November 2023 Caregiver News: East Coast Region

Greetings, East Coast! This is James from Caring Families Aotearoa, bringing you the latest updates. I trust everyone is in good health.

These past months have been quite eventful as we approach the year’s end. The school holidays added a fair bit of stress for many Caregivers. I hope you all had a chance to support one another during this time.

Speaking of challenges, my own family faced a funny situation during the holidays. The constant rain in the first week left us with a shortage of crayons and colouring pencils, but don’t worry, we made it through with a little laughter! 😄

Hastings Movie Event

Thanks to all the whānau that came to our movie event last weekend.  It was great to see you all and connect.  It’s lovely just to be together and have some fun.  Special thanks to VOYCE for their part in the event.  Nice to have other adults supervising the tamariki, so the caregivers and I could sneak in a coffee and chat! I look forward to putting on another movie event next year.

Training

Date to Remember (and book in!)

Thursday 30th November – Stephanie (National Support Manager) is coming up to Napier for a couple of days and she and I are delivering our face-to-face training “Family Dynamics – Torn Loyalties”.

It’s at my office building (7 Lee Road, Taradale, Napier) from 9:30am – 1:00pm. We’ll be exploring ways to strengthen our children’s sense of safety and belonging while helping them navigate their relationships and contact with their biological families. For more details about this workshop and to register, CLICK HERE.

We also have a number of ONLINE courses available this month. Refer to our training calendar below for more information.

support

Just thought I’d recap about who Caring Families Aotearoa are and what/why I’m here supporting you:

We are an organisation that provides essential support to caregivers and families/whānau involved in the care and the well-being of children and young people. We offer various services and assistance to ensure the best possible outcomes for these children and their caregivers.

Some of the support I can provide includes;

• Training and Education: we are here to provide training and education for caregivers to equip you with the knowledge and skills needed to care for tamariki and young people effectively. We also offer information and resources to help you understand your rights and responsibilities and access relevant services, while also helping you to navigate the complex care system.

• Advocacy: I can act as an advocate for caregivers, ensuring that your voices are heard, and your needs are considered.

• Support Networks: I facilitate support networks and communities for caregivers to connect, share experiences, and offer mutual support.

• Emotional Support: I’m here and open to hearing what you are struggling with as caregivers.  I empathise as a caregiver myself.  I recognise the emotional toll that this wonderful and challenging role throws at us.  Call me, and as they say, a problem shared is a problem halved!

Caring Families Aotearoa plays a vital role in promoting the welfare and stability of caregiving families/whānau in Aotearoa, ultimately aiming to provide children and young people with safe, nurturing, and loving home environments. Our work is instrumental in strengthening the nation’s caregiving community and ensuring the best possible outcomes for children in care.

Want to chat?

Contact me on 027 204 6908 or at eastcoast@caringfamilies.org.nz

You can also connect with other caregivers through our Private Regional Facebook Group – Caring Families Aotearoa East Coast Support | Facebook

Noho Marino, Noho Hono / Stay Calm, Stay Connected

James