Innovative intervention programme breaks the anti-social cycle

29/11/2011 | Breaking anti-social cycle

Crime, prison sentences and stressed families have all hit the headlines recently.

An innovative interagency programme under the umbrella of MidCentral Health in Palmerston North may hold the key to preventing at-risk children from moving toward criminal and anti-social behaviour, while empowering families to help their disruptive children engage socially.

A Palmerston North City Council report shows children under 14 make up a fifth of the city's population and identifies family income levels and employment, housing affordability and security, and protection from neglect and abuse as crucial for young people’s future wellbeing.

While the report accentuates concerns about a cycle of deprivation with the potential for causing social disconnection and future crime, an under-the-radar family-friendly early-intervention programme is showing potential for arresting those negative social trends.

Te Ohu Whakarahi Whanau (Family Enhancement Group), a collaborative venture by MidCentral Health, the Ministry of Education, and Child Youth and Family has been designed to work intensively with the families of at-risk children aged between three and eight years. In place since March 2011, the programme is the first time the three agencies have combined in an attempt to curtail any emerging disruptive behaviour in children, and is reporting positive results.
Manager for the District Health Board’s Specialist Mental Health Services, Richard Atkinson explains the rationale behind the programme.

“Behavioural problems exhibited at an early age can lead to over-representation in crime statistics later in life. Research shows that children and young people with severe behavioural difficulties are at a significantly higher risk of maintaining adverse long-term behaviour into adulthood.

“Five percent of children aged seven to eight with the most severe behavioural difficulties, make up 35 percent of violent offenders; 33 percent of those arrested for non-traffic violations; 24 percent of those committing violence toward their partners, and 18 percent of suicide attempts in 21 to 25-year-olds.”

These are sobering statistics, and the programme is aimed at the families of children who are vulnerable to engaging in behaviours that are beyond ‘being naughty’ and are extending into being disruptive, destructive and aggressive.
Clinical lead of the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service, Robyn Girling-Butcher says the initiative, which entered the 2011 District Health Board Health Awards, is unique.

“Its strength is having the three entities working together. It’s good to see a collaborative approach to intervention and advocacy. It’s a small team, but it’s well supported and it’s localised outside the DHB in the community, working with families in their own homes and with children and teachers in education centres.”

The three-person team of social worker, clinical psychologist and cultural advisor is backed by wider resources and personnel, and the intense nature of the programme can mean they will be working with an at-risk child three times a week.

“The service is accessible; it’s getting to the problem quicker, and there is good follow-up,” Robyn says. “It focuses on the parents; it engages with the family – and some families are quite complex – and there are well-received and measurable interventions.”

Richard says: “People are left feeling quite empowered. And there is good evidence that the programme is bringing about a positive change in a large number of children.”

Sally Hogg, service manager for Special Education with the Ministry of Education says families have been open to the service and its uptake has been relatively rapid. While some families had already ‘graduated’ from the programme, no family had withdrawn from it.

Admission to the free service is by referral.

Contacts:

Te Ohu Whakarahi Whanau (Family Enhancement Group) (06) 350-9860, (06) 355-0503
Richard Atkinson, Specialist Mental Health Services, District Health Board (06) 350-8356 Ext 8356, (06) 350-8351, 027 452 9560, richard.atkinson@midcentraldhb.govt.nz
Robyn Girling-Butcher, MidCentral Health (06) 356-9169.
Sally Hogg, Ministry of Education, Sally.Hogg@minedu.govt.nz