Prioritisation

18 March 2016

Toni GutschlagGeneral Manager Mental HealthCanterbury DHBChild and Youth Mental Health

1

An increase in mental health issues is expected following a natural disaster.

2

Last 3 yrs

39% increase in adult community60% increase in child and youth 77% increase in rural 125% increase in Emergency Dept

Biology - Constitution Genetics TemperamentEnvironment Family School Community CountryExperiences Good Bad Short Long Every

What determines mental health?

Influences mediated through:Genes Direct - EpigeneticsDirect Care Quality - ModellingChoices they make for their children

Parents are key

Parenting Knowledge and SkillAttitude to the role of parent and to ParentingOpportunities to provide quality parentingResources and support to enable parents in the role

Quality of parenting determined by -

TimeLife experiences make us or break us. Every life experience counts.Enjoy your children and give them the opportunity to enjoy you. Make childhood a positive, learning, and nurturing experience.The key ingredient is timeTime, give it now and enjoy or give later and endure.

Enjoy now or endure later

Positive Parenting is the immunity jab of mental illness

All experiences are important but they vary in their effects even with variations in normal experiences

All experiences have biological effects regardless of age, even structural effectsEvery year is important, not just the first three years

Children differ in their response to adversity. Resilience is real

Resilience is through exposure and successful coping not avoidance of stress and adversity

The effects of adverse experiences are reversible. It is never too late.

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