title: Sexual childhood: Questions for practice to prevent harmful/problematic behaviour

authors: Flanagan, Paul G.

abstract: Workshop Title: Sexual childhood: Questions for practice to prevent harmful/problematic sexual behaviour. Abstract: Children are sexual beings, but what does this mean to parents, teachers and practitioners concerned with how to respond to problematic and harmful sexual behaviour? Reflecting on 20 years of practice and research, I examine societal and community views of childhood sexuality, with a view to re-imagining what a sexual childhood might look like. Paediatric and psychological research has identified normative and abnormal sexual behaviour, and what constitutes consent and power between children related to their age, cognitive and physical dis/ability and size. Questioning current notions of childhood as innocent and ignorant of sexuality, this presentation explores cultural practices that might lead to more acceptance of sexual childhood. Reporting on a recent study, this presentation will question practices that hide sex/sexuality in children’s lives as reproductive knowledge and pleasure, and proposes a therapy that works with significant adults that does not fear children as sexual citizens. Using discourse theory to explore and analyse dominant western understandings of childhood, it is proposed that an effective approach to working with children and families is one that requires confrontation and interrogation of the silence around child sexuality, rather than reaction and panic. This workshop aims to: - Examine the language around children and sex/sexuality - Explore the notion of sexual childhood - Respond to issues of problematic sexual behaviour in the light of this notion - Engage with practice examples of therapy with children and families - And consider ethical issues around this work

text: Sexual childhood: Questions for practice to prevent harmful/problematic behaviour Workshop Title: Sexual childhood: Questions for practice to prevent harmful/problematic sexual behaviour. Abstract: Children are sexual beings, but what does this mean to parents, teachers and practitioners concerned with how to respond to problematic and harmful sexual behaviour? Reflecting on 20 years of practice and research, I examine societal and community views of childhood sexuality, with a view to re-imagining what a sexual childhood might look like. Paediatric and psychological research has identified normative and abnormal sexual behaviour, and what constitutes consent and power between children related to their age, cognitive and physical dis/ability and size. Questioning current notions of childhood as innocent and ignorant of sexuality, this presentation explores cultural practices that might lead to more acceptance of sexual childhood. Reporting on a recent study, this presentation will question practices that hide sex/sexuality in children’s lives as reproductive knowledge and pleasure, and proposes a therapy that works with significant adults that does not fear children as sexual citizens. Using discourse theory to explore and analyse dominant western understandings of childhood, it is proposed that an effective approach to working with children and families is one that requires confrontation and interrogation of the silence around child sexuality, rather than reaction and panic. This workshop aims to: - Examine the language around children and sex/sexuality - Explore the notion of sexual childhood - Respond to issues of problematic sexual behaviour in the light of this notion - Engage with practice examples of therapy with children and families - And consider ethical issues around this work

year: 2019

title: Wellbeing Policy

authors: Weijers, Dan M.

abstract: Wellbeing – or the prudential good life – refers to how well someone’s life is going for him or her (Crisp, 2014 ). Increasingly, awareness of the limitations of traditional economic indicators has led researchers to call for scientifi c measures of wellbeing to augment traditional measures (Diener et al., 2009 ; Diener and Seligman, 2004 ; Layard, 2005 ). Th e main problem with measures of per capita production, income and wealth is that they do not attribute direct value to many factors widely viewed as essential to high wellbeing, including relationships, health and happiness (Helliwell, 2006 ). In light of this problem and the attendant research, national governments and multinational organisations are investigating new measures of wellbeing to inform policy making (Diener, 2009 ; Stiglitz et al., 2009 ). Over the last decade, many of these new measures have been incorporated into various policymaking processes (see Diener et al., 2009 ). Within this movement toward new measures of wellbeing, some researchers are calling for the importance of mental health to be recognized by including various measures of mental health in any collection of key policy outcomes (e.g. Bok, 2010 ; Layard, 2005 ; Layard and Clark, 2014 ).
To pave the way for a focus on wellbeing policy in the context of mental health and recovery specifi cally (e.g. see Jarden, Jarden & Oades, this volume), this chapter briefl y reviews the history of this debate, the current challenges of using measures of wellbeing and mental health for policy making, and some of the possibilities for meeting these challenges. We conclude that, with public backing, it would be appropriate for governments to measure mental health and wellbeing, and for the resultant data to inform policy making generally, and specifi cally as it relates to mental health .

