The Family Start service is provided in your home and is a strength based programme that is child centered and whānau focused. A service that will meet your cultural needs and values and provided by multi-skilled Kaimahi Whānau (family support workers) to promote independence and empowerment within your whānau.
The outcomes you can expect from this service are:
Your children will have improved
chances of having the best possible start in life
Your role as parent or primary
caregiver will be supported and strengthened through acquiring new
skills to raise your children
Your own and your whānau
circumstances will be improved and strengthened by being supported
to achieve goals and overcome barriers that are a concern to
you
Registration with Family Start is available for parents and
primary caregivers in Hastings with babies from the second
trimester of pregnancy to twelve months old. The service
can be ongoing with the whānau and child until the child is at
primary school.
Participation is voluntary and whānau can be referred by other
agencies such as GPs and midwives or by contacting the service
directly.
Kaimahi Whānau will share:
A confidential
service, listening and offering support and understanding
to the whānau
Practical and new ideas to help your
child grow and develop through the delivery of the Ahuru Mowai -
Born to Learn Programme
Ideas on how to maintain and
strengthen whānau relationships
Ideas on how to build whānau and
community networks
Ideas on coping with everyday life
eg: housing and budgeting
Within the Family Start service a Tane Manaaki group has been
established to focus on the specific needs of fathers and male
primary caregivers. Every fourth Thursday of the month our
two male Kaimahi Whānau facilitate activities and education in a
group environment whether it be in the classroom or out in the
natural environment such as collecting kaimoana.
Family Start also hosts a Mums Group every second Thursday of
the month and this hui is extremely popular.
Feedback from this programme includes:
