Mere Kirihimete (Merry Christmas) everyone
This year more than any other, I have been keenly aware of the challenges that you have all faced. You continuously demonstrate your strength as you care and advocate for yourselves and tamariki and rangatahi in your care.
Strength often doesn’t feel like strength when situations don’t turn out as you hoped. But perhaps strength is the David and Goliath type, when you try to make a difference against something that seems much bigger than yourself.
As we head into the Christmas and holiday period, I not only wish you a very lovely family/whānau filled Christmas, but also the words of the hymn Te Aroha; ‘Love, Faith, Peace to us all’
Stephanie James-Sadler
National Manager Training & Support
04 282 0490 or 0800 693 323
Te aroha, Te whakapono, Me te rangimarie, tatou tatou e.
I’ll be on leave the same dates as our National Office close down period. Should you require support, contact me or our National Office on 0800 693 323. National Office will be closed from 24th December – 10th January.
Meri Kirihimete / Merry Christmas, thank you for all you do for our Tamariki in Care.
Noho ora mai koe i roto i ngā manaakitanga katoa (May you remain well in every way).
Stephanie
Training
The NCTP training team will be back into the swing of things in February. We have exciting opportunities for you and will be kicking off the year with more online courses, as well as weekend and evening training options in Term 1. We hope to add Legal Information for Caregivers and Identity & Belonging to our online selection. We will also be offering our Keeping Memories and Understanding the National Care Standards courses online again.
Check out our training calendar here. Courses will go live on the 18th of December.
Canterbury Regional Committee
Over the next couple of month’s, we will be profiling our awesome members of the Regional Committee:
Hi there, my name is Deb Dellaway.
I am married to Greg Curtis (I didn’t take his last name when we got married 15 years ago, just to confuse everyone!) I am a full time mum and on the BOT of our local school .We live in a small rural town where we are raising our family. We have 2 biological sons, Matt (28) and Dylan (16) and we also have 3 chosen children (home for life), Haydee (10), Saffy (8) and Statesman (Sam) (2).
We also have a gorgeous grandson Nickson (8), who comes to stay every second weekend .
Our chosen children (permanent) are from 3 different families so that involves 3 visitations from 3 family branches, which range from once a month, every 6 weeks and every 2 months. We also do a special visit for birthdays and Christmas. Phew! But that’s all part of how our family/whanau rolls with it now.
We started caregiving 8 ½ years ago when wee Saffy arrived at 8 weeks old. We were then chosen by Haydee’s Grandparents to become Haydee’s parents when she was just about 5. Then 22 months ago, I met Sam at a caregiver friend’s house and fell in love with him (Sam has Downs Syndrome), so he joined our whānau 20 months ago.
I have learnt so much along the journey and feel that I have a lot to offer other caregivers, even if it’s just a cuppa and a chat. I feel it’s important we all know where we can get support from and where I can connect other caregivers to.
That’s why I joined the Regional Committee, to help out with planning and organising events so caregivers can join together and connect.
Connection for caregivers is so important to me as I believe talking with some one who gets you, gets your life, gets your way of needing to parent differently is such an important thing .
Caregivers are real superheroes in my eyes!
Debbie
Kia ora, I’m Nicole McLean. As you may know, I have recently chosen to dedicate more time to my whānau, relinquishing the privilege of being the Canterbury Regional Coordinator. My passion for the foster community hasn’t diminished however, and that is why I have applied to be a part of the Regional Committee. I know how vital community and connection is to us as caregivers and I hope to be able to assist the committee in nurturing our connections in Canterbury through gatherings and events. We don’t have the power to control many of the challenges we face in our sector, but we can encourage each other and take time to put on our oxygen masks – and maybe the next persons!
Please feel free to contact me, either for a chat via phone or over a coffee. Let’s connect!
Nicole
My name is Rachelle Duncan, and I live near Christchurch with my husband. We have three children at home, and four adult children living independently (well, apart from coming home for meals, and those ever important ‘chats’ with their mum) We have been caregiving for 20+ years, and in that time have provided respite, short term and permanency placements. I am involved in various community groups, including disability support. Due to our fostering journey, I have had to manage a steep learning curve in the special needs arena and have a real passion for being inclusive of multiple needs at activities, groups, and events. I’m excited to be on the committee because I think it’s important to provide caregivers with opportunities to support, share, and do life together. Only by coming alongside others travelling the same path, offering and providing support and shared experience, can we provide well for our children, care for ourselves, and look after our families.
Rachelle
Thanks Debbie, Nicole, and Rachelle for your profiles.
Have you joined our closed Facebook Group?
As a member of Caring Families Aotearoa you have exclusive access to our CLOSED Facebook groups. These are only open to caregivers that are members of Caring Families Aotearoa. This allows our members a platform to seek support, information and resources.
Click the link below to join!