The need to foster quality of parenting and the significance of better interaction with the growing generation were among the subjects discussed at a meeting of parents, caregivers, social workers and officials of government departments at a meeting held in Auckland recently.
Representatives of the Child Development Team Service (CDT), Community Child Health and Disability Services (CCHDS), social and community health workers and parents were among the participants at the meeting, second in a series, held at the Mt Roskill War Memorial Hall on September 4.
Nine parents from seven families and four children attended the meeting.
CDT and CCHDS are promoting the Project called, ‘The South Asian & Other Families Support Group.
Formidable challenges
Waitemata District Health Board Child Health & Disability Programme Coordinator Sandy Latimer and Auckland District Health Board Community Health Worker Hymavathi Danthala said that the challenges faced by parents in bringing up their children and the personal experiences of the participants were also among the subjects discussed.
“Discussions about personal challenges included behavioural and sibling issues, community challenges such as blaming parents who have children with disability and finding appropriate caregivers and considering the input from the ‘Triple P’ parenting programme run by CDT workers,” they said.
According to them, the participants said that differences existed in understanding disability within their families and communities and discrimination against disability in general.
“A participant said that the society would someday accept disabled children and that parents with such children should not withdraw from social life. Children playing together create good opportunities for understanding,” they said.
Korean Support Group facilitator Im Soo Kim emphasised the importance of educating the public on the challenges relating to children’s disability.
“The Action Group should organise education forums that would be informative and useful to the community.”
The next meeting, including a seminar on ‘Navigating Disability Services,’ will be held on October 30 at the Fickling Convention Centre, Three Kings in Auckland.
The Seminar will be relevant to parents from South Asian and other Asian communities, with disabled children.”
It would also be useful for caregivers, community workers and others.
Dr Mortensen, Regional Project Manager for the Auckland Regional Settlement Strategy Health Action Plan said, “We have been running parent seminars for migrant communities over the last two years. These seminars have provided contacts with support agencies and services and have connected families with others in the same situation.”
