jo voice

I live and work in Whanganui, Aotearoa New Zealand. My career has involved working with children, young people and their whānau in various settings, primarily with children in foster care. After 18 years working in child protection, including leading a national team, I have recently shifted to working as a Manager at the Whanganui Women’s Refuge. 

I am working with my community to design a service for extended whānau caregivers who agree to provide care for tamariki so they do not need to enter into state care. My vision is that whānau caregivers will be supported to make informed decisions about providing care, with a commitment of ongoing support so that that tamariki can thrive outside of state care.