Evaluation of the Whānau Ora Wellbeing Service of Te Whakaruruhau: Final report

Domestic violence and child abuse represent significant threats to whānau ora. Conversely, the weakening or loss of whānau ties can increase the vulnerability of whānau members to domestic violence and child abuse. Thus enhancing whānau ora in the context of domestic violence and child abuse is both a high priority and a significant challenge. Te Whakaruruhau Māori Women’s Refuge has been providing safe housing, support and advocacy to women and children for over two decades and has become a key agency in family violence networks in Kirikiriroa. The development of the Whānau Ora Wellbeing Service, the focus of this evaluation, was a logical extension of Refuge services. The Māori and Psychology Research Unit was commissioned in mid‐2011 to conduct this evaluation. It is based on ten case studies of clients in the programme, interviews with Te Whakaruruhau staff and key informants in allied agencies, and participant‐observation of Refuge activities. The case studies provide insights into the lived experience of women dealing with violence, their attempts to protect themselves and their children, and their experiences of – and reflections upon – the Whānau Ora Wellbeing programme

Supporting Faculty, Staff, and Student-Parents though Cognitive, Emotional, and Behavioral Engagement

Presenters will describe intentionally developed supports for faculty, staff, and students with children, an aspect of diversity and inclusion often overlooked. Participants will see specific examples of ongoing initiatives, along with a theory of engagement that articulates cognitive, behavioral, and emotional/personal aspects

Evaluating Supports for “All But Dissertation” Students

The authors of this roundtable session will lead a discussion debating effective methods for evaluating support services for “All But Dissertation” students to better focus university resources

Evaluating Supports for “All But Dissertation” Students

The authors of this roundtable session will lead a discussion debating effective methods for evaluating support services for “All But Dissertation” students to better focus university resources

Barriers and supports to the access of justice as experienced by Pasifika women impacted by domestic violence

Domestic violence is a pervasive social issue in New Zealand with the majority of victims being women and children. 45-60% of Pasifika women are likely to experience violence in their lifetime. Despite the prevalence of domestic violence in Pasifika communities, Pasifika women have low rates of accessing services available to assist them to navigate themselves and their children to safety. My research is focused on identifying the barriers and supports as experienced by Pasifika women when attempting to access protection from their abusers and external agency support to deal with the impacts of abuse. Some identified barriers to accessing justice include lengthy court processes, lack of systemic knowledge, language difficulties, lack of knowledge about cultural differences and domestic violence by front line staff, religious values regarding marriage and the role of women and finding physical environments to be an alienating environment. Through a qualitative research frame, I have explored the impact that domestic violence has on Pasifika women. Interviews with two key informants have assisted me with identifying barriers and supports from a professional perspective. A case study approach with five Pasifika women has provided detailed accounts of their experiences as service users. Given the paucity of research on Pasifika women’s experiences, let alone conducted by a Pasifika woman, my research will contribute new insights with a view towards improving service delivery in the state sector and non-governmental services, ultimately ensuring the victim’s safety is paramount without further compromising identity and wellbeing

Lower NPAS3 expression during the later stages of abnormal lung development in rat congenital diaphragmatic hernia

Purpose Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is characterized by a developmental defect in the diaphragm, pulmonary hypoplasia and pulmonary hypertension. NPAS3 is a PAS domain transcription factor regulating Drosophila tracheogenesis. NPAS3 null mice develop pulmonary hypoplasia in utero and die after birth due to respiratory failure. We aimed to evaluate NPAS3 expres- sion during normal and abnormal lung development due to CDH. Methods CDH was induced by administering 100 mg/ml nitrofen to time-pregnant dams on embryonic day (E) 9 of gestation. Lungs were isolated on E15, E18 and E21 and NPAS3 localization was determined by immunohisto- chemistry and quantified using Western blotting. Results We found that only E21 hypoplastic CDH lungs have reduced expression of NPAS3 in the terminal sac- cules. Western blotting confirmed the down-regulation of NPAS3 protein in the nitrofen-induced hypoplastic lungs. Conclusions We demonstrate for the first time that ni- trofen-induced hypoplastic CDH lungs have reduced NPAS3 expression in the terminal saccules during the later stages of abnormal lung development. Our findings suggest that NPAS3 is associated with pulmonary hypoplasia in CDH.Supported by the Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba; RK is the recipient of a Career Enhancement Award from the Canadian Child Health Clinician Scientist Program and a New Investigator Salary Award from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Manitoba Lung Association and the Children’s Hospital Research Institute

