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Missing Child Alert: Madeleine McCann

May 30, 2007 By Megan Bayliss 1 Comment

Madeleine McCann’s family believe a new picture of the missing four-year-old could play a vital role in the search for her. The photo of the youngster shows clearly her distinctive right eye, where the pupil runs into the blue-green iris.

To check the validity of this missing child alert, and to see pictures of the child, please see:  Madeleine’s Parents Arrive In Rome, Sky News, Wed 30th May 2007 and Missing Madeleine. The Official Website to find Madeleine McCann.

The new poster of Madeleine

madeleines-eye.jpg

 It is this distinguishing mark that will identify Madeleine to those on the lookout for her, according to aunt and uncle John and Diane McCann. The Glasgow couple aim to distribute the appeal poster, which features the Crimestoppers telephone number, as far afield as they can.

Family friend Andrew Renwick told Sky News that support for the search had been “overwhelming” and her family were extremely grateful.

madelines-eye-close-up.jpg Her right eye Mrs McCann said: “The purpose of the poster is to highlight the distinction in Madeleine’s eye. “We want to make the most of it, because we know her hair could potentially be cut or dyed.”

Mr McCann added: “The poster was designed by a friend of the family and I’ve begun Emailing it to acquaintances in different parts of the world. “I’m asking people to circulate it the best they can and make it be seen.” Madeleine’s Eye Holds Vital Clue

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Filed Under: Child Abuse, Child Safety & Protection

Child Safety by Boy (reflections from an 11 year old)

May 30, 2007 By Megan Bayliss 2 Comments

Article by BoyArticle by Boy

 

Child safety is a very important piece of the human life. If we didn’t have child safety the world would be a very bad place. But, thanks to people who wanted their kids SAFE they made a Bill of Rights for children. This Bill of Rights tells us what we should be working towards to keep all children in the world safe.

My view of child safety is not only keeping all kids safe but also helping children in need of help. Usually the kid doesn’t talk much if there is something wrong. It is up to adults to see if kids need help. I need my parents to make my world safe and look out for me.

Child safety is different to child abuse. Child safety is about keeping kids safe from badness and harmful things. Child abuse is about adults doing bad things to kids. Child safety stops adults from hurting kids and doing bad things to them and it also stops bad things in the environment from mucking up a kids life – like real bad sunburn that makes sun cancer or not eating enough fruit and vegetables.

I think the world would be a better place with out drunks, drugs, wars, homelessness, poverty and weirdoes on the internet. If I had one wish in terms of child safety it would be no bad things happening to kids (and more chocolate).

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Filed Under: Blog, Child Safety & Protection

Connections between the mind, body & soul

May 30, 2007 By Rebekah 1 Comment

Connections between the mind, body and soul

Most of us are familiar with some kind of disassociative experience – Think of a time when you have been driving (either a short or long distance on a familiar road) and all of a sudden you reach your destination – what thoughts come to mind “I am here already, I don’t even remember the journey”.  Of course, minor disassociation such as the driving experience involves a harmless break in consciousness and is not of a clinical concern.

For survivors of sexual abuse and in particular self-harmers the experience of disassociation can be a regular and constant companion throughout their regular daily activities.  The experience of disassociation has been explained in many ways by researchers over the years but for many ‘cutters’ the experience of disassociation is unexplainable and unable to be voiced through language.  How can a survivor of sexual abuse explain the progress of their physical self being torn apart from their mind and soul?  How can a survivor explain the alteration to their environment/surroundings, the auditory, sensual and physical changes that occur at a frightening pace?  Some survivors reveal that when the body feels disconnected from their mind and soul – ‘cutting’ the skin brings the survivor back to realty. 

Many alternatives have been given by health professionals to self-harming behaviour – what is required now are to learn from those who ‘self-harm’ and what works for them.