text: Wellbeing Policy Wellbeing – or the prudential good life – refers to how well someone’s life is going for him or her (Crisp, 2014 ). Increasingly, awareness of the limitations of traditional economic indicators has led researchers to call for scientifi c measures of wellbeing to augment traditional measures (Diener et al., 2009 ; Diener and Seligman, 2004 ; Layard, 2005 ). Th e main problem with measures of per capita production, income and wealth is that they do not attribute direct value to many factors widely viewed as essential to high wellbeing, including relationships, health and happiness (Helliwell, 2006 ). In light of this problem and the attendant research, national governments and multinational organisations are investigating new measures of wellbeing to inform policy making (Diener, 2009 ; Stiglitz et al., 2009 ). Over the last decade, many of these new measures have been incorporated into various policymaking processes (see Diener et al., 2009 ). Within this movement toward new measures of wellbeing, some researchers are calling for the importance of mental health to be recognized by including various measures of mental health in any collection of key policy outcomes (e.g. Bok, 2010 ; Layard, 2005 ; Layard and Clark, 2014 ).
To pave the way for a focus on wellbeing policy in the context of mental health and recovery specifi cally (e.g. see Jarden, Jarden & Oades, this volume), this chapter briefl y reviews the history of this debate, the current challenges of using measures of wellbeing and mental health for policy making, and some of the possibilities for meeting these challenges. We conclude that, with public backing, it would be appropriate for governments to measure mental health and wellbeing, and for the resultant data to inform policy making generally, and specifi cally as it relates to mental health .

year: 2017

title: Ko te Kōauau: Its historical journey, aspects of construction, socio-cultural relevance, and performance

authors: Komene, Jo'el

subjects: Koauau

abstract: In recent years there has been a revival of interest in traditional Māori musical instruments, including the Kōauau (sometimes called a  flute ). Most of the information on record is from Pākehā perspectives of music and culture. This thesis studies Kōauau in a Māori framework, giving weight to traditional Māori knowledge and practices, while bringing together much scattered information. The research links the origins/whakapapa of the Kōauau to the gods and their natural world, especially Hineraukatauri. The thesis analyses the materials used for Kōauau, the circumstances under which materials were acquired, their significance, design and methods of construction, and the tools employed in making Kōauau. The study discusses techniques for playing Kōauau, including its range of sounds, occasions on which they were played, and for what purposes they were used. Reference is made to the story of Hinemoa and Tūtānekai, with the suggestion that more knowledge can be drawn from pakiwaitara and pūrākau. As part of the research, several Kōauau available in the Auckland Museum were examined, showing that close inspection of these taonga significantly extended the information on them held by the Museum. Despite the constraints of the research in terms of time and other resources, the thesis makes an important contribution to knowledge, by collating widely distributed documentation into a concise form, by placing the Kōauau into a Māori perspective, emphasizing the spiritual dimensions of the instrument in its origins and its function, and by indicating what kinds of further research will assist in strengthening the revival of the Kōauau.

text: Ko te Kōauau: Its historical journey, aspects of construction, socio-cultural relevance, and performance In recent years there has been a revival of interest in traditional Māori musical instruments, including the Kōauau (sometimes called a  flute ). Most of the information on record is from Pākehā perspectives of music and culture. This thesis studies Kōauau in a Māori framework, giving weight to traditional Māori knowledge and practices, while bringing together much scattered information. The research links the origins/whakapapa of the Kōauau to the gods and their natural world, especially Hineraukatauri. The thesis analyses the materials used for Kōauau, the circumstances under which materials were acquired, their significance, design and methods of construction, and the tools employed in making Kōauau. The study discusses techniques for playing Kōauau, including its range of sounds, occasions on which they were played, and for what purposes they were used. Reference is made to the story of Hinemoa and Tūtānekai, with the suggestion that more knowledge can be drawn from pakiwaitara and pūrākau. As part of the research, several Kōauau available in the Auckland Museum were examined, showing that close inspection of these taonga significantly extended the information on them held by the Museum. Despite the constraints of the research in terms of time and other resources, the thesis makes an important contribution to knowledge, by collating widely distributed documentation into a concise form, by placing the Kōauau into a Māori perspective, emphasizing the spiritual dimensions of the instrument in its origins and its function, and by indicating what kinds of further research will assist in strengthening the revival of the Kōauau.

year: 2008