February 2026 Caregiver News: Upper North Region

Kia ora koutou,

Here we are already in the second month of 2026! We haven’t quite had the summer we expected – and I hope you and your whānau are not dealing with a massive clean-up after the stormy weather.

I also hope you managed to get some rest over the holiday period, even for a short time. I am unfortunately supporting a foot injury which has prevented my ability to go away, however it may have been a blessing in disguise as it has forced some much-needed rest by causing me to slow down.

We did manage a New Year’s Day whānau lunch, ground hangi, and boy it was delicious!!! Here are some pictures – from putting in our uncooked basket of kai, to carrying it out cooked!

Some of you may be looking forward to school starting back to get a break. If this sounds like you, please do enjoy some time to yourself when your tamariki return to school.

For many of us, our tamariki have started school already – while others will be starting this week. The new school year often presents many challenges for both caregivers and our tamariki, including obtaining new uniforms and stationery, supporting emotions and heightened behaviours and returning to routines etc. Remember, try to go easy on everyone, including yourself.

Noho ora mai, take care, keep well,
Chris

Training

We have a new self-directed online learning course for caregivers – Attachment 101. 

Attachment 101 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

🎉 Foster Care Awareness Week (2-8 March 2026)
Planning for celebrations is underway! Keep a tab on our dedicated webpage below for registrations opening soon. In the meantime, save the date in your calendar! This year we will hold an event in both Whangarei and Auckland.

Whangarei – Kai and korero
Date: Monday 2 March 2026
Time: 11am – 1.30pm
Venue to be confirmed

Auckland – Nibble, connect & pamper
Date: Wednesday 4 March 2026
Time: 10am – 2pm
Venue to be confirmed

Support

The first support groups for the year will start in March. We’re hoping to re-establish our support groups in the Upper North, but need a little volunteer assistance to get things underway. Read more below!

 We are looking for interested members who would like to become one of three Support Group Liaisons in Central Auckland, West Auckland and the Northshore. We are also looking for Support Group Liaisons for Whangarei and Kaikohe.

We will offer full support to help you in this role – resources, financial support for coffee meetups, and ongoing guidance every step of the way. We’ll make sure everything is in place for you before the first support group meeting. Please get in touch if this interests you – I’d love the opportunity to chat to you about the role! Phone 027 38 9691 or email uppernorth@caringfamilies.org.nz

Expressions of interest in an Online Support Group
I would also like to understand if there is any interest in an online support group. I know for some of our far upper north communities it is hard to meet in person, so I wondered if an online group would be of value. There is a possibility for both a day session and an evening session.

If you would like to be part of an online support group, please get in touch!

If you need someone to talk to feel free to connect with me, your Regional Coordinator, using the contact details below.
M: 027 538 9691
E: uppernorth@caringfamilies.org.nz

My hours of work are 8.00am – 4.00pm Monday through to Thursday
Or you can call our national office on 0800 693 323.