www.matuaraki.org.nz

Supporting Parents Healthy Children: Bringing that green book to life in addiction and minimising gambling harm

services

Involving and valuing children, family and whānau is everyone’s responsibility.

Kei a tātou te tikanga.

Today you will hear about:

• SPHC from a gambling perspective• Family violence• The implementation process so far

It’s all part of implementing the Guideline; It’s all about…

From a gambling harm perspective…

Prevalence figures

• Estimate 0.6 children per person with a gambling problem (Australia)

• Conservative estimate: over 32,400 children in New Zealand living with a problem gambler potentially at risk of a variety of negative effects*

• 50-70 % of people experiencing mental illness are parents (international)

• 9-30% of AOD clients have GH issues and 25-72% of clients experiencing GH have AOD issues (international)

Productivity Commission (1999) Australia’s Gambling Industries, Report No.10, Volumes 1-3. Canberra: Commonwealth of Australia

*Estimate based on figures from Ministry of Health (2009) A Focus on Problem Gambling: Results of the 2006/07 New Zealand Health Survey. Wellington: Ministry of Health

Royal College of Psychiatrists: Parents as patients: supporting the needs of patients who are parents and their children. College Report, January 2011.

NZHS; Kessler 2008;Zimmerman 2006;Korman 2008;Cunningham-Williams 2007;Petry 2005

Studies show that gambling harm can cause a number of difficulties in family functioning including:

• severe financial problems• emotional and psychological problems and abuse • relationship problems (partner and parent-child) • and a negative impact on the psychological development of children

Problem Gambling Foundation of New Zealand (2012) Children of Problem Gamblers. Factsheet 11. [online] www.pgfnz.org.nz/library

Darbyshire, P., Oster, C. and Carrig, H. (2001). The experience of pervasive loss: Children and young people living in a family where parental gambling is a problem. Journal of Gambling Studies; 17(1), 23-45

Abbot, D., Cramer, S. Sherrets, S. (1995) Pathological Gambling and the Family: Practice Implications. Families in Society. 76(4):213-219

http://www.pgfnz.org.nz/library

One person experiencing gambling harm can affect 5 to 10 other people (Ministry of Health, 2010).

There is growing concern that children may be more adversely affected as more women are developing gambling problems, especially through the use of ‘pokie machines’ (Darbyshire et al., 2001).

Ministry of Health (2010) Preventing and Minimising Gambling Harm: Six year Strategic Plan 2010/11-2015/16. Wellington: Ministry of Health

Darbyshire, P., Oster, C. and Carrig, H. (2001). The experience of pervasive loss: Children and young people living in a family where parental gambling is a problem. Journal of Gambling Studies; 17(1), 23-45

One in six New Zealanders say a family member has gone without something they needed or a bill has gone

unpaid due to gambling. This percentage was higher among Māori (38%) and Pacific (28%),and among those

in more deprived (deciles 8-10) neighbourhoods

National Research Bureau Ltd. (2007) 2006/7 Gaming and Betting Activities Survey: New Zealander’s knowledge, views and experiences of gambling and gambling-related harm. Wellington: Health Sponsorship Council.

Children of parents with gambling problems report feeling:• Unloved• Losing trust in their parents• Not having their essential needs

met• Finding it difficult to concentrate at

school

Public Health Association of New Zealand (2013) Problem Gambling: A resource for local elections. New Zealand: Public Health Association of New Zealand.

Shaw, M., K. Forbush, J. Schlinder, E. Rosenman and D. Black (2007). The effect of pathological gambling on families, marriages and children CNS Spectrums 12(8).

Lesieur, H. and J. Rothschild (1989). Children of Gamblers Anonymous members. Journal of Gambling Behavior 5(4): 269-281.

Children of parents experiencing gambling harm are more likely to:• Problematic AOD use• Experience anxiety and depression

and eating disorders• Have trouble sleeping• Experience asthma, allergies and

gastrointestinal disorders• Experience their own gambling

problems in later life

Family violence

• Domestic Violence as a coexisting condition to gambling harm offers insight into the potential impact on the children

• Research indicates that children may be subjected to displaced violence from both the gambler and the non-problem gambler

• Childhood maltreatment is prevalent in gamblers experiencing harm, especially female gamblers

• The addition of substance problems and mental health disorders increase risk for family violence

Abacus (2015). Ministry of Health Strategy Think Piece: Domestic Violence as a Coexisting Condition to Problem Gambling.

