Childhood self-control pays dividends as adults

Dominion Post 26/01/2011
Self-controlled children grow up to be healthier, wealthier and more lawful adults, a new study has found. Skills such as conscientiousness, self-discipline and perserverance influence young children’s health, wealth and criminal history in later life, regardless of intelligence or social background, an Otago University study shows. READ MORE
Family First Comment: So you’ll be asking right now – how do we develop self control in our kids???? Aha! Let’s refer to earlier research from Otago University published in 2006:
Preliminary analysis showed that those who were merely smacked had “similar or even slightly better outcomes” than those who were not smacked in terms of aggression, substance abuse, adult convictions and school achievement. “Study members in the ‘smacking only’ category of punishment appeared to be particularly high-functioning and achieving members of society,” (the study author) said. “I have looked at just about every study I can lay my hands on, and there are thousands, and I have not found any evidence that an occasional mild smack with an open hand on the clothed behind or the leg or hand is harmful or instils violence in kids,” she said. “I know that is not a popular thing to say, but it is certainly the case.
Yet again, the opponents of the deeply flawed and objectionable anti-smacking law are justified in their opposition!
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United Future news and views with Judy Turner MP

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Straight talk…

In the six years I have been in Parliament I have never been able to shake off a deep-seated disquiet about the way we approach child protection in New Zealand.

I continue to have more questions than answers and remain convinced that those involved are very well intended.

Our system is based on notifications being investigated and where abuse is substantiated there follows an intervention. Every year in New Zealand notifications go up by about 15% and of course the number of children taken in to care from substantiated cases is on the increase.

The burden of such high levels of notifications and removals impact not only on the children and their families but also on the system which is trying to resource them. The work overload can result in high numbers of unallocated cases, hasty assessments, high staff turn over and workforce shortages, premature case closure, and inadequate monitoring of children in placement.

Children taken in to care often experience multiple placements which pose risks to their mental health and emotional wellbeing. There is even emerging overseas research suggesting that children in foster care could be more damaged by being removed from their parents and being subject to multiple placements than had they remained with their families.

I have had contact with lots of parents and caregivers seriously traumatised by investigations.

This week I have read an interesting paper from Australia suggesting that if we want to reduce child abuse and neglect then there are some lessons to be learnt from the preventative approach of our Public Health System.

The authors suggest that there needs to be primary, secondary and tertiary prevention initiatives that include:

· Universal services for children and their families at the primary level

· Targeted prevention services for identified vulnerable families at the secondary level

· Tertiary interventions for children in need of protection.

Investment in prevention to reduce intervention …. Sounds good to me!

QUOTE:

“ … universal prevention activities not only have the potential for preventing abuse and neglect; they also enhance child health and well-being overall by improving behaviour problems and school readiness”

Triple P Parenting programme