Help at hand

The Waitakere Family Start is a support service which helps parents meet basic needs, working with families from pregnancy through to their child’s first three years of life.

This includes families in poor living situations and women leaving family violence situations.

Family Start team leader Rebecca Gross says many of the service’s families have limited family support and find it helpful to have a listening ear.

“They also like that we’re a home-visiting service which makes life simpler,” she says.

Its service offers counselling and budgeting services, parenting programmes and legal advice around issues such as protection orders.

Qualified social workers also offer parenting support and assistance with accessing daycare to ensure parents get some time out from their children.

The service is available to families in Warkworth and Wellsford.

All parents or caregivers need is a referral from their doctor or hospital, midwife, Plunket nurse, Well Child provider or other agency like Maternity Mental Health or Oranga Tamariki.

Info: Waitakere Family Start 09 835 1288 or email admin.waitakere@fwn.org.nz