Tēnā Koutou Katoa

By Mike Williams | Posted: Sunday April 30, 2023

Over the last few months, we have been busy refreshing our Community Connect newsletter, we do hope you enjoy the new look and reading about our recent activities since my last update.

At the end of March, we invited supporters to join us in our Dunedin office for a cuppa and a chat, and to personally thank them for their support over the last few years. 

For those of you who couldn’t be there, Caregiver Liaison Social Worker Rose talked about her role and the benefits of providing respite care for whānau. Rose highlighted the opportunities respite care presents for parents to recharge, supporting them to achieve positive changes that can make a big difference for their tamariki. We are forever grateful to our small team of Caregivers who so willingly offer tamariki a loving and caring space in their own homes. If you would like to find out more about becoming a Caregiver, please contact Rose in confidence via phone 0800 FAM CARE or drop her an email to Enquiries@FamilyCare.org.nz

We are privileged to have delivered our Family Start programme since 2000, and over this time kaimahi (staff) have supported many parents, beginning before the birth of their baby or in babies first year. In this edition, we share the experience of a mum who was referred to Family Start by her midwife who identified she would benefit from some extra support. Her story is one of hope, self-determination and courage, as she worked through a range of challenges together with the support of her Whānau Worker.

Also, we’re very pleased to introduce our South Otago Team Leader Katherine Chamberlain. Katherine is an experienced social worker and leader who joined the team in December last year. You can read more in this edition about Katherine, her experience, values, and what led her to joining us at Anglican Family Care.

If you would like to help us progress our work and reaffirm our commitment to a vision of strong, connected, and thriving whānau and tamariki, scroll to the last page of our newsletter for information on how you can support us.