August 2025 Lower North Caregiver News
Tēnā Koutou Katoa,
What a chilly winter we are having this year, I hope that you are all keeping warm.
Since its wintertime, our whānau have been pulling out the slow cooker and making some amazing stews and soups with some fresh home-made fry bread. There is something about winter that makes me want to have comfort food, wrap up in a blankie and watch a good show.
Here is a favourite fry-bread recipe that I love to use, which might get you baking and have fun making it, as well as some favourite toppings:
- Plain butter
- Butter and golden syrup
- Butter and jam
Training
Some of the reasons I think you should try our training are:
- You do it in your time, this way you can control your learning journey.
- You have a month to complete it.
- You keep what you finish, the resources are yours to reflect on whenever you want to.
- Courses are easy to follow and have all the information you need.
- I am your support person!
- A chance to win L’Oreal with every submission of a course evaluation form.
Join me and other caregivers as we journey together expanding our toolkits and learning how to deepen our connection with our children through DDP and PACE.
Caregiving 101 withdrawn
You may be aware that we were expecting to release Caregiving 101 this month. This training has been temporarily withdrawn to ensure it gives you all the tools you need when beginning your caregiving journey.
If you have already registered for Caregiving 101, please know that you will be the first to learn when it becomes available. We apologise for this inconvenience, but we really want to make sure Caregiving 101 is right for you. If you have any questions, please email training@caringfamilies.org.nz
New course available
National Care Standards Part 2: Supporting the wellbeing, development and education of children and young people in care – now sits alongside Parts 1 and 3 of our National Care Standards training.
As is the case with all our self-directed online training, National Care Standards Part 2 can be completed online at a time and date that suits you. However, if you’d like to get underway this month, please make sure you register by midday Wednesday 6 August 2025. Too busy? Don’t worry – you can select a start date for later in the year, instead.
Click below to learn more about our full range of self-directed courses.
If you would like some more information about our new training format, or you are unsure about how it works, please do get in touch! Also, let me know if you are part of a support group and would like to do the training as a group. I would be happy to lead this training.
Once you have completed our new courses, let me know what you think – I’d love to hear your feedback!
EVENTS
I want to give a huge mihi to our caregivers, Woven Whanau and Tupoho from Whanganui for attending and supporting our Matariki Mā Puanga event. What a wonderful time we had sharing our care experiences and learning together about Puanga. For those why may not know, Puanga is also known as the star Rigel, and this star is the Northwest predictor for the new year. Much like many of the caregivers who attended the event, we learned about how Puanga is essential in;
- taking our loved one’s home to the sky where they become stars,
- weather predicting,
- and preparing and harvesting for the new year.
We had amazing kai, hangi made from Charlies and Dels Hakari, and finished our day with weaving stars. I came away feeling connected to the region of Whanganui.
SUPPORT
I want to share a big thank you to Nigel Christie and the Taranaki Support Group for having me. It was wonderful to share our journeys, experiences and connect.
If you want to keep up to date with what we have going on, we have private member’s Facebook pages for our regions, see further down.
SUPPORT GROUPS
Wellington Family and Foster Care Association
Date & Time: Friday 15 August, 10:30am
Venue: Columbus Café, Mitre 10 Mega Petone, 25 Bouverie Street, Petone
Join WFFCA for morning tea, our shout!
RSVP Tori 027 425 4709 by Wednesday 13 August.
Levin PACE Support Group
Date & Time: Wednesday 20 August, 10am
Venue: 11 Durham Street, Levin
Join us as we discuss blocked trust and blocked care, what causes them and how we repair using the C in PACE. Tea and Coffee will be provided.
RSVP to: jan.ladhams@gmail.com
Manawatu Foster Care Association
Date & Time: Friday 4 September , 10.30am
Venue: Feilding Library, No Knead to Book Cafe. Light refreshments covered.
RSVP to: judithwilliamsnz@gmail.com
FACEBOOK SUPPORT GROUPS
For the Lower North Region, I update and administer the following three Caring Families Aotearoa Support Facebook Groups. Please click the buttons below to join, if you haven’t already!
If you need someone to talk to feel free to connect with me, your regional coordinator – 027 501 03941
My hours of work are 8.30am-4.30pm, Monday to Friday.
lowernorth@caringfamilies.org.nz
Or you can call our national office 0800 693 323.
Ngā mihi,
Ebony