Children still to realise miners' plight

Inspector Brigitte Nimmo in the community drop-in centre at the Salvation Army Citadel in Greymouth. Photo / Mark Mitchell

At least 10 children have fathers trapped in the Pike River coal mine - and there is one unborn child who may never meet its father.

More than 10 others go anxiously through their primary school routines while their fathers prepare to enter the burning, gassy, potentially explosive mine to rescue their mates, trapped underground since the explosion on Friday afternoon.

But police inspector Brigitte Nimmo, who co-ordinates welfare services for the miners' families, said the children most affected - those whose fathers are trapped - had not faced the grim reality.

"They don't understand it fully. For them, it's 'Dad's on a holiday' or 'he's just stuck underground'. They are holding that kind of view," Ms Nimmo said.

No children have showed up at police briefings, and child support services made available have hardly been taken up.

"At the moment, it's a small community and the community is supporting each other," she said.

But the children will need outside support eventually, as their emotions peak and trough.

"Over time, there will be a change. The impacts are going to continue for a long time," Ms Nimmo said.

Among the children left fatherless for now - until the rescue gets under way - is 5-year-old Heidi, daughter of miner Brendon Palmer, 27.

Another 5-year-old girl, Tui, is the "adored" daughter of Stuart Mudge, 31. No one has heard from them for five days.

At local schools, all appears normal, at least from a distance. But on a closer look, everyone is affected.

A 13-year-old girl said her brother was friends with the youngest trapped miner, Joseph Dunbar, 17. Her friend has an uncle stuck underground. She is chatty, cheery and seemingly in good spirits - but that is not the full story.

"You have to keep strong for everyone," she said, and for a moment the gravity of the situation flashed across her face.

A mother-of-four said her three school-age children watched every news update and they even asked her to record the ones they missed during school.

They were curious, concerned and hoping for a miracle, she said.

"They're pretty switched on, really. They talk about it just like we do."

The children carried their concerns through the schoolgates, where even maths and playground sports could not take the disaster off their minds.

One of her children has a classmate whose grandfather is in the mine.

The child came home from school to let her know: "She's feeling pretty sad."

Grey Main Primary School principal Mandy O'Sullivan said 12 Pike River miners had children at her school, though none were trapped.

Ten others are part of Mines Rescue, ready to enter the hazardous mine when conditions clear.

Extra counselling and teaching resources have been made available to the school by the Ministry of Education.

"At this stage, the students have been exceptionally brave in a time of uncertainty," Ms O'Sullivan said.

The children had been reassured and encouraged to talk honestly about the situation, and they had not been overdramatic, she said. "[But] they're anxious like the rest of us, really."

It was important that parents sent their children to school and made sure they had consistency, she said.

Many parents kept their children home on Monday, but most turned up yesterday.

"It was paramount to ensure the children were emotionally safe," Ms O'Sullivan said.

The school has not had an assembly to discuss what is going on at Pike River, but the principal has addressed the issue in a school newsletter.

"We feel it's important to keep routines as normal as possible."