Strategic Plan 2026-2029 | Mahere Rautaki
This plan offers a clear new direction and focus. It will help to align our people, resources, and decision making, around our shared priorities, better enabling us to achieve our long-term goals.
At a glance
Our focus: is on strengthening caregiver wellbeing, growing high-quality training, championing better systems for all children in care, building a sustainable organisation, and embedding Te Tiriti o Waitangi across everything we do.
What this means for members: Clearer support pathways, more accessible and relevant training, a stronger national voice on your behalf, and an organisation built to support you well into the future.
Why this Strategic Plan Matters to you: Caregiving is becoming more complex and emotionally demanding. Caregivers are navigating trauma-informed care, system pressures, funding constraints, and increasing expectations—often with limited support.
This strategy responds directly to those realities. It sets out how Caring Families Aotearoa will focus its effort and resources over the next three years to better support caregivers and improve outcomes for children in care.
Strategic Plan 2026-2029 | Mahere Rautaki
Enhance Holistic Wellbeing Support for Caregivers
Develop a wraparound wellbeing framework that supports caregivers’ emotional and practical needs, recognising the increasing complexity and emotional toll of caregiving.
Tuamata rau – promoting excellence in caregiving and professional practice.
- Increase awareness of all Caring Families Aotearoa support services.
- Provide current and relevant information to enable improved navigation of the care sector for caregivers.
- Ensure support is appropriate and promotes mana motuhake (authority to decide).
Establish Caring Families Aoeatroa as the National Centre for Excellence in Therapeutic Care
Position Caring Families Aotearoa as New Zealand’s leading provider of trauma-informed, therapeutic caregiving education, ensuring training is accessible, adaptable, and relevant for real-life care challenges.
Ha manu – practice for children in care will be trauma-responsive, attachment framed and evidence based.
- Promote and grow our Caring Families Aotearoa Training Framework for caregivers and professionals.
- Ensure our learning pathways are enhanced by being intentional, purposeful and inclusive of Te Ao Maori.
- Develop and offer specialist training opportunities to advance caregivers’ career pathways within the sector.
Champion a system that genuinely understands and addresses the unique needs of children in care.
To advocate for Government policies and practices that ensure care systems are responsive to the individual needs, experiences, and voices of caregivers and children in care.
Whakarongo – ensure the voice of caregivers informs decision making.
- Advocate for funding to be better aligned with need.
- Promote equality for statutory and non-statutory caregivers in funding, recognition, and systemic inclusion.
- Ensure advocacy upholds tino rangatiratanga (caregivers maintain control of decisions and self-empowerment).
Future-Proof the Organisation for Sustainable Impact
Build a resilient, future-ready organisation by diversifying funding streams, strengthening workforce development, and investing in technology to support growth, agility and long-term impact.
Taumata rau – promoting excellence in caregiving and professional practice.
- Develop a diversified funding strategy.
- Invest in team development to grow internal capability.
- Harness digital systems to improve service delivery, data tracking and national reach.
Embed Te Tiriti Commitments and Cultural Competency across all Operations
Fully integrate Te Tiriti o Waitangi Principles into governance, training, support services, and organisational culture.
Pono – work in a culturally responsive, ethical, responsible and professional manner, respecting the inherent worth and diginty of others.
- Ensure Partnership is represented at governance, management, and regional levels.
- Ensure Participation in cultural competency development pathways for staff, volunteers, and caregivers.
- Ensure Protection of strategic partnerships with iwi, hapū and community organisations to provide support that is locally attuned and culturally responsive.