Author: Isla

Research on Child Neglect in NZ

Abuse is harming a child:

• Physically (eg, giving them hidings)
• Emotionally (eg, yelling or swearing at them, shaming or rejecting them) Shogun did this
• Sexually (eg, involving them in sexual activities).

Neglect is failing to meet a child’s physical and emotional needs – that is, not giving them the care, supervision, love and attention they need to grow up safely and happily (eg, failure to provide food, warm clothing or health care).

Emotional abuse and neglect can cause serious and long-term damage.

Early signs of abuse and neglect

These include problems that need to be checked out:

• parent has a drug, alcohol or gambling problem
• parent does not engage with their child or has a difficult relationship with them
• child doesn’t have enough clothes on and is often cold and hungry
• child has unexplained or changeable emotions (eg, withdrawn or depressed)
• parents frequently yell at, swear at or shame a child
• child seems scared of a particular adult.

21/9/20 – https://www.health.govt.nz/your-health/healthy-living/abuse/child-ok/recognising-abuse-and-neglect

Data

• Between 1 January 2019 and 30 November 2019, 11 children and young people have died as a result of homicide in New Zealand, because of a result of child neglect and abuse. Of the cases where the relationship to the victim was known, 27% were mothers, 24% were fathers, and 17% were de facto partners.
• https://www.childmatters.org.nz/insights/nz-statistics/ – 21/9/20
• By the age of 17, 23.5% of children had had at least one report made regarding their welfare to child protection services, while almost 10% had been subject to substantiated abuse or neglect, and 3% had been put into foster or alternative care, with boys being more affected. Data from 2018

• https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/mar/08/study-one-in-four-new-zealand-children-reported-welfare-agencies#:~:text=By%20the%20age%20of%2017,with%20boys%20being%20more%20affected.

In the year ended 31 March 1961, child welfare officers handled 6,607 cases.
In 2014, 146,657 notifications were made to Child, Youth and Family yet the
population aged 17 and under had grown by just 30%.
The rate of substantiated physical abuse grew more than ten-fold from 2.5 per
10,000 children in 1967 to 29 per 10,000 in 2014

For the last fifty years, families that feature ex-nuptial births, have one or both
parents absent, large numbers of siblings (especially from clustered or multiple
births) and/or very young mothers have been consistently over-represented in
the incidence of child abuse.

Maori and Pacific families exhibit more of these features and have appeared
disproportionately in child maltreatment statistics since earliest data
analysis in 1967.

While the incidence of child abuse has climbed, the death rate from child
maltreatment has fluctuated between 0.7 and 1.4 per 100,000 children since the
early 1960s. Of the seven deaths recorded in 1967, two children were European,
two were Pacific, two were Maori and one was part-Maori.
The growth of child abuse has accompanied a reduction in marriage and an
increase in cohabiting or single-parent families.

The high rates of single, step or blended families among Maori present a much
more compelling reason for disproportionate child abuse incidence than either
colonisation or unemployment.

Maori children with a single parent are four times more likely to be abused than
those in a non-single parent family; Maori children whose caregiver had spent
80% or more of the last five years on a benefit were 19 times more likely to
suffer maltreatment than those with no benefit history.

Like non-Maori, Maori children with two-parent working families have very low
abuse rates.
The likelihood of a child being in poverty and abused is smaller than the
likelihood of being on a benefit and abused.

https://www.familyfirst.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Child-Abuse-and-Family-Structure-FULL-REPORT.pdf

Write your response to the film using the following points:

Write a BRIEF plot overview.

‘Boy’ directed by Taika Waititi is about a boy who lives in Waihau Bay in 1984. This boy dreams about a heroic father who adventures around the world but when he comes home after 6 years of disappearing the farther turns out to be a drunken idiot who is a leader of a gang. Then is carries on to evolve the relationship of the father and boy also boys younger brother, Rooky. Also the challenges they face.

Discuss a character that you found interesting and describe why they stood out to you.

