Back to Level 2

Last night's news that we are moving back into Alert Level 2 was a surprise, even though we had been warned it was always going to be when, not if.

Having enjoyed some sense of normality for the past three months, we are back into more uncertainty, the possibility of more restrictions, and having COVID-19 front and centre in our minds again.

This is the time our whānau and tamariki need us the most - as financial pressures grow, worries increase about those most vulnerable, and concerns about what might be next re-surface.

I know how hard you work to make things as normal, routine and reassuring for tamariki as you can while keeping them safe. I hope you know what an enormous difference it makes in the lives of the whānau you work with, and how proud I am to support you.

These times call on our shared values, which are so fresh in our minds after the BetterBecause Values Awards. It's never easy, but we will get through this together.