SUBJECT: National Office. NZ. Report March 2004

Items for this Newsletter:

Should you wish to write an article for our newsletters please feel free. Either an experience, or your thoughts on a particular subject. Email or post to us for our consideration. A bit of humour is also very important for us all too.

From Southland we have heard from one of our members, her Social Worker has told her she must get rid of her dog. It is a little dog too. The child concerned loves this dog and is not in the least afraid of the dog. Good grief, what sort of a power trip is this Social Worker on!

I've TWO kids with ADHD, and they've smashed the place up ... starting with my big dressing table mirror (7 MORE years’ bad luck?)  They were both still awake at 6.00am this morning, so you can imagine what I look like.  Fortunately they smashed the mirror, so I can't actually see myself.

We make a Living by what we get. We make a Life by what we give.
God promises a safe landing, not a calm passage.
If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.

• Parents Legal information Line for School Issues 0800 499 488

• Skylight (Grief Counselling) 0800 299 100 support service.

Alexander Takes On Senior Citizens Spokesman Role
Press Release by United Future at  11:35, 05-03-2004

Christchurch-based United Future MP, Marc Alexander, has taken on the task of party spokesman for senior citizens.

"I believe that over the last 30-40 years, we have lost the respect we used to have for our senior citizens as the elders of our society and I want to see that restored," he said.

"This is a traditionally marginalized sector of our society that still has a huge amount of experience and knowledge to offer and we need to make much greater use of that resource.

"If we want a decent, caring society, we have to value our older citizens," said Mr Alexander.

ENDS (Put GRG’s at the top of that list Marc).

Filming this month began with various GRG’s and GRG Co-ordinators for "Opendoor" Productions TV show. Features, on a Sunday at mid day on TV3. We will let you know when it is to be screened.

Disabilities Networker Magazine: Article on GRG.

Interestingly enough we have had this month an unusual number of grandparents contacting us asking to be removed from the mailing list, as children have returned to parent/s. For them we are extremely pleased and wish them and indeed the grandchildren all the very best. If you have had this happen and are still on our mailing list, this is fine, as we are shortly (March/April) sending out our research survey and it asks the question about grandchildren whom have returned to a) CYF: b) Parent/s: c) other family: d) Foster Care. On this subject, if you now have email, would you be kind enough to supply your email address to us as we will be able to send this research paper on email format as well.

If you have or are hitting the wall in caring for your grandchild who has mental health issues, please talk to your mental health team about respite care for the child. They are able to get you 28 days respite care paid for, for the child. You either go to a professional organisation or can enlist the help from family or friends, (this is called informal care). The rate payable is, $67 per day, 8 to 24 hours constitutes a day rate. There are forms to be filled in and posted off to the Health Department and within 10 days this money will be paid either to you, and you pay caregiver or direct to caregiver. Please remember under these circumstances you and your families mental health is important, as well as the child concerned

We warmly welcome back Jill and congratulate her on her success of getting so many children in Russia back in their families arms.

It has come to our home that bullying is alive and well…unfortunately. Because our grandchildren live with us and may have some sort of special needs they are seen as easy prey for bullies. Instead of acceptance they are either bullied or seen as some poor little soul whom others feel so sorry for. Misery loves company and this can bring our grandchildren down. I have talked with my girls and they see no reason for others feeling sorry for them as they consider themselves lucky to be safe and happy with us. They tell these misery makers so. Bullying is a different ball game all together; the younger one is being made a slave to one particular child with threats of punching in the face. Passing of nasty notes seems to be a ploy used as well. Mysteriously school pencils and other school property find there way into her bag. She is not a thief and never has been, so the stuff goes straight back to school the next day. We know our little one has problems and is no angel herself, but her school life is important and needs to be stress free to lower her anxiety levels. Please don’t mess around if this comes to your attention, go to the school. This is a school matter and needs to be dealt with at school. You can give your child strategies to cope, the best one is turn your back and walk away.

Methamphetamine may be known as meth, crank, glass, speed, crystal, ice, batu, chalk, shabu, zip or P. It is most commonly used to stay awake for long periods of time, to improve performance at sport or work, to boost self confidence or get ‘high’ and dance all night. It comes in various forms that can be sniffed, snorted, smoked, swallowed or injected.

The drug works directly on the brain and the spinal cord by interfering with the normal neurotransmissions. The short-term effect of taking this drug can last between 4-24 hours. Depending on how it is taken, the user experiences an intense ‘rush’ or ‘flash’ that lasts only a few minutes and is described as extremely pleasurable. Smoking or injecting produces effects fastest, within five to ten seconds. Snorting or ingesting orally produces euphoria – a high but not an intense rush. The user can generally experience an increase in heart rate, hyperactivity and a positive euphoric feeling.

Other Effects: include pupil dilation, respiratory disorders, and dizziness, tooth grinding, impaired speech, dry or itchy skin, loss of appetite, acne, soreness, numbness, and sweating.

As the initial effects wear off the individual may experience depression, mood swings, violence and exhaustion. Due to the unknown strength of the drug taken, overdose can occur. A toxic reaction can occur at relatively low levels. 50 milligrams of pure drug for a non-tolerant user can cause paleness, headaches, dizziness, blurred vision, tremors, irregular heartbeat, stomach cramps, sweating, restlessness and collapse.

The long-term effects: and consequences can be significant. They include anxiety, confusion, insomnia, and mental and physical dependence. Heavy use can lead to serious mental health disorders, reckless and violent behaviour, elevated blood pressure, heart and kidney failure and stroke. The drug can change the brain in fundamental and long-lasting ways. Even after they quit, methamphetamine users can show signs of brain damage.