A character I found interesting was Rooky, Boys younger brother. This is because he really stood out to me, mostly because I felt sorry for him as he feels guilty for ‘killing’ his mother, as his mother died giving birth to him. But also how he was quite concealed and observant person who didn’t communicate (talk) a lot. Indicating Rooky as an introverted person, this also connects to how he imagines scenes that are happening in cartoon drawings, which I found very interesting and an effective way of showing how this little boy thinks. Also showing his emotions and how he is feeling through the different drawings. I think Taika Waititi intentions of having this character survive at birth but not the Mother, was to create awareness of how this happens in the real world. Showing that it effects the child mentally, meaning that they might believe that they killed their Mother, like Rooky. Also that it is stated that a death of a parent at a very young age can make them feel different from their peers. This is shown with Rooky with how he thinks he has superpowers and it is only shown that Boy was his only friend.

Write about a scene that stood out to you . Why?

A scene that stood out to me was the ending scene, where the father is in the grave site of his wife, and his kids come and sat beside him. This really left an impact on me because it really showed the father, Alamein, was tying towards the end and in the movie before this scene, it showed him standing outside the gravesite pacing about whether to go inside and visit his wife. Which this resulted with him deciding not to go in and walking away, so ending with him in the gravesite sitting beside the grave was very emotional and stood out. Also it put Alamein in a perspective not as an absent drunken father, but as a really lost and emotional person who probably regrets how he treated and left his children. When the children joined him it created a very emotional atmosphere for me as it show the character in a very vulnerable position..

What message do you think the director, Taika Waititi, was conveying in the text. Use an example to support your explanation.

A message that Taika Waititi was trying to convey in the movie was the complications of families and how some families do struggle. And also how some children have to take on so much responsibility from a very young age because of an absent father and past away mother, which connects to Boy.

Write about a cinematography technique that was of interest to you. Why was it effective/surprising/distracting…

A cinematography technique that was of interest to me was how Taika Waititi effectively displayed Rooky’s imaginary by displaying it as a stop-motion drawings on a sketch pad. From the start of the film, it is show that Rooky thought that he had superpowers, this is because of how his mother died at his birth, this causing Rooky to believe he has superpowers. So by using the sketches, Taika Waititi used Rooky’s imaginary of having superpowers to display what he is thinking on the sketchs to what is going is really going on in the scene in front of him. By using this cinematography technique it made me, as the audience, look at his perspective and what he thinks about whats happening. So Waititi’s intentions by making the audience experiencing Rooky world through drawings created an effect on how he was still childish

Give your reflection on the setting. Why do you think it was set in Waihau Bay in 1984? Write about how the director showcases the setting.

I think that Taika Waititi used the setting of Waihau Bay in 1984 really effectively and using the long shot of the beautiful environment to set the atmosphere of the film. Meaning….

Maturity from kids more than father. – Father is immature – boy starts to become like father throughout film

The flow of violent traffic fills Diagon Alley. Witches and wizards scurry pass Harry, vigorously making their way to be first through the doors of the waking shops. Hanging signs flip to be open, and the old wooden doors invite the people to enter and explore.

‘It’s good to be back,’ thought Harry as he wanders down the familiar and never changing alleyway. All kinds of magical and mysterious stores fulfil life into the historic street. 

As he ventures, a reflecting amber flash hits the corner of his eyes. Capturing his attention. Focusing his awareness to the shining grand pendulum clock perching in the window of an unusual and unfamiliar shop. On the windowsill, lurking beside the ticking clock, a radiant bookmark hovers in mid-air, above a book that’s laid open. 

The exterior of the shop is formed with ordinary red bricks, with bulging arching old fashioned windows, lined with black edges. Tired vines creep through the cracks; adventuring upwards, chaotically spreading along the front surface of the shop. 

Hesitantly walking over, he notices the sign hanging from the above the rustic oak door. It reads ‘The Tales of Tomorrow’. Curiosity hit Harry like a wave. 

As he pushes down on the golden handle of the front door; advancing through the doorway a bell somewhere in the store chimes, announcing his presence. The store itself is dark and alluring. He begins to look around.

