Kia ora,

It’s hard to believe the countdown to Christmas has started for another year!

Christmas can be a challenging yet rewarding time for caregivers. The tamariki in your care may be experiencing many complex emotions,

which can present themselves as difficult behaviours in the home. This is a time when you can really put PACE (Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity, Empathy) into practice to connect with your child and help them feel safe and secure.

Make time to enjoy your favourite Christmas traditions with your whānau (and perhaps even create some new ones); Decorating the tree together, making homemade cards for loved ones, watching festive movies and cooking special kai. If Christmas is a difficult time for your tamariki, remember that you have the ability to create new positive memories with them, to rewrite their perception of the holiday season, and what a wonderful thing that is.

During the Christmas break, I hope you also remember to take some time for yourself to recharge for the year ahead. As we so often stress, self-care is not selfish. Have a read of Rob’s article to hear more on taking care of yourself this holiday season.

The team at Caring Families Aotearoa wishes you and your whānau a very Meri Kirihimete (Merry Christmas) and a Happy New Year. Our National Office will be closed from Friday 23rd of December through to Monday 9th January. If you experience an urgent matter during this time involving allegations, please call 0800 693 278.

Lastly, I would like to touch on a change that our organisation will be welcoming with the New Year. We will be centralising the support for the Canterbury and Lower South regions of the country. We will have two Regional Coordinators to cover this combined region, and we’re hoping it will forge a stronger, tighter-knit community for our South Island caregivers.

A big thank you to each and every one of you. Your commitment is unwavering, and your love, unconditional. The team and I look forward to seeing you in 2023.

Until then, Tiaki i a koutou anō (look after yourselves) and have a safe and happy Christmas and New Year.

Linda Surtees

CEO