Kia ora everyone,
Firstly, I want to say a big thanks to Deb and Greg Curtis & Nicole and Anton McLean for being our (Caring Families Aotearoa) face, hands and feet at our recent events in Canterbury. Thanks to all the caregivers and tamariki that attended and made both days so special. Also thank you to the groups that helped make the days awesome by supporting them: Waipara Primary School, Waipara Volunteer Fire Brigade, Pam’s Coffee Cart and the wonderful use of the hot dog trailer from CMG Motors Christchurch.
Stephanie James-Sadler
National Manager Training & Support
04 282 0490 or 0800 693 323
Otautahi Caregiver Group held an event recently. Thanks to Angela and all the others for helping organising it all.
Other connection/support groups have also started up for the year. Please let me know if anyone has a notice, information or dates of future meetings and I’ll happily add them in for other caregivers that might want to join.
Foster Care Awareness Week
I’d like to take this opportunity from Caring Families Aotearoa to acknowledge those of you who are Whānau/Foster/Kin/Permanent caregivers. You are a group of extraordinary, unique individuals and whanau that have certainly left an unforgettable, positive imprint in many lives. Please take some time to read our acknowledgment to you…. you who have turned your homes/whare and lives into sanctuaries, hospitals, safe havens, classrooms and sometimes even battlefields for our children and youth (and not without costs)… but here we go:
Thank you for the courage to welcome a stranger into your home with little to no knowledge of who they are or what impact they will make.
Thank you for stepping up in your whānau/family when others wouldn’t/couldn’t but you did.
Thank you, Nan, Koro, Grandma, Grandad, Aunty, Uncle for being brave in wanting to change, in doing things differently so the next generation will have positive transformation.
Thank you for being driven by the hope and faith that you can make a positive difference in the life of a child or youth.
Thank you for allowing your values and world views to be challenged by a rangatahi coming from a very different place in life than your own.
Thank you for understanding the damaging impact of childhood trauma and making every effort to help the child/ren and youth in your care heal.
Thank you for putting your family stability, harmony and relationships at risk for the sake of a tamariki not your own.
Thank you for dealing with disappointments by getting right back on the horse and marching full steam ahead.
Thank you for taking in tamariki and rangatahi (children and youth), at all hours of the night, under crazy circumstances and much uncertainty.
Thank you for putting your lives “under the microscope”, in essence, living in a glass house under the scrutiny of so many agency eyes.
Thank you for going to battle with schools, doctors, social workers, probation officers, even neighbours, as an advocate for your kids.
Thank you for many nights of little to no sleep as you have served as a comforter, consoler or watchdog.
Thank you for magically making the limited reimbursement you receive stretch far enough to make sure your children’s needs are met.
Thank you for being the “Transporter”– running kids here, there and everywhere.
Thank you for altering your home and lifestyle in order to comply with approval and safety regulations.
Thank you for working within a challenging system which can automatically assume you are “guilty” of any complaint until proven otherwise.
Thank you for participating in lots and lots of training; and also, for seeking advice when you need it most.
Thank you for traveling the “extra mile” and more—over and over and over…
Thank you for laying out your life story– the good and the bad– in plain view, in order to become a foster/whanau/kin parent.
Thank you for participating in team meetings, IEP’s, case debriefings, attending court and all of the extra activities that come bundled in with the tamariki in your care.
Thank you for your creativity and all the amazing, fun ideas and activities you come up with to help your tamariki.
Thank you for filling out lots of forms, saving receipts, completing logs, maintaining secure files and records, and conducting all the other “administrative” duties required of state approved foster/whanau/kin parents.
Thank you for asking for emergency help and assistance when needed.
Thank you for being the “first responder” to the multiple emergencies and crises with the children in your care.
Thank you for being a counsellor, a tutor, a coach, a friend and a role model to your tamariki and rangatahi.
Thank you for letting your home become “Grand Central Station” with so many workers intruding into your space.
Thank you for being a wonderful, willing team player.
Thank you for continuing to love when you get rejected, healing the hurt, guiding the lost and changing your parenting approach to help heal so their challenging and inappropriate behaviour lessens as they learn to trust you.
Thank you for staying connected with your foster children, long after they have left your home.
Thank you for being one of the most significant, lifelong influences in the life of the tamariki or rangatahi in your care.
Thank you for being Mum or Dad when it wasn’t your role, but you chose to.
THANK YOU
(adapted from Family Care Network blog)
Kia ora mo to whakaaro kore (thanks for the giving of yourself)
Stephanie
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