Child & Family Services

Kaupapa Māori Family Start

Kaupapa Māori Family Start is a child-centred, intensive program that focuses on improving children’s health, learning, relationships, family/whānau circumstances, environment and safety.  It is a free, confidential, home-based support service for families/whānau with babies under 12 months old and – under exceptional circumstances – up to 2 years old.

The first five years of a child’s life is known to be fundamental to their health, development and positive outcomes. Our aim is to support mum, baby and family/whānau to help ensure the child has the best possible start in life. Participation by families in the program is voluntary.

The program supports families/whānau who struggle with challenges or issues that may put the health, education and social outcomes for their children at risk.

Our Whānau Workers work in partnership with families/whānau to help reduce these issues, improve the outcome for their children and help the whānau work towards independence and self-fulfillment.

To enable this to happen successfully and for family/whānau to receive the best possible service it is important for our Whānau Worker to foster a healthy partnership with the family/whānau so that we are working together to give the child the best start in life. This can be established by having an open and honest relationship right from the start.

During the initial visit, our Family Start Whānau Worker will ensure that the family/whānau is provided with clear information about the core components of the program including:

• The importance of regular, frequent home visits and the expectation that the parent/caregiver will commit to these.
• Need for clear expectations and responsibilities as well as ongoing communication to promote the wellbeing and safety of the child and family/whānau.
• An understanding that parenting is an integral part of Family Start and that an interactive element focusing on parenting will feature at each visit.

The use of Child Safety Tools and ongoing focus of Child Safety.

Child Safety is paramount and at the centre of the services provided. Our Whānau Workers will provide support to the family/whānau that ensures the child is living in a home free of violence, abuse, neglect, physical and environment hazards.