Early Intervention Association of Aotearoa New Zealand Biennial Early Intervention Conference; Quality Practices, New Practices

Bruce Mason Centre, Takapuna Beach Road, Auckland
Monday 30 March 2009

“Go outside and play”

Hon Tariana Turia, Associate Minister Health

It is indeed fitting to be here at the Bruce Mason centre, to be exploring what the great writer said so eloquently “that territory of the heart we call childhood”.

Exploration and challenge remained a lifelong passion for Bruce Mason. Whether as a music critique, a performer, or a playwright, he looked critically at our national culture. In his works like the Pohutukawa Tree, or the End of the Golden Weather, he caused us to look at ourselves, our relationships between Maori and Pakeha, at the nature of our community; and asked us to dare to question.

And so it is, that we come to this Early Intervention conference, daring to question, daring to explore and challenge ourselves whether we have got the balance right.

During consultation in developing the New Zealand Disability Strategy the following comment came up, “Disability is in society, not in me”.

And yet the history of disability in New Zealand has conveyed another view – suggesting the problem lies not with society, but with those with physical, sensory, neurological, psychiatric, intellectual or other impairments.

Our marae, movie theatres, churches, supermarkets, workplaces, schools, early childhood centres are generally designed by people who fail to take into account the fact that disabled peoples want to fully participate in our communities, to gain access to an ordinary life.

This conference – and the Early Intervention Association that hosts it – challenges this history, by placing the special developmental needs of our youngest children right at the heart of the conversation.

This conference is about moving the focus to society – ensuring there are quality practices, new practices, to minimize the impact of developmental delays or disabilities on the development of young children.

In doing so, it is about raising awareness, while at the same time establishing an important national and international forum.

I was invited to speak at this hui, by Lyn Doherty of the Ohomairangi Trust. I asked some young Maori women what the concept of ohomairangi meant to them, and their responses were revealing.

One thought it was to rise to an occasion; another thought it conveyed an awakening; another thought it was beautiful in all senses of the word.

And I thought to myself that was exactly what I think this conference is designed to do.

It is designed to make us all rise to the occasion of each child as a treasured gift of the gods. How do we value their unique abilities? What can we do to interact with our children in ways which enhance their development and value their achievements? Have we created safe, healthy and stimulating environments for them to grow in? Do we respect the unique family and extended whanau that each child belongs to?

The conference will also be an awakening to show how we can look at inclusion in practice, how we can relate to the various assessment practices that are being promoted; what will we do to promote interagency collaboration - working together to support families and their children who have special needs or disabilities across all developmental areas.

And we hope that ultimately, this conference will indeed be beautiful, in expressing the power and strength that can come from visions combined, from voices shared. A major emphasis in the hui is going to be on building relationships and working together – and that means consulting and collaborating with families as well as education and health practitioners.

I want to acknowledge the important leadership that the Association has provided for over a decade now, in being an advocate for children and early intervention.

All of the research tells us that what we do in the early years is the key to our children evolving into thriving global citizens.

In fact the World Health Organisation’s report on Early Childhood Development: a powerful equalizer, warns us that if the window of opportunity provided by the early years is missed, it is increasingly difficult to create a successful life-course.

Adult well-being, mental health, obesity, heart disease, literacy and numeracy skills, criminality and economic participation have all been linked to healthy early childhood development.

With early intervention, there is a particular challenge.

On one hand the intention is clear – to work towards young children with disabilities and their families being included in their communities.

But on the other, there is the special professional expertise that is recognized as required for working with children with special developmental needs, which is not factored into the funding of the mainstream services.

No doubt that will be an issue for debate during these next few days.

The conference programme is packed full of interactive workshops and panel sessions. Childhood neglect and maltreatment is a focus; the use of a web-based blog to share experiences amongst families with special needs; the Makaton Core Vocabulary is designed for use with babies and toddlers.

A climate of wellbeing and belonging is described as an innovative approach for vulnerable children; there’s the SCERTS model; and best practice from the Focus Conductive education centre.

And of course a particular highlight will be international keynote, Stephen Bagnato who has done so much to advance the case for authentic assessment – more developmentally appropriate forms of assessment.

His paper on high stakes testing is fascinating. He talks about how too many norm-referenced testing practices have actually turned out to be detrimental for young children – in that the tests have labeled them prematurely, leading to exclusion and misrepresentation.

He also describes how conventional testing procedures fail to fit the context of a child’s life.

Getting our tamariki to sit quietly at a table and point to pictures on a flip-card is hardly a realistic option.

Instead, Stephen suggests there are other real-life examples: finding the right toy at the bottom of the toy-box or talking on the telephone which can show problem-solving, literacy and social skills.

It makes so much sense – that you test a child where they are at – rather than what fits into the testing regime of the teacher.

One of the workshops I am particularly interested in is the session on musical parenting and musical play.

And that brings me to the four golden words of my childhood.

Go outside and play.

The central role that ‘play’ has in child development seems to me to be at risk of being lost.

What all the scientists tell us is that a baby is born with billions of brain cells that represent lifelong potential, but to develop, these brain cells need to connect with each other.

A stimulating early environment with heaps of social interaction creates a whole host of positive connections in the brain, and consequently the better the child can develop.

And yet innocent child’s play – so universally available that it can be found in every home - is often marginal to government plans and often not taken seriously.

I’m not talking Nintendo DS; playstation, PSP; X-box 360; or any of that ilk.

The sort of play I’m talking about is using our own natural resources, the dirt in the garden, the trees outside, imaginary friends; dressing up. It’s about being physically active; it’s about visualizing possibilities; it’s about exploration and adventure and taking risks in a safe and secure environment.

Finally, I want to commend your organization on the National Code of Ethics you have established.

And in particular I am impressed by the efforts you have gone to, to acknowledge, respect and support families in the context of whanau, hapu and iwi. It is pleasing to see the principles of partnership, participation and protection promoted throughout the Code; and the encouragement of the right of Maori children to access kaupapa Maori education and intervention services.

Your respect for cultural competency has been clearly spelt out in the respect attributed to the culture, customs, language, beliefs and the community context of families, whanau and caregivers.

Every conference that is held, every policy decision made, is now wearing the influence of the economic shock of recession. So too, must this Early Intervention conference consider the implications of the financial forecast for your further growth, and the types of support that will be necessary to sustain your families and children.

The greatest opportunity we have at this time, is to reach out to each other, to collaborate and cooperate, with a focus to the outcomes we seek for our children.

This is the optimum time for health and education professionals to be working with families, and to be pulling together interested parties right across the social sector to create a society which is enabling; not disabling.

I wish you all the strength of heart and unwavering persistence, in knowing that what you do matters, and that our children are indeed worth our greatest investment.

ENDS

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