Truth about help for ‘problem’ students

There is only one factor to be blamed — parenting. Parenting today is not like it was long ago.

Many things have changed that have impacted on how children behave today. Some of these are: * In most homes both parents work.

* Grandparents are also out and many are not willing to assist as they also work or just want their freedom.

3) The single-parent home where the father is never a part of the family.

4) The divorced/separated parents.

5) The Internet, social media, music, television, technology on the whole — what our children are watching and who their role models are.

All these factors and more have impacted on the way children behave and those with behavioural problems “give trouble” in school.

So the Student Support Services was introduced by the Ministry of Education to assist in this area.

There are guidance officers and social workers and part of their role is to guide and counsel our “problem” children.

Not only those with deviant behaviour but also the quiet, withdrawn ones who the teacher might have referred and later found out the problem is incest or sexual or physical abuse.

The problem with the Student Support Services is that it is severely understaffed and so one officer may have four schools, so she visits each school one day a week and goes to the office on one day.

In each school there are many children who may have been referred and she will try her best there.

However, if the child is absent on the day that the officer visits, then a week goes by without a session.

I know of a case where the process was started and then the child was absent on the day of the visit.

The next week the officer was on sick leave. The following week there was a public holiday on the day of the visit.

And the week after that the officers were all called out to a school with a crisis.

So a month went by without a session, without any help at all for that child. How can there be any progress? So Community Police was contacted for assistance and a visit was made.

The officer promised to contact the school but after a week passed a phone call was placed by the school but the officer was not on duty.

Another week passed so another call was made with the same response.

A month has gone by without contact, feedback, or assistance.

So when our goodly Minister of Education says the child has been “referred” to the Student Support Services, that sounds really good but the reality is far from good.

Sarah Dean via email