WHAANAU - Family Services

The Whaanau Early Learning Centre takes up to 30 taamariki and peepi offering bi-cultural education and play. Accommodating 25 taamariki over 2 years and 5 peepi less than 2 years old to ensure that the kaaimahi to taamariki ratio is well balanced.

Whaanau Ora inclusively provides services and opportunities to whaanau across Aotearoa. The Whanui Ngaa Aratika (guiding principles and values) encompasses the Whaanau Ora kaupapa across all services. The Kaaiarahi collaborate with other Whaanui staff to meet the aspirations and outcomes of whaanau. Waahi Whaanui is now part of the reformed Waikato Tainui Whaanau Ora Collective, with the lead provider Raukura Hauora o Tainui, delivering Kaiarahi services in the Hauraki Waikato Region.

Preparation, assessment and planning to help rangatahi prepare to transition from care or other placements including youth justice residential placements and empower them to become independent. Providing them with support, knowledge, skills and resources to set them up to thrive

ISR is a multi-agency intervention response to ensure immediate safety for victims and children experiencing the trauma of family violence. Kaaimahi works collaboratively with agencies and whaanau to ensure the immediate safety of victims and to work with rehabilitation perpetrators to prevent ongoing violence.

After providing the HIPPY program to whaanau for 30 years we say goodbye to this service in 2026 due to funding cuts. Our 2nd year students will graduate in December 2025 before this service closes its doors. Many parents of Raahui Pookeka have seen their children graduate from the HIPPY program and will tell you how great it has been in preparing their tamariki for school. Our team delivering this program have put in many hours in delivering this program and their mahi has been greatly appreciated. Our annual Graduation Celebrations will be deeply missed in our annual calendar.

The Incredible Years Programme is a 14-session program for whaanau and taamariki. The core focus is to reduce challenging behaviours in children aged three to nine. It is designed to increase social and self-control skills while also providing behaviour management support to maatua (parents) and kaaitiaki (caregivers) .

Integrated and culturally appropriate whaanau hauora (wellbeing) support services. They provide information and advice, advocacy and facilitation of services from external agencies to whaanau.

Led by Oranga Tamariki, SWiS is an early intervention program that is part of Strengthening Families to help whaanau and taamariki at decile 1-3 primary and intermediate schools. The program is designed to support whaanau and help taamariki to thrive at school and at home.

Family Support Services offers a wide range of support for whaanau and individuals from all backgrounds. Kaaimahi can connect whaanau with local support and resources for food relief, employment, crisis support, health services, family violence advocacy, and housing assistance.

Family Start is a child-centred, whaanau-focused, early intervention that works with high-needs families. The intensive home visiting programme helps whaanau with taamariki to access a comprehensive range of welfare, health, education, hauora (wellbeing) and key specialist services.

Whaanau support was established in 1995 designed to offer a wide range of support for whanau and individuals of all backgrounds. Whaanau Support offer Emergency and Short Term support upto 3 months.