Supporting Stronger Families
Family and Community Services focus is on the delivery of early intervention and prevention programmes and services that support better provision and coverage of services for children. This can range from pre-birth to school entry age but also older children who are vulnerable. These services build on an existing foundation of universal, targeted, intensive and statutory intervention services including health and ante-natal care, early childhood education and parenting support.
» Read more about early intervention.
This section contains information about the programmes and initiatives that Family and Community Services is involved in to support vulnerable families and help them build resilience and strength to cope with adversity and times of challenge. It includes three early intervention initiatives, Early Years Service Hubs, Service Co-ordinators for Teenage Parents and Roots of Empathy which were established as time limited programmes under the Early Years Service package in 2006.Initiatives include:
- Break-Away Holiday Programmes
Holiday activity programmes for young people aged 11-17 years whose families may not otherwise be able to provide them. - Early Years Service Hubs
Provides high need families with young children with more co-ordinated and accessible health, education and social services. - Family Start
Providing intensive, home-based support services for families with high needs, to ensure that their children have the best possible start in life. - HIPPY - Home Interaction Programme for Parents and Youngsters
Supports parents to become actively involved in their four and five year old children's learning. - PAFT - Parents As First Teachers
Helps parents understand how their infant develops and learns, and how best they can help their child reach their full potential. - Roots of Empathy
A classroom based programme aiming to reduce levels of aggression and violence among school children. - SAGES
Involves older people providing one-on-one life and home skills mentoring to families and individuals in need. - SKIP - Strategies with Kids - Information for Parents
Supporting parents to have loving and healthy relationships with their children. - Strengthening Families
Brings together resources across government agencies and community providers to address the needs of particularly vulnerable families. - Teenage Parent Service Co-ordinators
Helps vulnerable teenage parents and their children access community based services. - WTITO - Whanau Toko I Te ora
Promotes positive parenting skills, confident family functioning, relationships, health and well being for whanau.
