Some Normal Families caught up with Police and CYFs since Section 59 amended

AUGUST 2007
**3 August 2007 - Eastern Courier - Boy's 111 'parent assault' call unfounded
A boy called 111 after learning about the new child discipline regulations at school. The 11-year-old turned to police fearing he was assaulted by his parents, but it turned out that he was being disciplined. http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/sundaystartimes/auckland/4150344a22395.html


**14 August 2007 - Karyn Scherer: No, I don't abuse my kids, but thanks for checking
The most extraordinary thing happened to me on Saturday night. I was not long out of my nightly dip in the spa pool with the kids, when there was a loud and unfriendly rap on the front door. "Open up," a man's voice boomed. I scurried to the door in my dressing gown, somehow knowing instantly that it could only be the police, and that some drama must be occurring in our neighbourhood. How right I was. There were three burly policemen on my doorstep, who shone a torch in my face and aggressively informed me that someone in my neighbourhood was concerned that I might be abusing my children. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/466/story.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10457483&pnum=0#Scene_1 and http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10457582


OCTOBER 2007
**28 October 2007 - Stuff - School dobs mum to CYF for hand smack
A Wellington mother says her family has been left traumatised by new anti-smacking laws, after her son's school reported her to Child, Youth and Family for smacking him on the hand. http://www.stuff.co.nz/4253352a10.html and http://www.stuff.co.nz/4253352a10.html and http://familyintegrity.blogspot.com/2007/10/fi-301.html and what the family said about it http://familyintegrity.blogspot.com/2007/10/fi-300.html

**Police Investigate Grandmother for Giving Swearing Grandchild a Smack in Shop Bay of Plenty
In October, a woman had been shopping with her granddaughter at one of the Warehouse stores in the Bay of Plenty to buy a bubble blowing Kit. They decided on one on a lower shelf when the granddaughter spotted one more expensive higher up and insisted that she wanted that one. Grandma said no and the granddaughter let her feelings be known in an offensive verbal manner using the F word amongst others. Grandma responded with a smack. As they left the store, she was surprised to find a policeman waiting to interview her. Aaccording to the store management, a complaint had been made by a member of the public. Fortunately they didn't press charges, but the grandmother was shocked. http://www.familyfirst.org.nz/index.cfm/cases.html

**Solo Mum Investigated by Police When Child Falls Over South Auckland
This South Auckland mother had no previous CYF or Police involvement. In October, she took her 5 year old shopping. As they were leaving the supermarket, the mother chased some money which the daughter had dropped. She then grabbed the child’s hand to lead the child to the car, but the child tripped and fell over. When mum got her daughter back to the car, she gave her a hug and kiss. An hour later, 2 police officers were at the door interviewing both her and her 5 year old after a complaint had been laid. The police said it was a waste of time, but the complaint would be held on file. The mother said “They could have phoned. Their visit surprised me. It made me feel like a criminal. It made me question my parenting skills. I may have been frazzled but in no way did I abuse my child.” http://www.familyfirst.org.nz/index.cfm/cases.html


NOVEMBER 2007

**22 November 2007 - The Dominion Post - Three smacks and he's 'guilty'. A father who spanked his eight-year-old son on the bottom three times for misbehaving at school is one of the first to be convicted of assault under the law against smacking. The Masterton man was sentenced to nine months' supervision yesterday after admitting he had grabbed his son by the shoulder, held him on his knee and hit him with an open hand. http://www.stuff.co.nz/4283366a10.html

December

**Dad argues for right to hit son.A Nelson father charged with assaulting his son, in one of the region's first prosecutions under a controversial new child discipline law, says he is prepared to go to jail for his right as a parent and a Christian to hit his child. Rowan Flynn has been charged with two counts of assaulting his 11-year-old son under the new legislation, which came into effect in June and removed a parent's right to use "reasonable force" when discipling a child. http://www.stuff.co.nz/4315830a11.html