Creating Homes that Heal
We help children heal. On their own children do not recover from the devastating impact of abuse, neglect, or family violence. They need to be surrounded by families or whānau who can support them to heal, who understand them and can help them create secure attachments.
Caring Families Aotearoa is here to support families and whānau who open their homes and hearts to tamariki in need of care and protection by CREATING HOMES THAT HEAL
Our Practice
Caring Families Aotearoa have developed the mantra, we want children to be ‘Healed not Held’ in care.
We once had the belief that if we gave a child love and a nice place to live, all would be okay. Of course, we now know this is not the case as children that have experienced adversity early in their lives will reject the love you give them and may also disrespect the environment you offer. Many of the children that come into our homes have learnt to fear relationships along with feeling they are undeserving of what we offer them.
Caring Families Aotearoa undertook extensive research into what you, as caregivers, could do to help the children that came into our homes. What could you do to provide healing for these children?
What we found was that there are many good people working hard to help provide the healing foster children needed, but one approach stood out more than the others for us – DDP (Dyadic Development Psychotherapy, or Practice) developed by Dan Hughes . It is based on a theoretical understanding of attachment and intersubjective relationships, and the impact of developmental trauma.
Alongside this, Kim Golding (UK) , developed Foundations for Attachment a programme specifically for caregivers. In consultation with local community, including Iwi, we have adapted this programme to fit within the New Zealand context.