October 2026 North East Caregiver News

Ngā mihi nui ki a koutou! 

Kia ora koutou,

Well, it has sure been a very busy couple of months.  I have officially moved back to covering the North East and Central North area and it has been a pleasure reconnecting with members and meeting new members. I want to acknowledge the amazing role you play in raising the tamariki / rangatahi in your care. Ka mau te wehi!

Since returning to the region, I have met with key contacts, discussing what are the current needs, what we can do to connect, and developing some plans.  So, keep an eye out as there are some exciting things coming up.

I had an awesome opportunity in September to be involved in professional development through Te Whare o Oro which is a Mātauranga Māori framework that uses the structure of a whare tūpuna (ancestral meeting house) as a metaphor to understand the roro (brain) and neurodevelopment.  

We learnt the different parts of the brain, the role these parts play through a Te Ao Māori lens.  We also explored practical application of resources and mapped out how these could support families.  I am very honoured to have been given this opportunity to develop my knowledge and strategies to support our members who are raising a child that is neurodivergent.

I would love to hear from you if you have any questions, or ideas for connection events in your region.  You’ll find my contact details above.

EVENTS

Have you heard it’s our 50th Anniversary and there are lots of ways to get involved in our 50th Celebrations. You can enter our monthly competition, register for a free gift, watch our 50th Anniversary video, or read some inspiring stories from some very special people who have helped shape who we are today as an organisation. If you haven’t already seen all the ways we are celebrating our 50th Anniversary, click below to go to our page on our website.

SELF-DIRECTED ONLINE TRAINING

Have you tried our new registration process for online caregiver training yet? If you’re an eligible trainee, we’ve started sending you a monthly invitation from our training platform, with a link to find out more and register for courses in the next intake.

We’d love to hear your feedback while the platform is still new – as it has been designed with your busy days in mind. Like any new system, we have experienced some teething issues, but we’re working hard behind the scenes to ensure the process is seamless for you. Send any thoughts and comments to us at training@caringfamilies.org.nz

If you’re caregiving under an Agency, our monthly invitations to register for training are sent to your Agency instead. Have a chat with your Agency and let them know which of our courses you’d like to start!

You can find information about our caregiver training courses and the registration process at the button below.

New courses for October

This month we’re introducing two new Additional Courses to our training suite. Each course takes approximately one hour to complete, but you don’t need to finish them in one sitting – just like all our courses, you can dip in and out and save your progress as you go.

Helping Babies Heal – understanding the impact of trauma

Learn how to recognise and respond to the emotional and developmental needs of an infant or toddler in your care. We’ll leave you with strategies for building trust, security and healthy attachment.

They Care Too – the impact of fostering on biological children

We explore the experiences of biological children in mixed caregiving households, navigate the unique challenges (and some opportunities too!) and learn practical strategies to support positive relationships and help the whole family thrive.

Register by Tuesday 6 October if you’d like to take advantage of this training, or any of our Foundational Level courses, this month.

Missed the email?
We’ve received a few enquiries from caregivers who haven’t seen the email from our registration platform inviting you to register for courses. If this sounds familiar, check your junk mail or search for these details in your Inbox – sender no-reply@caringfamilies.net.nz and subject “Invitation to sign up for Caring Families Aotearoa training course”.

SUPPORT

Tauranga Support Group
We are in the middle of planning a 50th Celebration event for this group.  Information will be sent out as soon as the logistics are sorted!

If you need support, or just need someone to talk to, feel free to contact me, your Regional Coordinator on M: 027 501 0393 / E: christinef@caringfamilies.org.nz

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

Tiaki i a koutou anō, look after yourselves!

Chris