Terrible to happen in New Zealand.

Photo / Thinkstock
A young mother and her newborn baby lived in a car for two days after finding themselves homeless when they were discharged from hospital.
The woman contacted the Salvation Army who has provided her with counseling and emergency housing in South Auckland over the past two weeks.
Campbell Roberts, the organisation's social policy director, said the woman was in her 20s but would not reveal any specific details about her case.
"She was obviously in a desperate situation so she sought our help. Our social workers dealt with the situation and she's now in a situation which is ok," he said.
"Situations like this are often very complicated and somebody doesn't come to live in a car in minimal sort of circumstances so we have to be careful not to aggravate the situation further."
Homeless shelters and emergency housing centres in Auckland are at "bursting point" said Danielle Bergin, managing director for Island Child Charitable Trust.

"There are people who are desperate. There is a backlog of clients not getting houses and that's why that woman would have been in her car," she said.
"There will be more girls like that lovely girl, we hope that never happens again, but there will be more until the central housing unit at the Ministry of Social Development engage with emergency housing providers."
Bergin said a young pregnant woman arrived on her doorstep 22 weeks ago and has still not been placed in Housing New Zealand accommodation. The woman gave birth while living at the centre eight weeks ago.
She added that was also not uncommon for homeless people to be discharged from hospital with nowhere to go.
An elderly man who was discharged from hospital in December also slept in his car until he approached Island Child for help.
"In the discharge unit they need to somehow ask people if they've got somewhere to go. People who are homeless are often very proud. They've not got mental illness, they're not drug addicts," she said.
"We are now seeing a terrible wave of New Zealanders not getting the support they need and ending up homeless."

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11283796

teenaged pregnancy

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=11283247

Nadine was a teenaged  pregnant girl who didn't have the family support as
Georgia Hageman is 15 and about to have a baby.

Photo hunt: Skies

A ray of sun shining through the clouds. There is a joke that there are 4 seasons in one day in Auckland.

http://whistlestopphotohunt.blogspot.co.nz/http://whistlestopphotohunt.blogspot.co.nz/

Violence is a perennial issue

https://www.facebook.com/AreYouThatSome1

http://www.sexnrespect.co.nz/

Violence is a perennial issue. The Government has just launched a $250,000 social media campaign at Grey Lynn's rape prevention Education centre on June 13.  

My book is timely in speaking out.

Child abuse bill passes into law

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11277579

A law change aimed at improving the protection of children at risk of abuse or neglect, including stronger vetting of adults who work with children, has passed into law with broad support in Parliament.
The Vulnerable Children Bill passed its final stage by 105 - 10 votes in Parliament on Wednesday afternoon after only the Green Party and Mana Party's Hone Harawira voted against it.
The bill is the centrepiece of the Government's 'Children's Action Plan' - developed after Social Development Minister Paula Bennett's White Paper on Vulnerable Children.
Its measures include changes to the law so that abusive or neglectful parents will have to prove they are safe if they wish to keep any further children they have. In the past, social agencies have had to to prove they were not fit parents to take a child from them.
It also introduces greater screening of those who work with children for government and community agencies, and ban those with serious convictions from working closely with children.

Ms Bennett said while no law could stop children being abused, neglected or killed, the changes would ensure there were more checks on vulnerable children, greater vigilance of abusive parents, and support would be prioritised.
The bill will also put legal responsibilities on the heads of five Government departments to ensure children identified as vulnerable get the support their require. Those departments are Health, Education, Social Development, Justice and Police.
Ms Bennett said that was a critical change.
"Every child in this country deserves good health, education and welfare. Most parents provide that, but for those who can't or won't. government agencies must step in and be advocates for those children. I expect those children to now go to the front of the queue."
Labour's social development spokeswoman Sue Moroney said the bill was a good start, but did little to address the main problem of abuse in the home. She said it was a wasted opportunity.
"This bill deals with a proportion of this ugly problem that we have in New Zealand. Sadly, the vast majority of cases will be untouched by this bill. We've still got an awful lot of work to do."
Green Party MP Jan Logie said Ms Bennett had failed to deal to the main problem of child poverty.
"The Green Party wants to ensure all children have their needs met, and address the causes of vulnerability. Violence is not so easily amenable to government intervention but we can reduce it. This bill is not going to do that."

- NZ Herald

Korean dresses.

In the chapter of the Korean family, I wrote about the Korean mother Hyun Jae bringing her Handook and didn't get to wear it until 17 years later.

Drowning in Piha.

winter and bad weather and boats don't mix.

One sunday, Andy went fishing witht his friend Finau. A storm brewed, and Finau drowned.