Over the next few days the Herald will be running a series of articles on child abuse and highlighting charities working to end it. See the bottom of this page for today's charity.
KEY POINTS:
A new programme that reduces non-accidental shaken baby syndrome injuries by nearly 50 per cent will hopefully be running in Auckland within a year.
The prevention programme - which includes a DVD and printed material - will be delivered to all new parents before they leave hospital with their newborn child.
It is one of the projects the Starship Foundation will contribute money towards. While Starship does receive Government funding there is never enough to go around so the Starship Foundation also helps fundraise for various projects and research.
The foundation is also fundraising for a $135,520 digital retinal camera which is vital in diagnosing and treating child abuse cases where babies have suffered severe eye damage from being shaken. So far $45,000 has been raised but a further $90,520 is needed.
The third fundraising project involves trying to find a further $44,000 a year for a two-year research project into minimising brain damage in intensive care patients.
Carol Stott, the planning and funding manager for child, youth and women's health at ADHB, said a team of experts and the Starship Foundation have formed a working party to look at the Shaken Baby Syndrome Prevention Project, which has had great success in the US and Britain.
Over a five-year period non-accidental head injuries in children under 3 fell 47 per cent in Pennsylvania after the programme was delivered to 65,000 parents.
Ms Stott said the programme could cost about $120,000 a year to run.
It was hoped funds would come from the ADHB, Starship Foundation and public donations through things like the Herald campaign.
"How do you cost the life of a child and what happens to a family when a child dies - you can't cost that. Whatever we say it's going to cost, comparatively it's not going to be much."
How you can help:
New Zealanders wanting to donate to the Starship Foundation can visit www.starship.org.nz/donation or call 0900 STARSHIP (0900 78177447)
Alternately, donations can be made at any branch of the ASB Bank. State the Starship Foundation 04 Account
