HELPING HAND FOR DRUG ORPHANS

A NEW group has been formed to help children whose parents die from
drug overdoses.

More than 100 children of drug addicts are left orphaned in Victoria
each year and the group, the Mirabel Foundation, aims to support them.

The group's patrons include former Family Court judge John Fogarty,
musician Deborah Conway and the host of the ABC's Recovery show Dylan
Lewis.

The group was started by drug counsellor Jane Rowe after the death of
a client.

"A girl I was counselling died, leaving behind a five-year-old son,"
she said.

"The young child had a foster grandmother who could have looked after
him but she did just not have the funds."

"It really upset me to think that this young boy would now just be
sent straight into the system without any help and I lay awake all
night thinking that there had to be some good come from all this."

Ms Rowe contacted musician Spencer P. Jones and suggested a benefit
concert could be held. She also enlisted the support of Chris Thompson
from ABC FM radio station Triple J and within a week work had begun to
establish the foundation.

Ms Rowe said children whose parents died from drug use were often left
with no one.

"Having already experienced a life of insecurity in a drug-using home,
they will have no control over where they may be placed.

"Often brothers and sisters may be separated from each other in foster
care arrangements.

"Many suffer emotional, learning and developmental
problems.

"Some will later use drugs as a way of coping with the effects of a
lonely and traumatic childhood."

Youth worker, Jay Jordens said Mirabel was the first group to to focus
on addicts' chlldrem. He said money raised by the foundation would
provide counselling and support services.

Ms Rowe said the group's long-term goal was to buy a house. Mr Fogarty
said children targeted by Mirabel were from "a particularly vulnerable
group".

"When I started in the courts 20 years ago drugs were not that big
problem," he said.

"Nowadays, however, many sections of society appear to be into heavy
drug use."

The Mirabel Foundation will hold benefit concerts at The Prince of
Wales, St Kilda, on December 8 and 9. Performers will include Paul
Kelly, Renee Geyer and Rebecca's Empire.

For further information write to the Mirabel Foundation, P0 Box 1320,
St Kilda South, Victoria, 3182.

Checked-by: Patrick Henry