Petry N, Steinberg K (2005) The Women’s Problem Gambling Research Group US. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 19(2), 226-229.

Family violence and affected family genderSuomi, Jackson et al 2013

N=115 PG’s from a GH treatment service, 52.5% reported family violence in last year; gambling generally preceded family violence

Gamblers were violent with:• Current partners 30%• Parents 29%• Ex-partners 19.5%• Children 7%• Extended family 5%• Siblings 5%

20 % of males were both victims and violent

11 % of maleswere

violent

32 % of females were

victims of violence

25% of females

were both victims

and violent

10% of females

were violent

7 % of maleswere

victims of violence

AUT study, 2017

Auckland University of Technology. 2017. Problem Gambling and Family Violence in Help-Seeking Populations: Co-Occurrence,Impact and Coping.Wellington: Ministry of Health.

Canadian study, 2010

“Little attention has been given to prevention of gambling problems as a factor in reducing child abuse and IPV (intimate partner violence), but these data suggest that the link between the two should be considered.”Afifi T, Brownridge D, MacMillan H & Sareen J (2010) The relationship of gambling to intimate partner violence and child maltreatment in a nationally representative sample. J Psychiatric Research, 44, 331-337.

Gambling related community harm

“low-risk gamblers are associated with the greatest proportion of NZ’s gambling-related harm” (80%)

Greater community harm than drug use disorders, diabetes and osteoarthritisAbbott, M. (2017) AUT Gambling and Addiction Research Centre

low-risk gambler’s quality of life

• reduced by 20% - manageable but persistent• decreased health• emotional or psychological distress• financial harm (i.e. increased credit card debt, less money for essentials)• reduced work/education performance• relationship disruption

Key Message

Yes, and what are we doing?

The SPHC Guideline

• Launched in 2015• Describes essential elements and best practice Elements:• 3 levels: Organisational, Service and Practice• Essential elements in place by 2018; best practice by2020

Implementation to date: The plan

Workforce Programme support+Steering groups+Champions Family and Whānau advisors Consumer Advisors+Practitioners= Enhanced Family and Whānau focused practice = enhanced well-being for parents= Enhanced well-being for children and young people

What we have achieved:

Connecting with DHB areas:Contact people to connect with DHB areasWorking with steering groups (now present in all DHB areas)Or support whatever process has been set upIdentifying practice champions/drivers/facilitatorsWeb-sites, resources…Implementing interventions (5 Step, SSFC)Champion’s network

5 Step Practitioners

Single Session Family Consultation

• Developed at The Bouverie Family Centre Melbourne• Combines Single Session Therapy and the Family Consultation Model

What is it?• SSFC is a brief process for engaging and meeting with families which

aims to clarify how the family/whānau will be involved in the individual’s care or support and to help family/whānau members identify and address their own needs.

SSFC Implementation

• 3 basic trainings• 75 people received the training• 25 to receive training to be trainers: Trainers in each region across

services, across sectors• Training supported by an E-Learning

And remind me, what will it look like?

Thanks so much

Mary Anne Cooke: ma@acts.co.nzAnna Nelson: anna.nelson@matuaraki.org.nzBronwyn Dunnachie: b.dunnachie@auckland.ac.nz

mailto:ma@acts.co.nzmailto:anna.nelson@matuaraki.org.nz

Slide Number 1Slide Number 2Today you will hear about: It’s all part of implementing the Guideline; �It’s all about…From a gambling harm perspective…Prevalence figuresSlide Number 7Slide Number 8Slide Number 9Slide Number 10Family violenceFamily violence and affected family gender�Suomi, Jackson et al 2013AUT study, 2017Canadian study, 2010Gambling related community harmlow-risk gambler’s quality of life Yes, and what are we doing?The SPHC GuidelineImplementation to date: The planWhat we have achieved:5 Step PractitionersSingle Session Family ConsultationSlide Number 23SSFC Implementation�And remind me, what will it look like?Slide Number 26Slide Number 27Slide Number 28Slide Number 29Slide Number 30Slide Number 31Thanks so much