Alternatives to self-harming behaviour

  • Punch a pillow
  • Punch a ‘punching bag’
  • Scream into a pillow
  • Sing loudly
  • Take a cold or hot shower
  • Squeeze ice-cubes
  • Place an ice cube on the area of skin where you want to harm
  • Call a help line
  • Talk to a friend or family member
  • Find a skilled professional
  • Visit websites about self-harm
  • Join a self-harm support group
  • Go for a walk
  • Write in a journal
  • Draw a picture
  • Thought stopping

  

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Filed Under: Child Abuse

My Space Boundaries

May 30, 2007 By Megan Bayliss Leave a Comment

Article by Megan Bayliss.Article by Megan Bayliss.

Looking for some simple discussion ideas to begin talking about the importance of Body Ownership? Here are three discussion starters suitable for all ages. The sooner you introduce the BITSS way of protecting children from sexual abuse, the better protective play will work. Children are never too young, or too old, to have protective behaviours reinforced.

Fences, windows and doors: Explain to children that the reason we have fences, windows or doors is to give a message of defensible space: space that belongs to us and says “Private. No entry”. That is why we shut the toilet door when we go to the toilet! Sand play is a great way to reinforce defensible space. When your child builds a sand castle tell them that strong walls and moats were a castle’s protection and that a sun hat and sun cream are the child’s protection now, just like wearing swimming costumes to protect private parts.

Atlas/Globe: Using maps or a globe show that every state/suburb/country has a boundary. The boundary shows the body of the country. Most of these countries have armies that help to protect the boundary. Our clothes are like an army. They help to protect our body and give a sign to other people that certain parts of our body are private – the parts we wear underwear or swimming costumes over.

The Great Barrier Reef: One of the seven natural wonders of the world, the Great Barrier Reef is a nature given protective behaviour barrier. The reef acts like a safe house, giving protection to millions of different marine life. The reef has many predators too and different species of marine life have adapted protective behaviours to escape the hungry jaws of predators. Nature gave us brains and mouths – these are our protective ways to escape from dangerous predators. If someone is doing something to you that makes you feel like a jellyfish, it is okay to sting them by using your mouth and telling someone. Make your body a Great Barrier Reef, a special place that is protected by laws that say, you cannot touch the fish, coral or shells on this reef.

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Filed Under: Protective Behaviours: BITSS model

Physical S.P.I.C.E.S. of Life

May 29, 2007 By user2 1 Comment

Article by Jeanette HarveyArticle by Jeanette Harvey

Where I live in Hervey Bay the beach is protected by Fraser Island. Hence, there are no great waves or swells thumping onto the beach as in other parts of our fabulous coastline. Let’s face it Australia does have the most fantastic beaches in the world.

Whilst sitting sipping a coffee on our favourite beachside bench my husband observed a family group – you know Mum, Dad and three toddlers, all maybe 5 years old and under. They were all playing in the sand and paddling in the ocean enjoying the sunshine and one another. After a short while the Mum did something that caused my husband to be surprised. She just wandered off and went for a walk up the beach, leaving her husband to look after all three toddlers.

“What is so amazing about this?” I asked. Well my husband thought how lucky we are to live in a part of the world where one parent can easily look after three toddlers in the ocean. He recalled similar trips to the beach when he and his brothers were young and it took at least two sets of very watchful eyes to ensure none of them were swept away in the strong currents or buried under huge dumpers (translated as whopping waves that dump you onto the ocean floor).

Yes, our beach is safe, at least there isn’t the constant threat of a forceful ocean.

Not all beaches offer such safety. Let me share a story told to me by workmate. One of her friends had separated from her husband – yeah, I know, it happens. On a typical access weekend Dad took their child to the beach for the day. Unfortunately, the child did not come home to Mum – in a tragic accident, he was drowned. Imagine being the Dad, having to live with the guilt of this tragedy. Imagine having to go back to the child’s Mum with this devastating news.

Imagine keeping such a watchful eye on your children at any beach, that you limit the possibilities of any such story being told about your family!

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Filed Under: Child Abuse
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