MEDIA RELEASE, 1st March 2013
Footsteps, Fostering Kids and Rainbow Springs make Children’s Day extra special for over 200 local children and carer families

National organisations Footsteps and Fostering Kids along with local Foster Care Support Associations are celebrating this year’s National Children’s Day by sponsoring a trip to Rainbow Springs for over 200 children and carer families. The event aims to provide a memorable experience for the families and raise awareness of how the organisations can support them.

The event will take place on Children’s Day, Sunday 3rd March at Rainbow Springs in Rotorua. Activities will include a live bird show, unlimited big splash rides, sausage sizzle, whānau portraits, goodie bags and the creation of a giant hand painting for all the children attending. Local tourist attraction Rainbow Springs are part sponsoring the event alongside Footsteps and Fostering Kids as a way of giving back to the community.

Lynne Matthews, Central North Coordinator for Fostering Kids said “Our organisation aims to give children in foster care a stable, loving home by providing support and training to foster carers and their families. We are really excited to be working with Footsteps and Rainbow Springs to provide a fun, day out that our families will remember forever.

Fostering Kids also has five local associations in the central North area providing peer support through their support groups. Fostering can be a very challenging role, so the more skills and knowledge the caregiver has increases the probability of a successful placement; which benefits all. Fostering Kids offers 11 topical workshops free to all caregivers throughout New Zealand, including the central North, and Waikato.”

Early childhood organisation Footsteps provide free in-home educational programmes to children 0-5 years and their caregivers, both locally and nationally. Their qualified early childhood teachers spend one-on-one time with caregivers and children to provide guidance, resources, instruction and information on how to provide quality educational experiences for children in their care. The Footsteps service is free to all caregivers. Footsteps recently established a charitable trust, the Footsteps Foundation to give back to communities through their educational expertise and raise funds for vulnerable children that need in-home early education support but currently fall outside the Ministry of Education criteria.

Donna Elliot, Footsteps Regional Director says “We are really excited to be involved in today’s event by volunteering both our time and educational expertise to local foster families. By giving back through the Footsteps Foundation, we are changing vulnerable children’s lives through early childhood education. We would love for similar organisations to get in touch so we are able to create more experiences like this.

Rainbow Springs have given a discounted rate for entry and use of their facilities. Kat Hicks, Events Manager for Rainbow Springs says “We are really looking forward to be involved in such a special day, offering deserving families a day out they will never forget”.

Local branches of The Mad Butcher, Countdown and Tip Top have made food contributions for the picnic and Western Bay Bricklayers have offered petrol vouchers to assist the families in getting to the event.

For more information:

Footsteps: www.footsteps.co.nz

Fostering Kids: www.fosteringkids.org.nz

Rainbow Springs: www.rainbowsprings.co.nz

-ENDS

© Scoop Media

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