Historical achievements (1974-1999)

1999

NZFFCF formed a partnership with CYF to develop the National Caregiver Training Programme.

1998
A registration/training and accreditation programme for all foster/kinship caregivers was developed.

1997

NZFFCF produced a position paper on permanency, securing a permanent home for a child or young person in foster care. Also a position paper on extended families/whānau caring for their own children - kinship care. The hours and part-time payment of the Secretary were increased.

1996

NZFFCF held a special working party to focus on the future of the Federation, identifying several issues, including: membership, public profile; kinship care, accountability, quality of foster care, finance/funding, education, bi-cultural issues, CYPFS/ CFA, secretariat.

1995

A code of practice “The Foster Care Charter” was produced, followed by a guide to appropriate discipline titled “By and Towards”.

1991

NZFFCF underwent a name change to better reflect a commitment to families as espoused by the Children, Young Persons and their Families Act (1989).

1990

A Forward Planning workshop was held to identify areas for attention, including: education and training, grass roots membership, bi-cultural issues, whānau/natural family, preventative, the future of NZFCF.

1989
The Federation employed a part-time training officer with a grant from the Lotteries Board.

1988

A secretariat's office was established on an honorarium basis, with a job-shared position for a secretary and journal editor.

1986

NZFFCF conducted a series of regional seminars on Whānau Development, with keynote speaker Professor Emily Jean McFadden, educator and author from East Michigan University.

1985

The Federation hosted the International Foster Care Conference at Lincoln College, Christchurch and held a training workshop in Rotorua on “A Journey Into Foster Care”. A series of national Family Home seminars were also held.

1984

NZFFCF developed a national foster care training kit: “A Journey Into Foster Care” and was represented on the Board of the International Foster Care Organisation.

1983

The Federation supported the Matua Whāngai scheme, a joint DSW and Māori Affairs Department programme to provide more Māori foster homes, and better support, for Pakeha homes with Māori foster children. NZFFCF was represented on the Ministerial Advisory Committee on Foster Care.

1982

NZFFCF adopted nine legal principles which were submitted to the Children in Care seminars on legislation. The Federation supported a major Department of Social Welfare review of the Family Homes policy, resulting in significant positive changes. Child in Care groups were established throughout New Zealand. NZFFCF gained membership of the first Voluntary Agencies and was a member of the working party on board rates resulting in C.P.I. increment increases.

1981

NZFFCF worked with the DSW to establish Planning and Review procedures for all foster children. The Federation was represented at International Foster Care Conferences in Brussels (1983), Brisbane (1984), Leeds (1987), East Michigan (1989), Melbourne (1999), Argentina (2003) and International Social Workers Congress in Washington (1992).

1979

The Intensive Foster Care Scheme was established with the Department of Social Welfare (DSW), to pilot a support programme for special homes for children deemed unlikely to succeed in ordinary foster homes.

1976

NZ Foster Care Federation (NZFFCF) was founded to represent foster parents at a national level.

1974

The first Foster Care Associations were formed in Auckland and Christchurch in response to concerns about standards of practice, stability, and lack of support networks for those involved in foster care.