Skip to main content
Kerryn McLachlan

Kerryn McLachlan

Child and Family Practitioner

Talent
InvercargillMember since May 22, 2026
Case ManagementRelationshipsNga Pou e Wha (Maori Strategy)Social Justice and EmpowermentCultural Responsive PracticeConceptual thinkingResilienceInfluencing othersSelf-confidenceTeam work and co-operationAnalytical thinkingAchieving the taskListening and respondingInformation seeking and interpretationFacilitation of group learningCognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)Working with Māori and Pacific values, concepts and processesExcellent communicatorTime managementPhotographyAttachment and Emotional CommunicationEffective Time Management
·

Hire this person

Send a job offer directly to this candidate

Case ManagementRelationshipsNga Pou e Wha (Maori Strategy)Social Justice and EmpowermentCultural Responsive Practice

About

Currently working in the Social Workers in Schools Role (SWiS). SWiS Provides an early intervention programme for children and their families, based in the school environment, which protects and promotes wellbeing and helps develop resilience, reinforces positive parenting, and assists children and families to access community resources.

Experience

Child and Family Practitioner - Barnardos Aotearoa

(2023-11)

Currently working in the Social Workers in Schools Role (SWiS). SWiS Provides an early intervention programme for children and their families, based in the school environment, which protects and promotes wellbeing and helps develop resilience, reinforces positive parenting, and assists children and families to access community resources.

  • Case Management
  • Relationships
  • Nga Pou e Wha (Maori Strategy)
  • Social Justice and Empowerment
  • Cultural Responsive Practice

Community Connector - Awarua Whanau Services

(2021-02 - 2023-11)

This role has supported whanau to identify and connect to the agencies, organisations and services in our Waihopai community that have enhanced their health, wellbeing and outlook while supporting them to maintain their focus for the term required.

  • Conceptual thinking - The ability to identify patterns or connections between situations; identify key or underlying issues in complex situations and resolve these by using creative, conceptual and inductive reasoning
  • Resilience - A demonstrated ability to persevere through periods of heavy workloads in stressful situations
  • Influencing others - An ability to influence others through appropriate use of directive and non-directive means
  • Self-confidence - Confidence in one's own judgement and a willingness to express an independent view point
  • Team work and co-operation - A commitment to work co-operatively as part of a team and to be flexible in a changing work environment
  • Analytical thinking - The ability to understand a situation by breaking it into smaller pieces to be systematic, to trace cause and effect implications and to set priorities
  • Achieving the task - The ability to organise work through an efficient use of time, setting targets and achieving them
  • Listening and responding - An ability to listen, to interpret, clarify and respond appropriately
  • Information seeking and interpretation - An ability to elicit basic information and probe for further facts through a wide range of information gathering skills

Programme Facilitator - Ara Poutama - Department of Corrections - Invercargill Prison

(2015-12 - 2021)

As a Programme Facilitator I was given comprehensive training to deliver the extensive range of programmes contained in the Corrections Rehabilitation Suite. These include individual motivational programmes, along with therapeutic small group, offence focused packages. I also facilitated women's programmes in the community and delivered prison and community maintenance when required.

For the majority of my time with Corrections I was primarily based as a sole senior facilitator at Invercargill Prison where I mentored new facilitators to fulfill their training obligations as required. I was fortunate to access quality practice and cultural supervision via AVL and in person on a weekly and fortnightly basis. Programme participants took part in comprehensive three-hour assessments prior to beginning a Rehabilitation Programme, after which a treatment plan was formulated to guide the focus throughout.

Regular reviews and focused supervision sessions were completed to maintain emphasis on identified interventions during the Programme, and in-depth reports produced within required timeframes on completion. As an experienced Facilitator I was expected to consistently exemplify the standar

  • Self-management (professional behaviour)
  • Facilitation of group learning
  • Planning, delivery and reporting of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) therapeutic programmes
  • Application of theoretical concepts
  • Working with Māori and Pacific values, concepts and processes
  • Co-facilitation and management of programme relationships and organisation

Parent Educator, Parents as First Teachers (PAFT) - Awarua Whanau Services

(2010-03 - 2015-12)

My role involved servicing a client base of up to 63 families, whom I visited monthly, primarily in their own home. During these visits I delivered an Early Childhood Programme (Ahuri Mowai) that was individualised to suit each whanau and offered advice and support within a strengths-based approach. I also regularly facilitated Parenting Programmes. My position additionally gave me the opportunity to attend many professional development workshops and training seminars including such topics as:

  • Neurobiology and Early Life Stress
  • Mental Health 101
  • Working with Maori
  • Mana Ririki
  • The B.R.A.I.N
  • Atawhainga Te Pa Harakeke
  • Takarangi Competency
  • Solution Focused Brief Therapy
  • The First Three Years Last Forever
  • Working with Families
  • Best Practice

Education

Diploma - Professional Photography - SIT Invercargill (2004)

Certificate - Te Ara Reo Maori Level 2 - SIT Invercargill (2010)

Skills

Child and Family Practitioner

Reviews