Aug 30, 2017, News 9, Sydney, Australia: New therapy club for struggling kids 'first of its kind in Australia' http://www.9news.com.au/good-news/2017/08/19/08/03/new-therapy-club-for-struggling-kids-first-of-its-kind-in-australia A new therapy club Mt Tamborine, in South-East Queensland, is offering new hope to parents of children in need. The Kids’ Therapy Club, will launch at Tamborine Mountain State School in Gold Coast’s hinterland next week, and offers regular and affordable access to therapy for children with various disorders, mental health issues and disabilities such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Children of all ages who attend the club will have access to a range of therapy treatments, from sensory activities to social courses, facilitated by psychologists, physiotherapists, counsellors, and occupational and speech therapists. ... It is also furnished with a sensory room containing a fish tank and led-lit equipment, which director Fiona Fragakis said will play an essential role in helping children with special needs to relax. She said the goal of the club – the “first of its kind” in Australia to offer therapy outside of school hours – is to enable kids in need across the Scenic Rim to flourish, becoming “strong, healthy, capable and independent”. ...
Childhood Lost
Children today are noticeably different from previous generations, and the proof is in the news coverage we see every day. This site shows you what’s happening in schools around the world. Children are increasingly disabled and chronically ill, and the education system has to accommodate them. Things we've long associated with autism, like sensory issues, repetitive behaviors, anxiety and lack of social skills, are now problems affecting mainstream students. Blame is predictably placed on bad parenting (otherwise known as trauma from home).
Addressing mental health needs is as important as academics for modern educators. This is an unrecognized disaster. The stories here are about children who can’t learn or behave like children have always been expected to. What childhood has become is a chilling portent for the future of mankind.