Kia ora koutou,
After some deep thought and discussion with my family, I have decided to step down from the position of Regional Coordinator. I believe at this time I am needing to refocus on my family commitments in 2021. There are seasons in our lives where we need to take stock as a caregiver, walking my talk. I know I have made the right decision but I also carry mixed emotions, as it has been a fast-paced year and full of learning. I have especially enjoyed connecting with so many amazing caregivers through my work. Your resilience and depth of aroha for the children in your care is an inspiration. It has also been a privilege to be part of the passionate team at Caring Families Aotearoa, who are making a real difference, supporting caregivers to better understand and bring healing to the children in their care.
Training has finished for the year, but I look forward to the workshops the new Regional Coordinator will be bringing. There will be opportunities for specialised training exploring things like what’s behind the behaviour, healing-centred engagement and placement stability in hard times (relevant stuff!). Make sure you contact your Caregiver Social Worker to request our training or phone our National Office on 0800 693 323.
As we head towards Christmas, remember… the ‘silly season’ doesn’t have to be quite as crazy as we think. You may not choose to ‘go bush’, without power, internet (and flushing toilets!) like my whānau are doing, but as we begin to ‘wind down’ towards the end of the year, I hope each one of you takes the opportunity to actually wind down. To hop off that mouse wheel and slow your pace a little… to spend time doing more of the small, simple things you enjoy; to breathe deep and be grateful for the gift each moment brings; to find ways to show delight in those you love… and be kind to yourself.
My husband is reading Jehan Casinader’s book “This is not how it ends”. He has been reading me stories from it that make me think of many of you… you are helping to write a different ending to the life stories of our tamariki with trauma filled pasts. To those of you who are weary – don’t give up! The good you are doing may go unseen for now, but it has a lasting impact.
National Office will be closed from 24 December to 10 January. If you need support, please call National Office on 0800 693 323.
Arohanui,
Heather
Heather Jeffcote
Central North RC
07 281 1137 or 027 501 0393
PS. In last month’s Snippets, I paid tribute to the wonderful team who have been working tirelessly for so many years through the Bay of Plenty Fostercare Association, fundraising and organising events for those in the Bay of Plenty area. Here is a photo of many of these lovely people at their recent Caregiver Dinner.
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.
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!