Latest News
Lower North News – September 2021
Kia ora everyone, As I write this, we are again in lockdown. I remember I had just started at Caring Families Aotearoa when we went into the last one. Lockdown is a wonderful opportunity to connect with a lot of caregivers and I am looking forward to doing it again!...
Upper South News – September 2021
Kia ora koutou katoa, Here we are again in an extended lockdown, this time with little notice to get too much organised. I happened to have been away from home in Blenheim when the announcement came, so had no opportunity to grab anything from the office and only have...
Canterbury News – September 2021
Kia ora everyone, Wow, what a month we’ve had. Moving into another Lockdown, some of us planning for vaccines, coming to grips with a new life of wearing masks and our vocabulary now includes QR codes and contact tracing, which two years ago, we wouldn’t ever have...
West Coast Flooding Response
Community help during West Coast FloodingOn 17 July 2021, Westport and Marlborough suffered significant weather conditions resulting in many homes having to be evacuated due to flooding. Several caregivers' homes, cars and possessions had been damaged, most having to...
Lower South News – September 2021
Kia ora to you all, As September and Spring arrive, it’s time that I say goodbye to you. I would like to thank the caregivers who have shared their stories with me, attended trainings, and support groups. I am grateful for the opportunity that Caring Families Aotearoa...
Budget Updates – What You Need to Know
Budget Updates - What You Need to KnowOn 23 June 2021, Hon Kelvin Davis announced further updates including the change to the Birthday and Holiday Allowance to now include caregivers who are receiving the OB and UCB. Previously, this allowance was only being paid to...
Allowance Available for Counselling
Allowance Available for CounsellingDid you know there is a counselling subsidy available through Work and Income? If you, your partner or the children in your care require counselling, you can apply to get financial assistance as part of a Disability Allowance. This...
2021 Excellence in Foster Care Awards
2021 Excellence in Foster Care Awards At Caring Families Aotearoa, we have the privilege of working with and supporting so many amazing caregivers who go above and beyond what is expected of them for the tamariki and rangatahi in their care. This July 16 caregivers...
Celebrating Matariki
Celebrating Matariki in Aotearoa / New ZealandFrom the end of June to mid-July this year in Aotearoa / New Zealand we celebrated Matariki. Matariki is a star cluster in the sky and its arrival has a wonderful meaning; it is a time to spend with whānau (family) and...
Auckland South News – August 2021
Kia ora Koutou, This month, in 1987, the Māori Language Act came into force making Te Reo Māori an official language of New Zealand. In 1985, the Waitangi Tribunal heard the Te Reo Māori claim. This asserted that Te Reo was a taonga (treasure), that the Government was...
East Coast News – August 2021
Kia ora everyone, For those of you who haven't heard yet, Sarah your Regional Coordinator, has moved on to another role. We thank Sarah for the great job she did supporting caregivers and wish her well on her new adventure. Going forward, if you need support,...
Upper North News – August 2021
Kia ora, I needed a break from work after facilitating events and trainings through June. I also experienced the loss of a close family member and friend over the last few months, and welcomed a new mokopuna into te Ao Marama (the world). Life’s like this sometimes,...
North West News – August 2021
Tena Koutou Katoa, A new term ahead and exciting times for Caring Families Aotearoa! You may have heard we have brand new trainings being delivered over the next year! I want to especially highlight the Ako Ngātahi series of on-line trainings that are available, as we...
Central North News – August 2021
Kia ora koutou, As usual, the holidays have gone by very quickly and Term 3 is here. I hope everyone had a restful holiday and is looking forward to what this term has to offer. As I mentioned in my previous Snippet, please keep warm and stay healthy. We know there...
Lower North News – August 2021
Kia ora everyone, I hope everyone enjoyed the school holidays last month. These days, children’s lives are so busy, so it’s nice for them to get some wind-down time as well. It has been very wet around the Wellington region – perfect weather for ducks but not much...
Upper South News – August 2021
Kia ora koutou, As I pen this month's newsletter, it is the first day of term 3. It is teeming down with rain into grounds that are already sodden. These holidays have sent our region into another difficult time. Westport in particular, but also Marlborough and the...