Key Assets is proud to be sponsoring this year’s Social Service Providers Aotearoa (SSPA) Conference from 4 5 September 2017. The conference brings together organisations that work with vulnerable children, young people and their families.
The conference held a ground-breaking session today,€˜Beyond Boundaries: Collaboration in Action’ where industry professionals listened to the voices of children and young people on social services.
Key Assets Director, Wayne Ferguson says working together is vital to achieve better outcomes for children, young people and families.
“It is absolutely imperative that we listen to feedback from children and young people. We exist solely to support them through what can be a very difficult time in their life,†Mr. Ferguson said.
“We want our services to be the best possible to ensure children and young people in care have positive outcomes and the best possible chance in life.â€
“We pride ourselves on providing a high level of care and support to children and young people and their foster carers. If there’s something we can do to better support them, we want to know about it,†Mr. Ferguson said.
Workshops at the conference also include€˜What works, and for whom?’ A look at evidence-based social work practice in Aotearoa, as well as workshops highlighting best practice for collaborating with partners and stakeholders.
For a full list of the program and more information about SSPA visit http://www.sspa.org.nz/
My journey as a foster carer started 25 years ago and it has taught me more about myself and the world than I would ever have learned on my own.
I have been fortunate to meet some of the most amazing children and experience some of the best days of my life, along with some of the hardest days.
As a family, we made the decision to become foster carers when our daughter was 5 years old. Being a foster carer is not the easiest, in fact I would place it as one of the hardest and most challenging jobs in the world. The reality is that these children need someone to love them for who they are and stay consistent with them through extreme circumstances.
We signed up for fostering out of a deep compulsion to help vulnerable children who are being neglected in many ways. I believe we all have a responsibility and duty to care for children, whether that’s someone we know, a child at our school or even a relative.
I find a huge satisfaction in bringing happiness to a child’s face which was once consumed with fear and sadness. It’s a privilege to be in a position where I can provide a young life once burdened with fear with a positive upbringing and hope for the future. I seriously encourage others to become foster carers because I want them to experience what I have learned through fostering.
There are many children out there that are desperate for someone to stand beside them and shout to the world that they are unique, they are important and they do matter.
We are fortunate now to have 3 amazing children that have been placed with us for almost 6 years. We have experienced many challenges that all three have thrown at us but we feel that the determination, love and respect that we have given has truly paid off and I get hugged and told that I am loved so many times a day.
Twenty-five years ago, I made a choice that has brought me more happiness, fulfilment and opportunity for growth than I ever knew was possible. I encourage you to take a look and see if fostering is a path for you and your family.
