Sonya Hogan

Barnardos New Zealand

Barnardos shapes brighter futures together with children and whānau in Aotearoa. We work with them to build nurturing relationships and resilient homes and communities, so that children reach their full potential. We're there for the whole childhood journey, and beyond. For 60 years, we've been part of communities throughout the motu. Today, our mahi across social services, early learning services, and advocacy for children's rights and wellbeing contributes to Barnardos' vision of ‘an Aotearoa where every child shines bright'. All children come comes into this world with their light shining bright. They have the right to grow up safe, loved, and with hope for the future, but the reality is that too many children and young people in Aotearoa are impacted by long standing social and family problems that affect their everyday lives. We know change is possible. We advocate to drive change at the systems-level, so that national laws, policies, practices, and institutions meet the needs of all children and tamariki, and respect, protect and uphold their rights. We offer early learning services to all under-fives, to create strong foundations for children's educational and life outcomes. We provide social support services to children and whānau in our communities facing really tough times – including those who have experienced family violence, addiction, neglect and abuse, and those struggling with mental health issues. Our social services are a continuum, preventing problems before they get too overwhelming, to intensive help in the whanau home to help tamariki thrive, to also providing care for tamariki when it is really not possible to do so at home. Every day, we're making a positive, long-lasting difference to children's lives. Because when tamariki shine bright, Aotearoa shines bright.