social services | Rangitikei Environmental Health Watch

So … suddenly now, after a two month lockdown whilst the world teeters on the edge of economic collapse & suicide stats skyrocket, the NZ corporation parading as a government is borrowing more millions because it suddenly cares about the homeless (having sold off, along with preceding corporations, a large chunk of our perfectly good state housing stock for a song to property developers & the like). Oh that’s right, it’s election year. This can by the way was kicked on down the road around 6 months into Labour’s current term. When last we mentioned this issue the count was at 43K homelessand rising. EWR

From radionz

Housing Minister Megan Woods announced the funding today, saying it would help vulnerable New Zealanders during and after the Covid-19 pandemic.

Some $31 million of the new funding would be spent on services to support those people’s needs.

“People living rough or in accommodation where social distancing was not possible were especially vulnerable to Covid-19,” she said.

“As of this weekend 876 units have vulnerable individuals and whānau living in them and they are being supported with social services.”

She said more than 1100 additional motel units had already been secured for people without housing by government agencies, community housing, iwi and Māori providers since the alert levels were put in place.

Dr Woods said the funding would ensure people continued to be housed for the longer term, with 1600 units being funded,

“Many of the people living in the motels have high and complex needs and it’s crucial they get support,” she said.

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/415165/government-announces-100m-for-housing-homeless

This is tragic. I am hearing that many folk have found this whole lockdown with their families very very difficult. Why should a lockdown prevent this mother getting help for her child? As it turns out the child had been discharged from health services without his mother being told. To make matters far worse for this little guy, his mother has cancer! Imagine what will be flying through his mind? The fear of losing his mother on top of all the health scare! EWR

from newsroom.co.nz

“Since this broke out, my son has wicked nightmares to the point he’s vomiting and shaking uncontrollably. You’ve got to put him in shower to bring him out, he’s bed wetting and soiling himself…”

For some New Zealanders, lockdown has been a nightmare – such as the mother of a suicidal child who, when she called for help, was asked if she had completed a parenting course. Bonnie Sumner and Melanie Reid report.

In a middle-class Napier suburb on week two of the lockdown, a seven-year-old boy attempted suicide.

The following morning he tried to do it again. His mother says she called various social services for help. No one would.

Her son has ADHD and autism and is undergoing assessment for psychosis. He has been under the care of the Hawke’s Bay DHB’s Children and Adolescent Family Services (CAFS) since he was three years old – until his mother discovered two weeks ago he had been discharged from their services without her being told.

https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2020/04/23/1140378/no-help-after-seven-year-olds-suicide-attempt?fbclid=IwAR1eJAKuwkIud5uLnGziyaHrgTUr1ZLKrfDr7ZRKcDAI-EBuTkY0WSQDdu4