Kia ora koutou Canterbury Caregivers!

“Excuse me?”…”What!”….”Are you sure?” it’s April and nearly Easter. We don’t know about you, but this year is going crazy fast, and we have heaps more exciting things happening, so make sure you keep on reading to find out more.

Hey, how did you find Term 1? We can’t speak for how it went for you, but Jared shared that he’s found it challenging.  His son had to adjust to a new school.  You all know how that can go… Jared has been feeling down because his son, (who because of changes they’ve made, is happy and mostly regulated at home) is struggling at school.

There’s a lot to digest when your tamariki (children) /rangatahi (young person) has experienced developmental trauma. So, to refresh the situation in his own perspective, Jared attended our Ako Ngātahi – Helping Children with Relationships module.  He picked up some useful reminders and hints for bridging the gap between home and school to help his tamariki feel safe and secure, while also giving his boy the tools to begin to build relationships. Here’s some other information about setting up school to be that safe space for our tamariki and young people:

• School staff must have enough information to properly accommodate the student. Ensure they realise that the child’s difficulties with relationships stem from the child’s history of developmental trauma and loss.  Share this information with certain staff members you trust and together make a plan for letting other staff know so in the end it’s positive for your child. It’s a balancing act as sometimes our kids don’t want to be seen as ‘different’, so make sure they, the tamariki, will be made to feel safe.  
• Help staff recognise developmental challenges that may impede learning and social interactions.
• If a teacher is aware of the student’s home life, they can take precautions to avoid discussing sensitive topics that might bring up painful memories.
• If a child has difficulty adjusting to new situations like changes to the timetable, let the school/teacher know this.
• Communicating once a week will provide clarity and open communication.

So if Term 1 was also a struggle for your family situation, set yourself up for success for Term 2 and start building the relationship with your school, remember it takes time. Slow steps at a time. Contact us if you want more information or to chat.

FOSTER CARE AWARENESS WEEK

What an incredible Foster Care Awareness Week! It was great to see old friends and make new ones. While the activities were fantastic, nothing beats sitting back and listening to our community’s laughter and stories.

A special thanks to our Regional Committee for assisting us in organising our events; you are truly all amazing women, and we appreciate your support. Also, a big thank you to all the businesses that donated to our events; everyone who donated was so generous and wanted to show their support to you as Canterbury Caregivers; in fact, a few businesses had themselves been involved in caregiving in some way. Please show them your love and support as well.  Here’s a list of all those who gave to our great events:

Support

Sometimes just having someone on the other end of the phone to talk to is all we need. It is our goal to ensure that you do not care in isolation. So please feel free to contact – Jared on 027 501 0392, or Caroline on 027 501 0005.

We also have some amazing support groups in Canterbury, this is a great space to connect with other caregivers, share your stories and create a supportive community. If you would like to join a support group please contact the liaisons, via email.

Christchurch West Support Group

Group Contact: Bonny

Next Meeting: 04th April, 10am-12pm at 1/1132 West Coast Rd, West Melton

If you could RSVP email: bonbazstephens@gmail.com that would be awesome, we look forward to seeing you.

Christchurch South Kaitiaki

Group contact: Nicole

Next Meeting: 19th April, 7.00pm-8.30pm at Coffee Culture Beckenham

If you could RSVP email: mcleanicole@gmail.com that would be awesome, we look forward to seeing you.

North Canterbury Support Group

Group contact: Deb

Next Meeting: 27th April, 10am-12pm at 3 Ferguson Ave, Waipara

If you could RSVP email: debbiecurtis1965@gmail.com that would be awesome, we look forward to seeing you.

Permanency/Home for Life Support Group

Group contact: Jared

Next Meeting:  26th April, 12pm-2pm at 250 Colombo Street, Sydenham

If you could RSVP email: southsupport@caringfamilies.org.nz that would be awesome, we look forward to seeing you.

Canterbury Men’s Group

Hey, Guys, we’ve got another gathering soon.

Greg is organising for us for another get together.  Details: 16th May 6.30pm-8.30pm at Pomeroys Old Brewery Inn (BYO- Buy your own)

Please RSVP to Greg: gregcurtis66@gmail.com for booking numbers – cheers.

We are looking for support group liaisons in Ashburton, Timaru, and Oamaru! If you are interested, please email Caroline at supportsouth@caringfamilies.org.nz

Also don’t forget our Facebook group, another great way to connect with other members. Click the button below if you would like to join our private caregiver only Facebook group.

OFFICE HOURS:

Ours days of work are MONDAY – FRIDAY 8.00am-5.00pm.  We may be away in the regions for training and support, but we hope for most of the time to have one of us in the office so please ring/text us if you wish to pop in.

training and learning opportunity

Jared is thrilled to announce that he will be conducting a Training Roadshow in Term 2 with assistance from Denise, Upper South Regional Coordinator. Again, this is an excellent opportunity to learn, connect and form a community with other caregivers.

Our Training Calendar will go live in early April, and we will notify you via email and our Facebook page. Contact Dagmar on 0800 693 323 – our Training Coordinator.  She can help you with any questions and even register you for training if you’re having trouble.

Wednesday 03rd May 2023 – Christchurch Central

• Course: What’s behind the behaviour?
• Location: 250 Colombo Street, Sydenham
• Time: 9.30am-1.30pm

Thursday 04th May 2023 – Rangiora

• Course: Difficult Behaviours
• Location: Dudley Park Pavilion, 45 Church Street, Rangiora
• Time: 9.30am-1.30pm

Monday 08th May 2023 – Ashburton

• Course: What’s behind the behaviour?
• Location: Community House – Rakaia Room, 44 Cass Street, Ashburton
• Time: 9.30am-1.30pm

Events

Your Rights as a Caregiver

This event is part of our Ako Ngatahi (Learning Together) series and covers different topics for every session, it is an interactive session followed by Questions-and-Answers and this one will be facilitated by Jared.

Caring Families Aotearoa has been asked to help connect our caregivers with the ‘Children in Care Team’ from Ombudsman New Zealand. The team are trained and experienced in responding to and investigating complaints about Oranga Tamariki and can offer valuable advice on how to make a complaint.

They want to chat with you so you know how you can use them and what the process is when you are unhappy with what has occurred with services or are thinking of making a complaint. They will provide you with an overview of the Chief Ombudsman’s Children in Care Complaints function and the expanded function regarding the Oversight of Oranga Tamariki System Act 2022.

This training will take place in person on Thursday 20^th April from 6.00pm-8.30pm including a light dinner.  It will be at the Caring Families Aotearoa office; 250 Colombo Street, Sydenham. Please register below. 

Ōtautahi Foster Care Association have organised a day out in the school holidays for you, they are inviting all caregivers to Taiora QEII Recreation and Sport Centre in New Brighton Wednesday the 19th April between 1.30pm-3.30pm.

They will be covering the cover charge for a free swim. If you child wants to add the waterslide, they will cover $5 of that entry fee. Please email Angela at angelaswinney2000@gmail.com

Caring Families Aotearoa’s upcoming events. 

We are busy planning our Matariki Event for July and also our Regional Hui scheduled later this year in October, so watch this space!

Tiaki i a koutou anō, look after yourselves!

Caroline & Jared