Mentoring

Parenting Education

Support to children and young persons with a disability and their families/whānau

Open Home Foundation offers home based social work support and foster care to help build resilience in families so they are able to provide care long term for their child or young person with a disability.

We also provide a formal respite service for families with children who are aged between 5 and 16 years old and on the Autistic Spectrum and/or have an intellectual disability. This respite is provided as part of OHF's Oasis Service.

Open Home Foundation provides social work services to Ministry for Vulnerable Children, Oranga Tamariki (MVCOT). Families/whānau may be offered these services by MVCOT.

Social work support for MVCOT Caregivers and Kin Carers

Social Work Support Services are provided where care and protection concerns have resulted in the placement of children and/or young people with MVCOT Caregivers or Kin Carers.

The service is designed to provide:

• In-home visiting and 24/7 support to Caregivers and Kin Carers to reduce the likelihood of placement breakdown and facilitate stability of the placement
• Appropriate information about permanency options including and supporting the Caregivers through the process e.g. Home for Life
• Assisting Caregivers and Kin Carers by communicating their needs to MVCOT when required
• Intensive social work and/or training for Caregivers and Kin Carers who are caring for a high need child or young person to help them in their interactions with the child or young person where there are issues arising from past trauma
• Other training as and when appropriate

Manaaki Whānau support to MVCOT caregivers and whānau carers

Manaaki Whānau is a service providing Kaitiaki a Whānau or social work support to Caregivers and Whānau Carers to facilitate and prevent placement breakdown. This service is designed to provide Kaupapa Māori support to Caregivers and Whānau Carers. The service is delivered in a way that recognises and values the culture of the Caregivers and Whānau Carers, using the Te Whare Kaupapa Awhina Māori framework Te Aho Takitoru to support whānau mauri ora.

Prevention of Entry into Care 

Prevention of Entry into Care services are provided as part of, or following, an investigation by MVCOT where care and protection concerns are held for children and/or young people. The service is designed to keep children and/or young people safely within their own home while care and protection concerns are addressed.

Prevention of Entry into Care Services use the Signs of Safety approach with family/whānau and other support networks to create safety for children and young people and to prevent children and young people from experiencing additional trauma caused by entering care. This is achieved by developing a Safety Plan.

Safety Plans are monitored and reviewed until care and protection concerns have either been addressed or other care and protection actions have been taken.  

Family Reunification

Family Reunification Social Work Services are provided to safely transition children and/or young people back to their parent/s or usual caregiver after a placement in kin or foster care.

Family Reunification Social Work Services use the Signs of Safety approach with family/whānau and other support networks to create safety for children and young people and to prevent children and young people from experiencing additional trauma during the transition and following the reunification. This is achieved by developing a Safety Plan.

Safety plans are monitored and reviewed until care and protection concerns have either been addressed or other care and protection actions have been taken.