CONNECT 25

8/7/2025

Introduction
Kia ora koutou.

Welcome to our latest newsletter. We are so glad to have you with us.

In this edition, we're excited to kick off our first article about one of our very own staff members. We are incredibly grateful to have such an amazing team and look forward to sharing more about our staff and their roles within the Centre.

Thank you for being part of our Champion Centre community.

Happy reading!

Centre Happenings

Holiday Programme

During the April term break, we piloted a 'Holiday Programme' for tamariki attending the Champion Centre, and any preschool siblings. The holiday programme ran for 3 hours each morning of the first week (only 4 days, due to the Easter weekend), and children were engaged in play activities whilst their parents had the opportunity to leave them at the Centre. The holiday programme was attended by 5 tamariki in total and provided a respite opportunity for their whānau. From spending time with their other children, visiting the He Puna Taimoana Hot Pools, doing the grocery shopping, catching up with friends over coffee, doing some work, and even having an undisturbed and relaxing bath, parents took the opportunities that this time provided them. Some of the feedback we received from whānau included "he was surprisingly well settled for his first time being left alone without Mum"; "my child was 100% supported, and we would be keen to do this again next holidays"; "she [sibling] was a bit hesitant as it's a new place…but it didn't take her long before she was running around as if she'd been going there for years"; and "I would definitely recommend it".

Following the success of this initial Holiday Programme, we are planning on running a Holiday Programme to provide respite for whānau in the first week of the mid-winter school holidays, and can't wait to join tamariki in play, and to hear what whānau get up to during their 3 hours of respite.

Birth Trauma Week (July 14-20)

We're very excited to be taking part in the 50 for 50 challenges for birth trauma awareness week.

What is 50 for 50? 50 for 50 raises awareness about physical and psychological birth trauma in New Zealand. It acknowledges Aotearoa's growing birth trauma community and calls for improved birth trauma prevention and support following trauma.

Your 50 can be as big or as small as you like, it's all about raising awareness of birth trauma in New Zealand. At the Champion Centre we're aiming to make 50 cups of coffee for staff and whānau.

Keep an eye on our social media to see how we do!

Staff Spotlight: Juliana, Senior Psychologist

At the Champion Centre, we are very lucky to have a team filled with a wealth of knowledge, experience, and passion. As part of an ongoing series celebrating the amazing individuals who make our Centre so special, we're sitting down with staff members to highlight their work within the Centre and the impact they have on the lives of children and families.

To kick off this journey, we spoke with Juliana, our Senior Psychologist, to learn more about her role and what drives her dedication.

A Passion for People
Juliana has been working at the Champion Centre for over three years now. She's always wanted to work with children and families - her own family being a driving force behind her passion for psychology and her desire to work at the Champion Centre.

"I've got two sons who are autistic, and one son with ADHD. So, I'd say that was my greatest bit of learning, and it certainly made me passionate about supporting children and families.

One of the beauties of working at the Champion Centre is that you get to build relationships with families on a regular basis that can last over a number of years," Juliana said.

A Unique Model
One of the things Juliana values most about working at the Champion Centre is its distinctive structure.

"We get to walk alongside families from the beginning of their disability journey. We're not just seeing the child in a box and providing intervention around that - we're working with the whole picture; the whole family system and providing relational support as well as therapeutic interventions, which makes life better for the whole family," she explained.

The Centre's weekly programmes and under-one-roof model allow psychologists like Juliana to build long-term, meaningful relationships with families.

Support Beyond the Centre
Juliana's work extends beyond the Champion Centre, as she also visits tamariki in their homes and early childhood centres. These visits help her understand each child's environment, relationships and behaviour in context.

"An important part of working together is understanding the family's story and providing support that's individually helpful. You can't just look in a book and apply a therapy to a child or family. You need to have a real understanding of what kind of support is going to be specifically, individually helpful for that family."

Observing children in different settings gives Juliana valuable insights.

"Children with different abilities or developmental delays - their strength might not be the same as other children. They might have different ways of processing information, different ways of communicating, and different ways of experiencing their sensory or emotional world.

Part of being a psychologist is being able to look at the behaviour and then use those clues to give us an understanding of what's happening for the child. It's like an iceberg - the tip of the iceberg is the behaviour, and all this stuff underneath is what we need to understand to help support that child in a way that brings out the best in them."

Breaking Down Misconceptions
There are often many misconceptions around what psychologists do.

"I've had some families call me 'the shrink' or give me a wide berth because they worry that working with a psychologist means that there's something 'wrong' with you. But that isn't the case. We all need support on the family journey." Juliana said.

"We're not mind readers. We simply take the time to understand what's happening and offer practical support - whether it's around sleep, eating, emotions, behaviour, or understanding a child's needs."

Juliana also helps with diagnoses like autism and anxiety, which can give families clarity and tools to better support their child.

"We're here to support children and families in their daily life. To celebrate strengths and support parents to bring out the best in themselves and their children. It's such a privilege to work with families. That's about it."

Thank you for taking the time to read our Newsletter. We're looking forward to updating you again next term!