Anglican Family Care held it's AGM by Zoom on Wednesday 29 September, which included hearing about the work over the past year in challenging circumstances to support more than 2,200 Otago children and their families.

Anglican Family Care (AFC) continues to offer a wide range of services to tamariki and their whānau throughout North, Central Otago/Queenstown-Lakes, South Otago and Dunedin. These include: the now well established Family Start programme that continues to expand throughout the Otago region; Home-Based Family Support; social workers in schools; play therapy, counselling services; restorative justice and; the Oceans Grief and Loss programmes. The bulk of funding to deliver these comes from the Government sources but with other significant contributors from a variety of charitable trusts including the Anglican Churches/Diocese of Dunedin. An uplift of funding from the Government has enabled AFC to build and improve the its services within these contracts. 

AFC Chair Ruth Zeinert spoke of her appreciation of all the support given to Anglican Family Care - from Board members to various Trusts, organisations and Parishes. The Board have put in place an innovative concept of an Intern Director, which is giving an opportunity to "grow" this governance role for up and coming generations. In June Joanne Kingi resigned after 2.5 years on the board, and special mention was made of how appreciated her Tangata Whenua perspective was. Ruth made mention of the fabulous asset they have in the staff at Anglican Family Care throughout Otago - they continue to be inspirational. Special mention was made of Terry Goddard who has has given the organisation 25 years of service. 

Mike Williams in his report said that it was sad to still be affected by the Pandemic: it had impacted on clients, staff and services of AFC - and the 50th anniversary celebrations. It is becoming apparent that vaccinations will be important for all of us to be able to carry on our work in the future. The past year has seen an increase in professional and cultural  development opportunities for staff and a number of significant partnerships have been entered into. A significant initiative that rose from the Pandemic has been the Community Connector service in South Otago, funded by the Ministry of Social Development. Mike wrote in his report: 

We are working with community partners in building capacity around family violence in two of the rural communities we serve. We formalised a relationship with Tokomairiro Waiora Inc. in South Otago, and Presbyterian Support Otago and Mid-South Island Women’s Refuge and Family Safety Services in North Otago

(see the attached report for more information about this and what else has taken place over the past year). 

Anglican networks continue to be important to strengthen the wider connections of AFC.

Mike spoke of the fact that the work AFC does is complex and diverse, and involves a wide array of work from admin teams through to clinicians in practice teams. Anglican Family Care is blessed with a strong and experienced Board of Trustees, and mention was made of current chair Ruth Zeinert as well as outgoing chair Jim Hawker, who continues to be on the Board. 

Continue to remember Anglican Family Care in your prayers and in other practical ways.