February 2026 Central North Caregiver News

Kia ora e hoa mā, hello friends

Happy New Year everyone! I hope 2026 has started well for you. I had some lovely time off and managed to get outdoors and explore some beautiful places including the Blue Springs in Pūtaruru, some walks while driving the back roads of South Waikato and of course the beach!

I’m looking forward to seeing what 2026 has in store for us all and am currently preparing for the events we have coming up this month and next to celebrate Foster Care Awareness. I am also on the lookout for new Regional Committee and Support Group Liaison volunteers, so keep reading to find out more below.

Ngā mihi,
Christie

Training

Want to kick start 2026 with a new self-directed online learning course for caregivers?

Attachment 101 is a course that will empower you to nurture a healthy relationship with the child or young person in your care. We explore attachment styles and how to foster secure attachments with children who have experienced trauma or adversity.

Registrations are open now for this, or any other course in our caregiver training suite. The current intake closes on Wednesday 4 February, so be quick!

EVENTS

Next month we have Foster Care Awareness Week! I am planning lots of fun, inspiring and relaxing activities for you all. But first, in February, I am excited to hold a workshop that will show you how to cultivate safety and connection for neurodivergent tamariki who have experienced early adversity.

🔎 Beyond Behaviour: Supporting Neurodivergence through a Trauma Informed Lens
Date: Tuesday 17 February 2026,
Location: South Auckland:
Time: 10am-12pm

Are you caring for a child who sees the world differently?

It can be incredibly difficult to untangle the threads of a child’s behaviour. Is this a trauma response? Is it Autism or ADHD? Or is it a complex mix of both?

Join us for a morning with Brooke Trenwith where we will dive deep into the intersection of trauma and neurodivergence. This session is designed specifically for caregivers who need practical tools, not just theory. We will move beyond “managing behaviour” and look at how to cultivate safety and connection for neurodivergent tamariki who have experienced early adversity.

We will cover:

* The “Double Whammy”: Understanding how trauma impacts the neurodivergent brain.

* Sensory vs. Safety: Decoding whether a meltdown is sensory overload or a trauma trigger (and how to respond to both).

* Practical Strategies: Low-demand parenting, co-regulation tools, and creating an environment where our kids can thrive.

Come for the learning, stay for the cuppa and the Q&A!

🎉 Foster Care Awareness Week in Hamilton

Art Makers Creative Morning
Come along for a relaxed, facilitated art workshop! Get your creative flow going, meet other caregivers and enjoy morning tea together.

Date: Tuesday 3 March 2026
Time: 9.30am – 1pm
Venue: Art Makers, Norris Ward Park Arts & Crafts Centre, 2 Seddon Road, Hamilton

🎉 Foster Care Awareness Week in Rotorua

Redwoods Foster Wander & Lunch
Enjoy soaking up the goodness of the Redwoods with a relaxed walk through the forest (we’ll be doing the easy level walk that takes up to one hour), followed by a pizza lunch at Eastwood Café. Come for one, or both parts of the event.

Date: Wednesday 4 March 2026
Time: 10.30am – 1.30pm
Venue: If joining for the Redwoods walk meet at the TreeWalk Information Centre/Shop, 1 Long Mile Road, Whakarewarewa, Rotorua at 10:30am. If joining for lunch only, meet at the entrance of Eastwood Cafe located at the end of Titokorangi Drive / Long Mile Rd (access off Tarawera Road) at 12pm.

🎉 Foster Care Awareness Week in Taupō

Restorative Yoga
Join a relaxing and restorative guided yoga session, suitable for beginners/everyone! If you’d like an hour to calm the body and mind (and possibly take a nap), come join.

Date: Wednesday 4 March 2026
Time: 6.15pm – 7.30pm
Venue: Love Yoga Taupō, unit 13A, 29 Totara Street, Taupō

Caregiver meet-up at the Garden Cafe
Join me for coffee, cake and connection with other caregivers in your community.

Date: Thursday 5 March 2026
Time: 10am – 11.30am
Venue: The Garden Cafe, 101 Heuheu Street, Taupō

☕ Hamilton Café Meet Up Series

On the fourth Wednesday morning of the month, we’ll be getting together at some different cafés in Hamilton to catch up and, in some cases, hear from a guest speaker.

The first meet up will be at 10am on Wednesday 25 February at Punnet Eatery, 337 Newell Road, Tamahere.

Join me for morning tea and connection with other caregivers! I’d also like to hear your thoughts on useful guest speakers for future meet-ups. If you’d like to come along, please drop me an email to centralnorth@caringfamilies.org.nz or text me (027 501 0393).

support

Hamilton Support Group
This group will be joining in with the Hamilton Café Meet Up, advertised above, on Wednesday 25 February. Please RSVP if you can come! If you’d like to volunteer as the liaison/host for this group, check the “Join our Team” details below.

Rotorua Support Group
Date: Wednesday 18 February 2026
Time: 10am – 12pm
Where: 21 Sala Street
RSVP: Lena 027 253 0115

Don’t forget our Private Regional Facebook Groups can be an avenue for support and connection. You can ask questions here, find out about events, support groups, or information on the latest Caring Families Aotearoa training courses. Click below to join if you haven’t already!

Regional Committee Volunteers needed

I’m keen to hear from anyone who is interested in being part of our Regional Committee team in 2026. This is a volunteer role for up to 2 years at a time and I’m on the lookout for volunteers living in South Auckland (Anywhere between Manukau to Te Kauwhata) and the Waikato.  

It’s a great opportunity to meet a range of people caregiving in your local area and support the work of Caring Families Aotearoa in helping caregivers feel less alone in their caregiving journey, and more appreciated and connected through caregiver events during the year. 

If you can give a couple of hours each month (maybe a few more leading up to an event) and are keen to bring your positive energy and awesome ideas to the committee’s event planning and event hosting, I’d love to hear from you to chat more about this role. 

Get in touch to learn more: 027 501 0393 or centralnorth@caringfamilies.org.nz 

Support Group Liaisons needed

We have a couple of opportunities in Hamilton and South Auckland for people to host a local caregiver group. These groups usually happen once a month for a couple of hours and become a key source of social and peer support for our members.

The liaison role will involve:

• Being the key contact/liaison person for caregivers wanting to know more about group meetings.
• Hosting each meeting – making sure the meeting place is organised and refreshments provided (we’ll help with the $ if there is a cost).
• Linking caregiver members with their Regional Coordinator if they need ongoing support.
• Being a friendly, non-judgemental face to welcome people who may not know much about Caring Families Aotearoa.
• Promoting the group in your local community – e.g. sharing our information/brochures at the nearby school or community centre.

Get in touch to learn more about these volunteer roles: 027 501 0393 or email centralnorth@caringfamilies.org.nz.