Mental health resource ready soon for schools
It’s hoped a new mental health teaching resource will help to fill a gap, as schools struggle to deal with the increasing mental health needs of students.
However, one of the authors, Katie Fitzpatrick, said teachers still needed more support in dealing with the mental health of students, and more time set aside in the timetable to teach health in order to make a difference.
Fitzpatrick and four others are co-authoring the resource, expected to be available to schools mid-next year. The book would replace one written in the 1990s.
Secondary Principals Associ- ation president Michael Williams said schools were always looking for resources to add to any curriculum areas, but said schools needed more than books.
’’It’s all very well having whole pile of books, but we haven’t got people to use them and without training them to use them, they’re not much use.’’
Recent research showed schools with ‘‘wraparound’’ support services which provided a multi-agency approach were better at supporting students’ mental health, he said. That included funding from the Ministry of Health and the Ministry for Social Development. He wanted more done to provide proper pastoral care in schools.
Robber may have been drunk
A bank robber seen clutching what may be alcohol is wanted by Auckland police. Waitemata police would like to speak to the man who entered ASB’s Constellation Drive branch in Mairangi Bay, on Auckland’s North Shore, on Thursday afternoon. The man, who police believe may have been intoxicated, was seen in the area prior to entering the bank holding a bottle of clear liquid which may have been alcohol. Detective Sergeant Ross Clapp said that after the man entered the bank, he approached a staff member demanding cash before fleeing on foot with an ‘‘undisclosed amount of cash’’.
Ex Green new TOP candidate
Policy researcher and former Green Party candidate David Hay has joined Gareth Morgan’s Opportunities Party (TOP) as a list candidate. He is the second former Green candidate to join the party - following charity boss Teresa Moore earlier this week. It’s understood that TOP also attempted to poach Green MP Julie Anne Genter but were unsuccessful. Hay was expelled from the Green Party after he made a leadership challenge on Russel Norman in 2013.
Threat to MP
A 39-year-old man has admitted sending an email that threatened a Member of Parliament with a grenade. Troy Rudigar Hutchinson pleaded guilty in the Christchurch District Court yesterday to threatening to do grievous bodily harm. The name of the MP was suppressed. After a bail hearing yesterday afternoon – all details were suppressed – Judge Brian Callaghan remanded Hutchinson in custody for sentencing on September 12. He asked for a pre-sentence report that would consider his suitability for home detention.
Eviction stay
An Auckland beneficiary is taking her fight to remain in her state home of 30 years to the High Court, despite an earlier eviction notice. Glen Innes resident Niki Rauti has been fighting to stay in her state home since being issued a 90-day eviction notice in October 2016 by housing developer the Tamaki Regeneration Company (TRC). Rauti’s home is one of 2800 state homes that TRC plans to demolish and replace with 7500 new homes over the next 15 years. TRC is jointly owned by the Government and Auckland Council. A court date of September 21 has been set and Rauti has been granted a stay of proceedings, meaning TRC will not be able to take eviction action until legal proceedings are finished. TRC had offered Rauti a new home.
Gangs take it to the ring
Gang members from around the country have weighed in ahead of a fight night in Whangarei. The Keep it in the Ring martial arts event aims to address escalating gang violence in Northland by bringing rival gangs together under one roof. It will be held at the Portland Recreation Centre today and more than 300 tickets have been sold.