Andrew Dickens Afternoons

LISTEN TO CALLER GARY TALK WITH ANDREW DICKENS ABOUT HIS OWN CHILDHOODAbout eight per cent of New Zealand children have social, emotional and/or behavioural problems, and another seven per cent are on the borderline of having issues, Ministry of Health statistics say.The numbers have major implications for health and disability services as they could indicate future mental health issues — the largest contributor to disability statistics for 15- to 24-year-olds and about 35 per cent of all health issues for people of that age.That eight per cent figure represents about 57,000 people and suggests better screening of children for mental health issues is needed to ensure no-one missed out on treatment.Issues identified included emotional symptoms, peer problems, hyperactivity and conduct problems."It is possible to detect social, emotional and behavioural difficulties at an early age, which may be indicative of an underlying mental health problem," a new ministry report said. "Being able to do so is important as