Pasifika women affected by domestic violence: The case of Teuila

Domestic violence is a pervasive social issue in New Zealand, with the majority of victims being women and children. In 2008, the New Zealand Crime and Safety Survey found that one in five Pasifika had experienced violence at the hands of their partner in the previous year.2 Six years later the results of the same survey reported a 19 per cent decrease of intimate partner violence among Pasifika. Despite this reduction, domestic violence is still prevalent in Pasifika communities. Women in general are known to have low rates of accessing the services available to assist them in navigating themselves and their children to safety, and Pasifika women, with even fewer social and economic resources than other women, are thus left in an even more precarious position. The research presented in this chapter focuses on identifying the barriers and supports women encounter when they attempt to access external agency support to gain protection from their abusers in order to deal with the impacts of abuse

Raising the Green Roof: Enhancing Youth Water Literacy through Built Environment Education

Green Roofs Cool Cities, Clean the Air, Provide Habitat, and Manage Stormwater. They Are Compelling Tools to Teach Interconnected Human-Ecological Systems. This Study Included the Design, Pilot, and Evaluation of a Fourth-Grade Science Unit Entitled Raising the Green Roof , Exploring These Connections. Five Classrooms in Two Midwestern U.S. Public Elementary Schools Participated, and 4th-Grade Students (N = 73) Drew Systems Models at Three Time Points (212 Models) and Wrote their Ideas. Qualitative Content Analyses of the Models Showed that Learners Were Increasingly Combining Social Systems (Green Roof Infrastructure) with Ecological Systems (Water Cycle) Across the Unit. Students Also Increasingly Evidenced Specific Knowledge as They Progressed through the Unit. the Analysis of Student Models Revealed that Most Student Confusion is Related to Built Environment Aspects (E.g., How Water Moves from Building Roofs to Municipal Waterways). Results of the Study Suggest the Potential for Teaching Socio-Hydrologic Systems Thinking at the Fourth-Grade Level. the Findings Emphasize the Need to Enhance Built Environment Education for Youth in Science Units that Aspire to Connect Features of the Built Environment, Such as Green Roofs, with Ecology. the Study Additionally Reinforced the Effectiveness of Place-Based Units in Elementary Education that Emphasize Science Practices

Does Educator Preparation Align with State Standards? A Factor Analysis of Missouri’s First-Year Teacher Survey

First-Year Teacher Surveys (FYTS) are essential for evaluating teacher preparation programs (TPPs), providing crucial feedback from recent graduates about their training and readiness for real-world teaching. This study focuses on Missouri’s FYTS, utilizing Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) to investigate the survey\u27s factor structure and its alignment with the state\u27s nine teaching standards. The study sample consisted of 1,424 first-year teachers who completed the FYTS during the 2023 academic year. EFA revealed eight distinct factors, largely corresponding to the original standards, while CFA results supported the multidimensional factor structure with significant item loadings. Although model fit indices indicated areas for potential refinement, overall findings affirm the survey’s construct validity. The high response rates and alignment with professional standards underscore the survey\u27s utility for accountability and program improvement. Recommendations include enhancing item clarity and exploring additional refinements to improve model fit. The study discusses implications for practice, emphasizing the need for continuous evaluation of TPPs and the utilization of survey data to inform program improvements. Future research should explore longitudinal impacts of TPP enhancements and validate the FYTS in diverse contexts. The FYTS can serve as a model for other states in implementing effective TPP assessments

Needle aspiration as therapeutic management for suppurative cervical lymphadenitis in children

PurposeThis study aimed to evaluate the usefulness of the needle aspiration alternative to open surgical drainage of children with suppurative cervical lymphadenitis requiring surgical drainage.MethodsFrom January 1998 to June 2008, we retrospectively reviewed 38 children treated with needle aspiration as management with suppurative cervical lymphadenitis instead of open surgical drainage.ResultsAll 38 children underwent only 1 puncture. Two patients (5.2%) out of 38 patients experienced reformation of an abscess and all recovered completely after re-treatment with antibiotics. Minor complications were detected in 2 patients (5.2%). One complication originated from remnant necrotic tissue and the other involved formation of a small scar in two patients, which resolved spontaneously. There were no major complications.ConclusionNeedle aspiration can be a simple, safe, and effective alternative procedure to open surgical drainage of children with suppurative cervical lymphadenitis requiring surgical drainage