Can we help you? - Te Āwhina mā koutou?

Family Services

Ratonga Whānau

Home based social work support	- All Service Centres
Foster care services	- All Service Centres
Special Needs and Disability Services	- Auckland, Wairarapa, Canterbury
Family Mentoring	- Marlborough, Wairarapa, Taranaki, Hawkes Bay, Wanganui
Youth Services	- Hauraki, Nelson
Counselling	- Waikato, Wairarapa, Manawatu
Supervised Access	- Wairarapa
Teen Homes	- Nelson, Taranaki
Oasis Special Needs Respite Homes	- Auckland

Who can use our services?

Mā wai ēnei Ratonga?

We can assist any family/whanau with children and young people aged between 0 and 17 years of age who are in need of support. For example family/whanau who are:

Finding it difficult to provide stable and nurturing care for their children and young people
Seeking assistance with their parenting skills
In need of assistance to care for their child or young person
Finding it difficult to manage a child or young person with behavioural difficulties
In situations where violence is impacting on the wellbeing or safety of their children or young people
Suffering from stress which is impacting on their ability to provide care for their child or young person
Suffering from drug or alcohol addiction and requiring assistance with their children
Experiencing health problems which are impacting on their family situation

How do I get assistance?

Te āwhina māu?

You can get assistance from Open Home Foundation (OHF) by phoning or visiting one of our Service Centres. Referrals are also accepted from professionals e.g. a social worker from Child, Youth and Family, a school, another community agency, GP or Counsellor.

The Practice Manager of the Service Centre will assess the appropriateness of OHF to meet the family/whanau needs.

Once a referral is accepted by OHF one of our social workers will arrange to meet with you and your family/whanau. Usually this will be in your own home. The social worker will talk with you about the situation and will seek your permission to speak to others who are involved with your family/whanau.

The social worker will work with your family/whanau to complete an assessment of your situation. During the assessment all relevant view points will be considered including the views of the children and young people.

Following an assessment a plan will be formed with you, which will address your individual situation. The plan will include goals from both the family/whanau and OHF. The plan will be regularly reviewed to ensure everyone is working together and to measure the progress that is being made.

What if my child or young person needs alternative care?

Te atawhai mana kōwhiri mā ngā tamariki?

At times it may be appropriate for a child or young person to be placed in an alternative care situation for a period of time. The Children, Young Persons and Their Families Act 1989 states that wherever possible a child must be placed within their own extended family/whanau or with their own hapu or iwi.

If there is no family/whanau placement available, the social worker will work with you to secure the best available foster placement for your child or young person.

Unless it is an emergency you and your child will get to meet the foster parents prior to your child or young person going into foster care.