The Open Home FoundationTe Whare Kaupapa Awhina

We are here

Population

4,355,837(February 2010)

Open Home Foundation: • Provide social work and foster care

for CYF

• Provide social work and foster care for own family preservation and statutory clients

• Began implementing Signs of Safety in 2006 and completed the initial implementation in 2007

0

50

100

150

200

250

2007 2008 2009 2010

C/ YP

Children & Young People In Care

0

10000

20000

30000

40000

50000

60000

2007 2008 2009 2010

Carenights

Care Nights Reducing

Words and Pictures In New Zealand

• Jill Devlin leads this work in NZ

• OHF social workers are supported to create the story with family

• The work is time consuming and requires a high level of skill

Sue’s Story

• OHF was approached by Sue’s foster parents

• The work was done by Jill Devlin who consulted with Andrew throughout the process

• Sue was the 5th child of 7 removed from her mother

• She had begun fantasizing about who her family were

What impressed me most?

• This mum had not spoken with child protection for 4-5 years

• Not seen the children for five years

• Hated social workers with a passion!!

• Jill managed to get the mum to engage in the process

about how she came to live with Cathy and Nat  

This book was created for Sara by;• Mummy — Helen • Mum and Dad • Pam Palias—Child, Youth and Family Social Worker • Jill Devlin—Open Home Foundation

Mummy-Helen, Daddy-Glen and Adain took Sue home. Family and friends came around to welcome Sue into the world, it was a lovely time, and Adain was very excited and had lots of hugs and kisses for Sue so did the big girls Jenny, Mary and Lee when they came to visit.

The Judge also said that Sue was to have her own Lawyer (even though she was just a baby). So this was when Fran Brown became Sue’s lawyer. Her job was to make sure that everyone thought about what was best for Sue and to tell the Judge if this was happening.  

My job is to make sure that everyone thinks about what is best for baby Sue.

Very sadly Mummy-Helen and Daddy-Glen gathered together Sue’s clothes and medicines and her favourite little purple dog so she would have her things with her at Cathy and Nat’s.

Mummy-Helen loves Sue very much and is really proud of her. She knows that Cathy and Nat love and care for Sue and even though she misses her precious Sue she is glad to know that Sue has Cathy and Nat as her second Mum and Dad.

Mary and Jenny

“We made our own conclusions and they weren’t necessarily the truth. Probably far from the truth. I suppose they probably did tell us, but in all of the jumble of what was going on, it got lost in our minds. In one ear and out the other. Just make sure that the kids understand as well. Cos I mean it is big – a lot to take in”

Helen

“You know this has made all the difference, it has allowed me to open my heart, it has done so much more than all the psychiatrists and psychologists I have seen over the years. It has let me take down the walls and feel like I can finally move

on”

OHF are grateful for Helen’s willingness and

courage in allowing us to share her story