Ruth DeSouza » Family

Family

According to Wikipedia a family is: "a domestic group of people (or a number of domestic groups), typically affiliated by birth or marriage, or by analogous or comparable relationships — including domestic partnership, cohabitation, adoption, surname and (in some cases) ownership (as occurred in the Roman Empire). A family could also be people being joined by love and/or promises of commitment".In New Zealand's Mental health legislation (Guidelines to the Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Act 1992) the term whanau is used to describe:

A set of relationships not limited to relationships based on blood ties, and may include:
• the spouse or partner of the patient or proposed patient
• relatives of the patient or proposed patient
• a mixture of relatives, friends and others in a support network
• only non-relatives of the patient or proposed patient.

This is a new page that I am in the process of developing..I have a passionate interest in migrant and refugee families and how families change with migration.

Resources for Families

Children

The 2001 Census found that New Zealand children were more ethnically diverse than adults, with 18% of children identifying with more than one ethnic group compared with 6% of adults (Statistics New Zealand, 2002). Three-quarters of all children who specified their ethnic groups identified with the European ethnic group, 24% identified with the Māori ethnic group, 11% with the Pacific peoples ethnic group and 7% with the Asian ethnic group (more than one response could be given so these percentages do not add to 100). Fifteen percent of children could converse in more than one language (compared with 16% of adults). A significant number of children in New Zealand were born here rather than overseas, compared to adults. Nine percent of children were born overseas, compared with 23% of adults. Of the children born overseas, 34% were born in Oceania (Australia and the Pacific), 27% were born in Asia and 21% were born in Europe.

Young people

Relationships

Elderly

The older adult population in New Zealand is increasing and becoming more ethnically diverse. The 2001 Census highlighted significant trends in the ageing population; that the proportion of elderly would rise and that they would become increasingly diverse. There are now approximately 495,000 people aged 65 years and over in New Zealand, accounting for 12% of the total population. The majority of this group are women. In comparison with the under-65 population, the elderly population is less ethnically diverse, the result of a migration policy that have privileged migrants of working age with skills or who are entrepreneurs and unrestricted access to New Zealand by British migrants until the mid-1970s. Twenty nine percent of older people were born overseas, compared with 22% those aged under 65. The 2001 Census found that 14% of people aged 65 and over were born in the United Kingdom or Ireland, compared with 4.9% of the under-65 population (Ministry of Social Development, 2001).

Parenting in a new country

Immigration can lead to a process of extended change and adaptation in all domains of a parent’s life. These changes may include adjusting to a new home, social environment, language, culture, place of work and profession. Often, economic, social and familial support systems are lost or changed. Under such circumstances, parents’ physical and psychological health, self-image, ability to withstand stress and anxiety levels may all be challenged (Roer-Strier, Strier, Este, Shimoni and Clark 2005).

Grandparenting

Research

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Copyright © 2003-2007 Ruth DeSouza. All rights reserved. Contact: ruth[at]ruthdesouza.com.