Three CHBPSS board of trustees members - and a baby - Nicola Fryer, Dianah Keeling, and social worker Karen Bothmer Klein holding Esmae Edwards.
Three CHBPSS board of trustees members - and a baby - Nicola Fryer, Dianah Keeling, and social worker Karen Bothmer Klein holding Esmae Edwards.
A group of Central Hawke’s Bay people sat down together last November and discussed what could be done to help parents in the community.
By January 27 there was a charitable trust, a board of trustees, premises and a name - Central Hawke’s Bay Parenting Support Services was up and running.
Longtime social worker Karen Bothmer Klein instigated the first meeting, to address something she felt was missing in the CHB community: Accessible early intervention to address parenting challenges.
Karen is from the Netherlands, where she says “There are social workers in childcare centres, doing a lot of preventative work. As soon as concerns are identified they get involved with the family and the parents get to do workshops and programmes.
“If you miss that early intervention opportunity the situation builds. I feel like in New Zealand we have missed that opportunity.”
A safe spot for a sleeping bub while parents are working with the team.
Karen completed her bachelor of social work in the Netherlands, where she managed a childcare centre. Since emigrating to New Zealand with her husband in 2006 she has held therapeutic as well as care and protection social worker positions in the community, at schools and contract-based.
Karen has extensive experience in the areas of trauma, parenting, adversity, child protection, and attachment, and works clinically using a range of therapeutic approaches.
Karen says: “I invited 15 people to meet in November, people who are in the community, linked to the community and who know what is needed. Of those people we now have a board of trustees of five: Pip Burne, Vickie Culshaw, Nicola Fryer, Jody Lovett-Christall and Diana Keeling.
“We have also two volunteers, Fontana Gemmel co-facilitates our LionHeart programme and Julie Morse has an extensive background in finance and supports our treasurer.
“The rest of those who were at the initial meeting are right behind us as supporters.”
Once CHBPSS was established, Karen went to the community for help.
“I put up a Facebook post asking for help with furniture for our premises. The response was outstanding - we were given couches, chairs and tables. Ongaonga School donated desks, the Waipukurau Volunteer Fire Brigade donated chairs for our workshops.
“So many people reached out, I was so excited. Our garage was full and I couldn’t wait to get premises to furnish.”
Number 5 Cook St - with its new look and a whole new purpose.
Kate Culshaw of Foxtrot Home came up with the premises at 5 Cook St, on the same property as Foxtrot Home’s new showroom.
“Kate said she wanted to rent the building out to an organisation doing good in the community. She carpeted and painted the rooms for us. It was amazing. Susan Higginson gifted our logo and signs. Marjon Greenwood did the complex work for us to become a charitable trust ... so many people have helped. From when we sat around the table in November to now we have snowballed to involve the whole community.”
From the bright new premises, CHBPSS offers group programmes, KFC workshops (kind, friendly with a focus on communication and connection), dyadic developmental parenting (DDP) and in-home support.
There is no cost to clients, who can be referred to CHBPSS by their GP or other agencies, or can self-refer with just a text, phone call or email
Colourful and cosy - the premises is light-filled and inviting.
“We have a contract with Te Whatu Ora as a service provider so we get referrals through GPs, paediatricians, CAF and mental health teams.
“But a lot of parents are coming to us through word of mouth and self-referrals. This is a great response and shows the need was there.”
Two weeks ago CHBPSS had 57 clients. Last week they were up to 70 and Karen says “most are families so while we count them as one referral, it is multiple family members”.
Trustee Dianah Keeling is tasked with applying for grants to help fund the organisation, while Karen is currently working full-time as CHBPSS’ social worker, free of charge “because I believe so strongly that we need this”.
Sensory toys are a feature ... this lifelike baby is a sensory doll.
If enough funding can be sourced, CHBPSS would like to employ another social worker, as Karen is out in the field a lot which limits the hours the centre is open for walk-in referrals.
“That’s why it’s easiest to get hold of us via email or text...I am everywhere at once,” Karen says.
