HAPPY FAMILY (BAITI JANNATI)

About Family Start
What is Family Start Who is the target group for Family Start? The role of family/whanau workers Where are Family Start services available?Contacting Family Start
What is Family Start?
The Family Start programme was established in 1998 as part of a wider strategy to strengthen families. It provides intensive, home-based support services for families with high needs, to ensure that their children have the best possible start in life.
The aims of Family Start are to:
improve health, education and social outcomes for children
improve parents’ parenting capability and practice
improve children and parents’ personal and family circumstances.
Family Start is funded and managed by the Ministries of Education and Social Development. The programme is delivered by contracted service providers. Family Start complements the work undertaken by agencies throughout New Zealand such as Plunket and Well Child Tamariki Ora.
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Who is the target group for Family Start?
The Family Start programme is aimed at the 15 percent of the population most at risk of poor life outcomes. In each location the aim is to ensure that at least the five percent at highest risk participate in the programme.
Designated community agencies refer families to Family Start. Families can be accepted onto the programme from 6 months before the birth of a child up to one year after. Participation in the programme is voluntary.
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The role of family/whanau workers
The core of the Family Start programme is home visiting by a family/whanau worker. This person works with the family to identify priorities and to support them to achieve their goals. A family may be involved with many different agencies. The family/whanau worker acts as an advocate and coordinator between all agencies to ensure that the family’s priorities are met.
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Where are Family Start services available?
Family Start is currently operating in:
Auckland City
Dunedin
Christchurch
Gisborne
Hamilton
Hastings North
Horowhenua
Invercargill
Kaitaia
Kawerau
Lower Hutt City
Manukau City
Masterton
Nelson
Opotiki District (Opotiki Township)
Porirua East
Rotorua
Wanganui
West Auckland
Whakatane
Whangarei.
Far North District (focusing on Kaikohe)
Papakura District (Papakura Central)
Taupo District (Taupo, Mangakino and Turangi)
Napier City
Waikato District (Huntly and Ngaruawahia)
Wairoa
Grey/Buller
Hauraki
Mangere
Contacting Family Start
Email: Mark BromleyPhone: 04 978 4239Fax 04 917 2080.