Long timber strips channels along the floor. A scent of lavender hovers in the air. It is a large and long rectangular room, full of endearing bursts of light. The walls are covered with differing sizes of portraits, all exhibiting photos of planets rotating in their frames.

A cascading staircase descends from a balcony above the back of the store. The balcony contains multiple shelves containing thousands of books, neatly piled on top of another. Downstairs, additional books lined the lower trim of the walls. Also some suspending in mid-air. Floating. Each book in the shop expresses an aura, brimming with a shining aurora of light, alluring you in to read its story.

A desk stood at the far end of the store messily camouflaged in pens, bookmarks and stacks of paper. Leaning over the edge of the desk, sat a lamp. Glowing. Against the back wall, lingers a grand framed moving painting. The painting displays popular landmarks from all over the world, changing every few seconds. Swirling at the end of each change, acting like a porthole, transporting the viewer to another place. 

But this captivating store had one main element to it that made Harry gaze in amazement. The shop roof was non-excitant. Rather than a roof, displayed were trillions of stars shining enchantingly through the ceiling of this book store, ‘Tales of Tomorrow’.

Sunrise began. The vibrante exquisite colours painted on the moody clouds, reflect below onto the burning crisp snow capped mountain tops. The ancient oaks sigh, as the first beam of sunlight burst throughout the woods. The woods sat peacefully, out of sight and far beyond the barrier of the active city. Untouched.Undamaged. Only known by the native animals, that cowardly hibernating inside the walls of the woods, not wanting to risk their security that the woods provided. The leaves act as the exterior boundary of the woods, guarding the historical life that is consumed inside. But an unknown magic concealed deep into the mythical woods. 

Mr Jones of the Manor Farm.  The hen-houses locked for night. Jones, too drunk to shut the pop-holes. His lantern, with the ring of light. Dancing from side to side. Lurched across the yard. Kicked off his boots. Drew himself a last glass of beer. Then made his way up to bed. Where Mrs Jones was already snoring. 

Short Sentences: Home free

Sighing with relief. I let go of all the tension that I just witnessed. I have achieved. Finally escaped. Everything is in the past.  Finished. The feeling of freedom. I have made it. 

Sighing with relief. I let go of all the tension that I just witnessed. I have achieved. Finally escaped. Everything is in the past.  Finished. The feeling of freedom. I have made it. This all started when; continuous suspicious crunching footsteps, creeping closer. I looked behind me and  I was sprinting away before you could even say a word. 

Without the letter W:

Once Noah forcefully pulled the historic timber gate to a close, the feeling of freedom hit him like a storm. He started to break into steady jog, descending the deserted street, embracing the sodden surroundings. The same familiar surrounding he has accepted for the entireness of his life.  Delicate droplets of rain splatter continuously on his fluorescent blue rain jacket. He has forever loved rainy days. Rain isn’t represented by sadness for Noah but how it gives him a sense of excitement.  

Today, an important day for Noah, had finally begun. About a year ago, an opportunity appeared. Noah has been training very hard. This event has been evaluated and planned out for quite some time. But today the race day starts!

Without the letter M:

Once Noah forcefully pulled the historic wooden gate to a close, the feeling of being free hit Noah like a wave. He started to break into steady jog, descending the deserted street, accepting the sodden surroundings. The consistent surrounding he has accepted for the entireness of his life. Delicate droplets of rain splatter continuously on his fluorescent blue rain jacket. He has forever loved rainy days. Rain isn’t represented by sadness for Noah but how it gives Noah a sense of adventure.  

Today, a significant day for Noah, had finally begun. About a year ago, an opportunity appeared. Noah has been training very hard. This event has been evaluated and planned out for quite some time. But today was the race day!

Pig

Negative:

• Greedy
• Stinky
• Obeast 
• Hungry
• Rapacious 
• Repulsive

Positive:

• Friendly
• Intelligent
• Affectionate
• Loving 

Hot 

Negative:

• Boiling 
• Scorching 
• Sweltering 
• Blistering 
• Flaming
• Burning

Positive: 

• Warm
• Pleasant
• Tropical 
• Sunny
• Mild 
• Pleasant
•  

Wolf 

Negative:

• Vicious
• Sneaky
• Deadly

Positive: 

• Loyal
• Trustful
• Cute
• Friendly

A Summers Day in Wanaka!