Children have the right to protection from the use of drugs, and from being involved in producing and distributing them

We emailed the chairperson for this association to see if there was a standard policy regarding P users coming for visits at their centres. At time of printing this newsletter we still have not had a reply. Interesting!

On the 11^th March the news came that NZ now has 6000 children waiting on CYF books. This is shocking! The pain in my heart for these children is so great I can not even put pen to paper on it.

Linmark Free Pre school in Home Educational Services: www.linmark.co.nz

Provided you care for someone else’s child and you do not have custody of them, and are receiving a benefit/board payment for them. Contact free phone: 0800 338 227: Area’s covered: Northland region, Auckland region, Waikato region, BOP region, Manawatu region, Taranaki region, Wanganui, Wairarapa region, Nelson/Marlborough region, Wellington region, Canterbury region, West Coast region, Southern region and Hawkes Bay. We at GRG hear so much from our members as to how wonderful this service is.

We are on target for this research and questions are now being finalised. You will receive this in the middle of April. We cannot stress how important this is for us, and by saying us I mean, each and every one of you, to complete and return this. So for a while you will be reminded of this on a regular basis. We have made the questionnaire as easy as possible with most questions just requiring a tick in a box. We appreciate just how busy you are but ask, please, that you give this questionnaire your top priority.

Over a period of six years with our grand-daughters being involved in the local Primary school, I found myself becoming involved in many school activities. You know, things like school trips, pedestrian crossing duty, lunch room duty and the many other various things children do today. It always amused me when fronting up for a school trip and the children’s names were called out to go with various parents. I was always called "Nan’s group" over the intervening years, friends of the girls phoned or came over to play. Each and every one of these children automatically called me ‘Nan’. Kind of lovely and this always brings a smile to my face. Nan, D.

Sweeping Changes To Court System Proposed
By Staff Reporter Marie McNicholas at  13:08, 16-03-2004

The court system is not serving New Zealanders equally and needs a radical overhaul, featuring a new community or "peoples" court, according to a major study.

After three year's work, the Law Commission is recommending sweeping reform of the current system, which it likens to an impenetrable maze.

It says most New Zealanders who have dealings with the courts are highly critical of the way the system treats them and feel the courts are operating for those who work in them, rather than those they serve.

The commission identifies as a critical reason for the problems the serious overloading of the 24-year-old District Court, which it says, has too wide a scope and is working neither efficiently or effectively.

It proposes three courts to replace it: a Community Court, a Primary Civil Court and a Primary Criminal Court.

All three would be part of a first tier of nine "primary courts", including the Family, Youth, Environment, Employment, Maori Land and Coroners' courts.

The commission gives priority to establishing a Community Court, which forms the heart of its recommendations for making the system simpler and easier to use.

A Community Court would handle most of the less serious, high-volume criminal and civil cases done by the District Court, such as those cases carrying 10-year maximum prison terms or civil disputes involving sums of up to $50,000.

The commission suggests this court - intended as a people's court - have its own principles, style and processes and that it stay in touch with its community, including Maori, through special consultation groups and liaison officers.

Alongside it, the Primary Criminal Court would hear most jury trials, except the most serious, while the Primary Civil Court would cover cases involving up to $500,000, a higher threshold which would encompass some of the High Court's workload.

Underscoring the commission's emphasis on the key supervisory role of the High Court in the system, it wants all nine lower courts made subject to the supervision of the High Court.

At the moment appeals from the Employment, Environment and Maori Land courts can bypass the High Court.

On issues of open justice, the commission has come out in favour of relaxing the restrictions on news media coverage of Family and Youth court cases — as long as children and those involved in domestic violence cases are not identified.

Though the media would be allowed to report the proceedings, it recommends that both the Family and Youth courts remain closed to the public.

On the issue of name suppression generally, the commission recommends a defendant not be named before they appear in court and, except in certain circumstances, until the substance of the case is gone into.

It wants victims who request name suppression to get it unless it would not be in the interests of justice.

The commission also suggests that to lessen the load on the Court of Appeal, a High Court panel hear criminal jury-trial appeals from the existing District Court.

And it wants the current range of tribunals to be integrated into one umbrella framework, headed by a Primary Court judge.

But among those specifically excluded from such a framework are the Waitangi Tribunal, the Securities and Commerce commissions, the Disputes and Tenancy tribunals, the Parole Board and the Employment Relations Authority.

Law Commission President, Justice Bruce Robertson, said the court system had to do better at maintaining the confidence of New Zealanders from all communities.

"The current system does not serve New Zealanders equally well. For many people it is an unnecessarily difficult experience," he said. "Our reforms are aimed at simplifying the system and making it more accessible."

Other recommendations aimed at ensuring defendants have proper legal representation include making a state agency responsible for a network to provide initial legal advice, reforming the duty solicitor scheme and obliging police to inform people in custody about legal aid.

The commission also wants professional conduct rules changed so lawyers have to give clients more information and assurances about the cost of their representation. ENDS

One of our co-ordinators grandchildren has developed this and would like to share with another who has the same. Would you would be kind enough to contact Rangitaia, on email crowl@thenet.co.nz or Phone 07 871 3781. Thank you.

We send our heartfelt condolences to the family of Mrs. Ani Smith (GRG member) and to Minister Maharey & family who recently lost loved ones. May you feel our most warm and loving thoughts.

Australian research on GRG’s:

If you wish to read the full report it has been posted on our web site under discussions. It is far too large, and would take up 6 months of our newsletters to reproduce it here.

Di

Convenor. And the team. return to top