Our Work
Caring Families Aotearoa exists to support the thousands of children in care in Aotearoa, by supporting their caregivers.
Caregiving is a broad term – it covers anyone raising a child that isn’t their own. This includes foster caregivers, whānau caregivers, respite caregivers and permanent (home for life) caregivers. No matter the circumstances, we are here to enable the caregivers of New Zealand to provide real homes for children. It’s not about finding a place for kids to be held, it’s about creating a home where they can be healed.
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 their why and can help them create secure attachments.
Advocacy
We advocate on behalf of all caregivers to ensure they are enabled, supported, and have the skills to provide tamariki with a secure home where they can be healed. Amongst many, there are currently three areas we are focusing on: Family Group Homes, Non-Statutory Caregivers, and National Care Standards.
Our Story
Every care journey is different. There will be ups and downs, detours and snags – we don’t have one road map for all. What we do have is over 40 years of experience which we share with caregivers and our practice is passed on the latest research for tamariki and rangitahi who have not had the best start in life, for whatever reason. Every journey is different, but our goal is always the same: the best outcome for kids in care.
Who We Are
Caring Families Aotearoa has a dedicated team of people supporting caregivers throughout the country to provide safe and healing homes for children.
Governance
We are governed by 7 dedicated board members, each board member brings with them a wealth of experience from the fostering sector. They decide the strategic direction for Caring Families Aotearoa, ensuring that fostering families are enabled, supported and trained to provide safe and nurturing homes.