation manage the risk that crime imposes on us.
Read the full original article here »

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Child abuse reports increase
- Christchurch Press, 1 July 2009, page A4.

Reports of child abuse and findings of emotional abuse and neglect have more than doubled in Christchurch over the past five years. Experts say the numbers will continue to rise as communities become more aware of child abuse. There are also fears that cases of neglect and emotional harm will escalate during the recession.

Child, Youth and Family (CYF) figures show the number of children found to be emotionally abused in Christchurch rose from 128 in 2004 to 421 last year, an increase of more than 300 per cent. The numbers suffering neglect more than doubled from 211 in 2004 to 454 last year, while the number of children found to be suffering sexual abuse dropped dramatically from 93 to 37.

The number of children being physically abused was at its highest in 2008 at 150 cases, compared with 129 five years ago. CYF southern regional director John Henderson said the rise in notifications was due to an increased awareness of child abuse in the community.
Read the full article here »

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Faultline families
- Christchurch Press, 13 June 2009, pages D1 - D3.

This was a major feature article leading The Press's weekend mainlander section, written by John McCrone. It describes the terrible upbringing and background of one Trust client, and how she has been able to turn her life around thanks to intensive, home-based intervention by her FHT social worker. And it shows how the recent Turner report (next article below) demonstrates the enormous value of such intervention work.
Read the full article here »

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Trust slashes violence in at-risk families
- Christchurch Press, 26 May 2009, page A3.

Early intervention with Canterbury at-risk families is saving children from being beaten by their mothers, a new report shows. The Christchurch-based Family Help Trust runs early intervention programmes that deal with children at the highest risk of extreme child abuse. Trust chairwoman Annabel Taylor said carefully targeted investment in socially deprived families would generate a substantial payback for society. (More)

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Overcoming this shame
- Christchurch Press, 9 February 2009, page A13. Perspectives article by Dr Annabel Taylor

Now those convicted in the Nia Glassie case have been sentenced, what can be done to put an end to these horrific child abuse cases that blight our society? . . . This is the shame of our whole community. For all the bruised victims, no-one steps forward to shoulder responsibility; but everyone is responsible to the extent that we can all take action to make a difference. It is not difficult to identify the families where these cases are most likely to occur. They have many similarities. (More)

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Public rally to the cause of abused children
- New Zealand Herald, 2 February 2009

The Herald's "Our Lost Children" series has raised nearly $70,000 towards helping the country's abused children. The series - which ran for a week before Christmas - looked at how bad child abuse had become in New Zealand and whether the country was getting justice for the thousands of victims.

It also offered readers a chance to do something positive by donating to charities which work in the field of child abuse. As a result of a campaign the five charities have all reported positive feedback from members of the public, with many saying they are stunned by such generosity - especially given the economic downturn. Read the full article.

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Finding art behind prison bars
- Christchurch Press, 27 April 2007, page A4

Every day about 7.30am Robert heads to an art studio to begin work at his craft. What makes Robert different from other artists, however, is his incarceration in Christchurch Mens' Prison. Artworks from Robert . . . and other inmates will be auctioned on May 4 at the prison to raise money for the Family Help Trust. The trust works with the children of high-risk Canterbury families, including those with criminal offending in their backgrounds. Robert, who has been a prisoner for over 20 years, said learning to paint and carve had tempered him. . . . He often donated his pieces to other prisoners with little monay so they could give them as gifts to family. (More)

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Charity art reflects life (sentence) for inmates
- Christchurch Press, 10 April 2007, page A2 (Extracts below)

Art by murders and other convicted villains will be on sale in a New Zealand-first auction at a Christchurch prison - but no one will be making a killing. A collection of work by prisoners from Canterbury's three prisons will be auctioned for charity. The project manager for the auction, Katey Gibling, said that to her knowledge it would be the first auction to be held in a prison.

The exhibition by 80 inmates raised prisoners' morale and included some high-quality work, she said. Some of the inmates exhibiting work would cut it with some of the best emerging artists in the art world. The exhibition included carvings, paintings done from a range of mediums, and weaving.

South Island regional manager for public prisons service, Paul Monk, said the exhibition would have a profound effect on inmates. "It can play an important role in helping prisoners express themselves and confront some of the reasons they commit crimes." The idea for the auction came from the Family Help Trust . . . which will get proceeds from the art sale.

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Deborah Coddington' column on John Key's Christchurch speech.
- New Zealand Herald, 5 February 2007 (Extracts below)

I don't care if anyone calls me a breathless cheerleader - I think John Key's speech was brilliant; inspirational. Just reading the text gave me goosebumps.

No policy? How about this: "Programmes like Project K, which gives 14- and 15-year-olds one-on-one mentoring to increase their confidence, and encourages them to fulfil their potential... like Big Buddy, which teams up fatherless boys to spend quality time with men from their community... Family Help Trust providing child-abuse-prevention services for ultra-risk families. A National government will get in behind these sorts of organisations ... we will team up with private and community groups to deliver better services to those in need."

Where's the money going to come from? Listen: "We are already spending millions of dollars for Wellington bureaucrats to write strategies and to dream up and run their own schemes. I want more of those dollars spent on programmes that work... I want to turbo-charge the efforts of private and community groups making a difference. I want to change the balance of spending between government and privately run groups." (More)

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Key strikes a chord over life's strugglers
By Audrey Young and Jarrod Booker
- New Zealand Herald, 30 January 2007 (Extracts below)

Community agencies that met National Party leader John Key on the eve of his first big speech have welcomed his intention to focus on the emerging underclass. They say they will watch with interest what he puts on the table today to back up his words.

Mr Key spent the day in Christchurch in the lead-up to his speech at .... Burnside High School. His day yesterday included a luncheon with the Christchurch City Mission and the Family Help Trust .... Mr Key told the trust he had come to learn about what the group was doing and to "get a sense" of the issues. In today's speech, he had chosen to focus on "what we see as an emerging underclass, and the real concern we have about that". "It's an issue all New Zealanders need to take ownership of," he said.

Family Help Trust director Libby Robbins told the Herald she was encouraged that Mr Key wanted to understand the issues facing those struggling in society. "He doesn't seem to be wanting to write them off. He doesn't seem to be saying they don't exist. He wants to understand ... what stops them succeeding in their lives. But politicians say a lot in opposition and the issue is whether they can actually deliver. The proof is in the pudding." (More)

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Plea to review aid for young
- Christchurch Press, 13 October 2006, page A8

Principal Youth Court Judge Andrew Becroft is urging a review of early intervention services for at-risk children as some service providers struggle for Government funding to keep operating. He says there is an "unarguable case" for early intervention, with mounting evidence proving it can save lives and money long-term. Many initiatives, run through local organisations, including Christchurch-based Family Help Trust, have struggled to get Government funding for programmes and rely on donations. The judge said New Zealanders had "talked the talk" for too long and the time had come for a review of service providers and a boost in funding. (More)

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Family agency cuts abuse cycle
- Christchurch Press, 10 October 2006, page A5

A study into the Christchurch-based Family Help Trust has found the agency has broken the cycle of violence in ultra-high-risk families by using early, home-based intervention. A year-long evaluation of the trust - one of just a few in New Zealand to work with high-risk families, in some cases before a child is born - showed family violence and parental behaviour improved under intense, long-term programmes.

Few choices for struggling family
- Christchurch Press, 10 October 2005, page A5

A short profile of Corrina Birchfield, one of our clients, whose life has been turned around by FHT services.