Tamariki thrive best when they are with their family. That’s why it is so important to keep families together wherever possible. Those connections give children a sense of belonging, reminding them that they are loved and valued.

Let us introduce you to Agnes*. Agnes is a loving nana whose life took an unexpected turn when she took over the fulltime care of her mokopuna (granddaughter), Keira*, when she was only a few weeks old. Agnes knew the best place for Keira was with family, so she opened her home and her heart to Keira.

Agnes knew she would need some help raising Keira so Barnardos Social Worker, Catherine*, began working with the family when Keira was just a few weeks old and continued to support them until Keira started school.

During the pregnancy, Agnes was concerned about how her son and his partner would cope with a newborn. They did not appear to be preparing for the birth and their lifestyle choices at the time could have impacted on the baby’s development. When Agnes tried to talk to them about this, her son would become quite defensive and dismissive of her concerns.

Agnes’s concerns proved true after Keira was born.

Her parents seemed to lack the maturity and stability to care for her, and they were not responding to Keira’s cues. Keira was struggling to thrive. Her parents didn’t bond with her, and Keira’s most basic needs were not met. The midwife, hospital staff, and Agnes were very concerned, leading Oranga Tamariki to ask Agnes to care for Keira full time.

This was a big deal.

Agnes has experienced her own wellbeing challenges. As a result, she can feel very anxious at times, struggle socially, and lack confidence. Additionally, Agnes hadn’t looked after a baby in 24 years; that’s a long time to try to remember what a baby needs! There was also conflict between Agnes and Keira’s parents which made communication between them complicated.

Despite these challenges, Agnes was determined to do her best for Keira.

With support from Catherine, she embraced the role of caregiver, and made sure that Keira could stay with family. Keira was looked after, encouraged, entertained, supported, loved.

Long-term support helped them gain the skills, knowledge, and confidence to move forward and believe in themselves.

Agnes’s hard work ensured that Keira not only stayed with family, but that together, they flourished.

While there were disagreements between Agnes and her son, for Keira’s sake they have been able to work through the issues together. They get on a lot better now and are able to work together as a family to support Keira.

Agnes wanted Keira to have a good relationship with her parents, ensuring they saw her as much as possible and involving them in all of the decisions about her care. As she grew older, Keira spent more time with her mum and dad, eventually having overnight visits with them both.

Despite all these challenges, Agnes has remained determined to do her best for Keira. She’s built confidence and she’s doing a fantastic job at raising Keira.

Catherine wrote Keira a note to read when she’s older. In it she says: “I wanted to let you know how much your nana cared for you and everything she has done over the years to provide a warm, happy and safe home for you.

Their little family is now thriving and has a hopeful future.

*To protect client’s privacy, names have been changed and models used

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