Upper South Regional Hui speakers

Cristina Fon
**Psychology Associates Nelson**

Across the 18 years of my practice, in both the public and private sector, a main recurring theme with my clients is helping them work through how their choices may lead to ongoing interpersonal and personal difficulties or legal issues. Taking a non-judgmental yet honest approach, I work with clients to help them ...
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Jo Richmond
**Oranga Tamariki - Ministry for Children**
jo.richmond@ot.govt.nz

Jo was appointed to the role of Manager Caregiver Support for the Upper South Region in October 2017. This is a newly established role for the Region with a focus on tamariki in care and caregivers. Jo has twenty years’ experience in working for Oranga Tamariki (formally Child Youth and Family). Eight years of ...
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Kaye MacDonald
**Oranga Tamariki - Ministry for Children**

Regional Manager - Upper SouthKaye has worked for Oranga Tamariki and Child Youth and Fmily for almost 29 years in various roles, mostly based in Marlborough. She was the Blenheim Site Manager in Child Youth and Family, and moved into her current role when the new Oranga Tamariki, Ministry for Children, was establis...
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Kirsty Griffith

I trained as a Primary School Teacher in 1998 and have worked across all areas of the Primary School, with most of my experience being in rural Area Schools. However, my passion has always been supporting students who have diverse needs. For the past 5 years I have worked as a Resource Teacher of Learning and Behaviour...
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Prof Nicola Atwool

Nicola has professional qualifications in social work and child psychotherapy. She was employed in a variety of roles by what is now Oranga Tamariki for nearly twenty years.Nicola joined the University of Otago in 1994 when she was appointed to a lecturer position in Community and Family Studies. She became a Senio...
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Stephanie James-Sadler
**Fostering Kids NZ**
support@fosteringkids.org.nz www.fosteringkids.org.nz

Stephanie manages the Regional Coordinators across New Zealand, having an overview of supporting members and the support groups aligned with Fostering Kids NZ. Stephanie has foster care experience and has a knowledge of working across the sector, education and health.

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Cristina Fon

Psychology Associates Nelson

Across the 18 years of my practice, in both the public and private sector, a main recurring theme with my clients is helping them work through how their choices may lead to ongoing interpersonal and personal difficulties or legal issues. Taking a non-judgmental yet honest approach, I work with clients to help them discover their strengths, find where their decision making may limit their opportunities, and actively facilitate the development of skills to enable them to achieve a more fulfilled, constructive, lifestyle.

While I was trained in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, I take a more eclectic approach while emphasising behavioral and experiential activities and interventions.

A significant aspect to my private practice work has been the provision of assessment of offending behavior, risk, and neurodisability issues for the Department of Corrections (Health Assessor), Ministry of Justice (Health Assessor) and the Ministry of Health (Designated Specialist Assessor 2008 - 2016). I have appeared as Expert Witness in the High, District, Family, and Youth Courts, and before the New Zealand Parole Board, opining on questions of mental impairment and fitness (CPMIP 2003), disability and risk (IDCCR 2003), and sexual and violent recidivism.

I utilise a best practice approach that is empirically based offering an objective, balanced opinion. I have a unique perspective of having worked across the breadth and length of New Zealand from Invercargill to Kaitaia, across community and residential settings. In addition to assessment and intervention, I supervise clinicians across several Government and Non-Government organisations, provide training in group facilitation and supervision, and offer consultant advice on programme design and delivery and specialist service provision.

An area of burgeoning interest is effective interventions with Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), offering intervention from a neurobehavioral approach that incorporates positive behavior support and holistic models.

Kaye MacDonald

Oranga Tamariki - Ministry for Children

Regional Manager - Upper South

Kaye has worked for Oranga Tamariki and Child Youth and Fmily for almost 29 years in various roles, mostly based in Marlborough. She was the Blenheim Site Manager in Child Youth and Family, and moved into her current role when the new Oranga Tamariki, Ministry for Children, was established. Over the last few years, she has led initiatives with the focus of improving outcomes for children in care, supporting caregivers, and through a partnership with iwi and Māori Women’s Welfare League in Marlborough she has developed a new way of recruiting, training and supporting Kaitiaki for Mokopuna Māori. Prior to coming into the Ministry, she was a caregiver for the (then) Department of Social Welfare.

Prof Nicola Atwool

Nicola has professional qualifications in social work and child psychotherapy. She was employed in a variety of roles by what is now Oranga Tamariki for nearly twenty years.

Nicola joined the University of Otago in 1994 when she was appointed to a lecturer position in Community and Family Studies. She became a Senior Lecturer in 2000. During this time, she had a close association with the Children's Issues Centre.

At the beginning of 2006 she took up a position as Principal Advisor in the Office of the Children's Commissioner. She returned to the University at the beginning of 2012 as a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Sociology, Gender and Social Work.

The goal of her research is to influence policy and practice to improve outcomes for children and young people exposed to adversity. Nicola came to an academic position with extensive practitioner experience and is committed to research what bridges the worlds of academia, policy and practice.

Nicola has a particular interest in attachment theory and resilience and in 2008 completed a PhD exploring the use of attachment assessments in decision-making for children in care. An ecological framework, the sociology of childhood, critical theory, and a children's rights perspective informs her work.

Nicola is also currently a Board Member of Fostering Kids New Zealand.

Guest Speakers

Cristina Fon

Jo Richmond

Kaye MacDonald

Kirsty Griffith

Prof Nicola Atwool

Stephanie James-Sadler