Mental health help arrives
The Government promised 80 mental health workers for Canterbury schools. So far, there are nine.
Years after Canterbury fell into the grip of a chronic mental health problem, schools are expressing ‘‘relief’’ that a second wave of mental health professionals will start work next week, partly meeting a long-advocated need for support post-quake.
Today, 12 more staff will be introduced to 23 schools in the northeast, Kaiapoi, Papanui and Redwood areas. Nine teachers, counsellors and social workers – the equivalent of six fulltime positions – kicked off the first stage of the $28 million programme in 15 Hornby and east Christchurch schools at the end of April.
Its name, Mana Ake, or Stronger For Tomorrow, reflects its goals and design, and utilises the expertise and employees of 13 non-government organisations.
‘‘For us, to be responsive has really been the key,’’ Karin Le Breton, a counsellor with the Family Help Trust, said. ‘‘Hear the need, go from there.’’
Mana Ake’s aim is early intervention, addressing mild to moderate mental health needs among year 1 to 8 children before they become more serious. Its teams work across clusters of schools to give advice to families, oneon-one support to kids, and training to teachers.
The most common issues – anxiety, truancy, and grief when parents have separated – require a focus on the whole family, the workers say. They make home visits, talk to parents at the dropoff, and are often in the playground at lunchtime.
Christchurch Methodist Mission staffer Jonathan Crosby, who works with the Hornby schools cluster, said: ‘‘It’s a light touch but it’s quite a broad touch. It’s much easier [to help a child] if you have already played a game or soccer with their friends.’’
Gilberthorpe School principal Andrew Wilkinson said Mana Ake was ‘‘a huge relief, because the issues have got broader and our school roll has increased significantly’’. Gilberthorpe previously shared one social worker with seven other schools.
‘‘We’re certainly already seeing the benefits. Having access to professional support very easily and very quickly, you can get someone on the ground rather than filling out heaps of forms.’’
Schools in Hornby were faster to refer than those in East Christchurch. Linwood College deputy principal Melissa Young said the year 7 to 13 school was conscious of not overloading families with outside agencies in case they felt confronted. She said referrals to Mana Ake would likely increase as it figured out that balance.
‘‘Because they are open to working with the wha¯ nau, other students from the college are benefiting. They’re not just treating the young person as a mental health issue.’’
But some clinicians are concerned the initiative might not have the desired impact.
Demand for youth mental health services in Canterbury has increased 73 per cent since the earthquakes, and Canterbury University research has indicated that as many as four in five local primary schoolers exhibit symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder.
Mana Ake will eventually provide the equivalent of one mental health worker for every 500 local primary and intermediate schoolchildren – Le Breton said she received 20 referrals in her first week on the job.
Programme leader Clare Shepherd said ‘‘a mix of skills’’ was needed to improve children’s overall wellbeing. A psychiatrist and psychologist were among the new intake.
It was hoped the programme would eventually reduce waiting lists for child mental health specialists by filling a gap in mild-to-moderate care, she said.
‘‘We’re trying to get in early so children’s needs don’t escalate, so we know they’re the right children [to be] accessing specialist services and they’re not just using it because there’s no alternative.
‘‘There hasn’t been a significant government initiative focusing on early intervention for mental health for students of this age [before].’’