Some Children in Samoa have been missing school because they have been on the streets of Apia trying to get a bit of money to buy food for White Sunday. The Samoa Observer reports that in among the shoppers on Friday, there were sellers – some only of primary school age – selling things such Read more
‘Urgent help is needed to assist refugees as well as those affected within the country,’ says Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand Director Julianne Hickey. ‘Caritas will also be there to help Syrians recover and rebuild, when – we pray – peace is re-established.’ While the immediate threat of escalation of the Syrian crisis has eased, the Read more
When I was a child in the 1950s, my friends and I had two educations. We had school (which was not the big deal it is today), and we also had what I call a hunter-gather education. We played in mixed-age neighbourhood groups almost every day after school, often until dark. We played all weekend Read more
In a typical American classroom, there are nearly as many diagnosable cases of ADHD as there are of the common cold. In 2008, researchers from the Slone Epidemiology Center at Boston University found that almost 10 percent of children use cold remedies at any given time. The latest statistics out of the Centers for Disease Read more
School can be both an exciting and a challenging experience. A young person’s experience of school is influenced by many factors, such as peer relationships, learning ability and family life. Problems in these areas can lead a young person to develop a negative experience of school. Actively avoiding school, either by not attending or not Read more
An award winning advertisement for condoms paints a painful picture of family life. Beginning with a disclaimer “Don’t get me wrong. I love kids. They’re adorable and tons of fun to be around,” it goes on to “shows just how much damage kids can do”. The minute-long commercial has been described at “borderline melodramatic genius” by Read more
The archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, has ordered a review of all the files on dead clergy who served in the diocese from 1950 to the present so that an independent investigator can determine whether they may have sexually abused children. The move comes five weeks after the Church of England’s General Synod apologised Read more
The reverberations can be heard nationwide. As church employees and volunteers receive notices requiring them to attend safe-environment trainings, their responses have become familiar: “Again?” “Didn’t we just do that?” “I went through this where I teach; do I need to do it in the parish too?” “I barely come in contact with kids; why Read more
Being homeless and watching over her three younger siblings whenever mum went off on a meth binge was a way of life for young Tangmo, and she accepted her fate without question; now the children are in school and they’ve got a roof over their heads instead of a road. Demure Miss Tangmo (Watermelon) tries to Read more
My mother used to say a phrase I’ll never forget. As a teenager, there were times that I would refuse to do as she asked, would stomp my feet in anger, or argue that she didn’t love me. But she would always reply, “Wait until you’re a mother and you’ll see why I worry about Read more