With five offices across Otago, the social services agency has a primary focus on pēpi, tamariki, and their whānau, while also providing services that support individuals in need.
There are nine social and therapeutic services that Anglican Family Care offers, centred around manaaki whānau, restoration, healing, and hope. They are Family Start, Home-based Family Support, Restorative Justice, Social Workers in Schools, Community Connector Service, Counselling and Play Therapy, Family Centred Service, Strengthening Families, and the Oceans grief and loss programme.
‘‘These are services that can support whānau to make profound and positive change in their lives,’’ general manager Mike Williams says. ‘‘It’s important to look at the bigger picture as well — we are not only interested in crisis response, but in giving whānau and tamariki the tools they need to negotiate the inevitable challenges they will face in the future. As we head out of a period of intense challenge in terms of the pandemic, we are firmly focused on our role in giving people hope that their futures can be better.’’
Anglican Family Care began in 1970 as the Anglican Methodist Family Care Centre — the creation of Anglican social worker Bob Walton, and Methodist Missioner the Revd Bruce Gordon.
Initially, working in borrowed rooms in Dunedin’s Octagon, there were just three staff, and two of those were volunteers. The agency was formally inaugurated in June 1971, after it became clear that social services focused on the needs of children and families were required in the region.
It’s continued to evolve over the decades since.
‘‘From a small, nimble organisation reacting to need in the community as it arose, to a more structured agency delivering established programmes and services,’’ Williams says. ‘‘We always want to be able to respond to changing need, but we’re also aware that we don’t need to be all things to all people. We are one part of a community of support available to whānau, so we focus on ensuring we’re holding our end up with high quality whānau and tamariki centred services.’’
He started with Anglican Family Care as the business support manager in July 2018, and took over as general manager later the same year when Nicola Taylor retired. Previous to Taylor, only Catherine Goodyear, and founder Bob Walton had headed the organisation.
And across their sites in Dunedin, Balclutha, Alexandra, Wānaka, and Ōamaru there are around 65 people, including registered social workers, whānau workers with early childhood education or nursing training, counsellors, programme coordinators, and administrators. Anglican Family Care also engages the services of contractors and volunteers.
However in the current environment, it is an ongoing challenge to keep up with the needs of those who they work with. Williams notes that over time, Anglican Family Care have witnessed a trend of their interventions becoming more complex, and requiring a longer period of engagement.
And their resources have been stretched even further by the impact of the pandemic.
‘‘Life in this age is particularly fast-paced, and often whānau feel like they are swimming against the tide,’’ he says. ‘‘In our work, we see whānau struggling every day emotionally and materially, impoverished in wairua; tamariki affected by trauma, anxiety. Still, we remain focused on the positive impact we can have.’’
Although a book chronicling their history, Southern Service by Julia Stuart, was published in 2021, the pandemic curtailed other celebrations. And so Anglican Family Care are looking forward to marking the 50 year anniversary in the coming weeks. On November 26 there will be a Celebration Dinner at Selwyn College, with keynote speaker Nigel Latta, and MC Damian Newell.
‘‘Our Board of Trustees and management team are really looking forward to the opportunity of gathering in good company and reflecting on a legacy to date of care and excellence,’’ Williams says. ‘‘We’re all keenly aware the job isn’t done yet, but 50 years is certainly worthy of celebrating.’’
There are ‘‘not enough words’’ to thank the many sponsors, supporters, donors, philanthropic organisations, and others who continue to support the work of Anglican Family Care.
In a dynamic environment as the organisation faces its second half-century, it’s an interesting time to be planning for the future Williams notes.
Their principle contracting partner Oranga Tamariki is driving change under its new leadership regime and the Future Direction Action Plan that is focused on improving outcomes for whānau, Māori, and communities.
‘‘We share their aspiration and look forward to continuing the kōrero with our trusted regional colleagues throughout the sector,’’ he says. ‘‘The single most important thing to me is that Anglican Family Care is available to support our community for as long as there is a need for us to do so. We remain committed, Board and staff alike, to a vision of strong, connected and thriving whānau and tamariki, whatever challenges the future brings.’’
Anglican Family Care 50+ Years Celebration Dinner:
Selwyn College, 6pm, Saturday November 26.
CLICK HERE for ticket details.
ANGLICAN FAMILY CARE SERVICES
- Community Connector Service (CCS): A navigation service to individuals and whānau negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Counselling and Play Therapy: Therapeutic services to help tamariki and parents deal with trauma, loss, attachment, abuse, or grief.
- Family Centred Service (FCS): Holistic social work support to reduce the risk of family harm re-occurring in whānau.
- Family Start (FS): Provides support, advocacy, and information about health and safety to parents of pēpi and rangatahi.
- Home-based Family Support (HBFS): Provides support, advocacy, and advice for parents/caregivers of tamariki (up to 18 years). They also deliver one-on-one parenting courses and, in Dunedin, respite care.
- Oceans: A grief and loss programme supporting tamariki and parents who need tools to deal with grief due to change and loss in their lives.
- Restorative Justice (RJ): A response to crime aid that aims to hold offenders accountable and to help restore the harm to victims and to help restore the mana of victims from harm done.
- Social Workers in Schools (SWiS): Supporting tamariki at the following Dunedin schools: Brockville, Bathgate Park, Carisbrook, Concord, and Pine Hill.
- Strengthening Families (SF): A facilitated process to support whānau when they are working with multiple agencies and government services.