Tropically radiant sun simmering down, reflecting on the refreshing lake. A delicate breeze brushing the warm layer of the lake.The crystal clear water mirror the blue bird sky, making it the perfect summer day. 

The scolding lake begging for a cloudy day, boiling with hatred for the flaming sun. The scorching heat burn the environment, toasting the gasping surrounding. 

He stood there next to his mother, hand outstretched towards the sky. They were both protected by their long coats and a large black umbrella held by the tall woman. Their bright yellow gumboots, were the only thing giving off warmth. The mother and her son were soaked to the core, as the rain had been cascading down for many hours.

They had known that something strange was happening when they had first heard the storm back at home. The normal, distant rumble of thunder had been accompanied by a strange wind, almost a whooshing sound. The only time the boy had heard a noise like that before was when they’d been near a busy motorway.

They stared up at the remarkable view above them, and wondered what on earth was happening

The pair looked up at the sky. The clouds which had been gathering for a few hours, now were a worrying shade of black. To their surprise, they saw a shoal of enormous fish swimming through the cloud-filled sky. The fish of which there appeared to be thousands were moving at tremendous speed. The boy stood solid to the sodden ground, embracing what he thought was just the wildness of his imagination. 

Secret Magic

Bella had always been different from the other children at school. They looked at her strangely, and she would often hear them whispering about her when they thought she wasn’t there. Sometimes they whispered about her even when they knew she was listening.   

Every evening when Bella returned home, her real life began. The everyday worries of school and other children were banished from her mind. Bella had another life. A life that was secret. A life that was magical.

Bella had magic in her finger tips; for years she had performed the most incredible feats. One night, as she clambered over the rooftops, with her trusted and faithful companion, she could feel the magic coursing through her body. It warmed her, like the glowing embers of a comforting fire. All of a sudden she felt alive. Tonight was going to be a night to remember! Bella walked over the tiles. She held her arms. Her hair blew in the wind. 

It all began with his mind. This was where his true power lay.

The slightest idea would burst magnificently into life at the slightest twitch. If he imagined fire, flames would appear. If he imagined happiness, people around him would beam with smiles. If he imagined pain, darkness would erupt the light. Leaving heartache and sorrowful whenever he roamed. The Magician discovered his powers a great time ago, they first started when he plucked the vibrate white rose delicantly from the flower bed from deep in the south woods. From the point in time, the magicians life was never the same again.

He learnt to control his mind over the years, manipulating his incredible powers to serve whatever purpose. Today, though, he was angry. As he imagined anger, chaos broke loose.

Personal Pronouns: 

• I
• You
• Me
• We
• She/He 
• It 
• They 
• Him/Her
• Us 
• Them 

First Paragraph: 3rd Person

Second Paragraph: 3rd Person

Third Paragraph:  1st Person

Fourth Paragraph: 3rd Person

Fifth Paragraph: 1st Person

My 1st Person Paragraph:

Once I forcefully pulled the historic wooden gate to a close, the feeling of freedom hit me like a wave. I start skipping down the deserted street, embracing the sodden surroundings I have known for the entireness of my life.  Delicate droplets of rain splatter continuously on my fluorescent blue rain jacket. I have always loved rainy days. Rain isn’t represented by sadness for me, but how it expresses moodiness and how it has a sense of excitement. 

3rd Person Paragraph:

Once she forcefully pulled the historic wooden gate to a close, the feeling of freedom hit her like a wave. She started to skip down the deserted street, embracing the sodden surroundings. The same surrounding she has known for the entireness of her life.  Delicate droplets of rain splatter continuously on her fluorescent blue rain jacket. She has always loved rainy days. Rain isn’t represented by sadness for her, but how it gives her the sense of excitement.