An exciting new programme to help children living with
anxiety is able to go ahead following a generous donation
from the Sir Campbell and Lady Leita Wylie
Foundation.
The latest programme from Triple P
parenting courses, Fear-Less, is being run by the Pukemanu
Centre, the Child and Family Psychology Services based at
the University of Canterbury.
Clinic Director Suzi
Hall says following the challenges experienced through the
COVID-19 outbreak, there is a significant need for more
services to help with anxiety and emotional
well-being.
“We’ve had to regularly close our
waitlists because of high demand, and we urgently needed to
expand our support to families. The Fear-Less Triple P
programme is evidence based, resulting in good outcomes for
managing anxiety. Its group format will allow us to see more
families so that we can expand our support
services.
“The additional funding means we’ve been
able to provide more staff and resources to meet the needs
of these families.
“We’re hoping to help up to 250
children over three years who we might not otherwise have
been able to see. These are children aged 6-14 years who
have moderate to high levels of anxiety that causes distress
or impacts on their everyday functioning. It also targets
siblings and parents.”
Ms Hall says research shows
that fewer than one in five children with anxiety receive
any kind of intervention and intervention is more effective
if parents and siblings are involved.
Established nine
years ago, the Pukemanu Centre provides free assessments and
interventions on a short-term basis for more than 150
children and whānau each year who are unable to access
other services for financial, eligibility or waiting time
reasons.
The Centre is managed by registered
psychologists and operates as part of the professional
training course for Masters level students and above, who
are currently undertaking advanced post-graduate training in
Child and Family Psychology at the University of Canterbury.
Students are involved with all Centre activities, working
alongside senior registered psychologists.
The Sir
Campbell and Lady Leita Wylie Foundation is a long-time
donor to the Child and Family Psychology Programme.
To
learn more about the Pukemanu Centre or if you would like to
support their work, please visit their website here.
© Scoop Media
Discussion about this post