Parent to Parent New Zealand Inc. is a national, not-for-profit organisation set up in 1983 by a small group of parents and professionals who believed in the value of parents supporting parents when faced with the challenge of parenting a child with a disability, health impairment, or special need.
They operate through a network of regional groups and trained volunteer Support Parents to provide information and emotional support to parents.
There are 11 regional groups throughout the country. Regional groups exist in Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Coastal Bay of Plenty, Central Lakes District, Manawatu, Wellington, Nelson, Greater Canterbury, Otago and Southland. Where there is no Regional group, the area is supported by their National Office.
Their Mission Statement is:
Empowering parents, caregivers, and whanau who have children and family members with disabilities, health impairments, or special needs through support and provision of information.
What does it do?
Every year the organisation helps thousands of families whose children have special needs by:
- Providing information, advice, and support to families
- Linking (matching) families locally, nationally and internationally with other families of children affected by the same condition, enabling a mutual support network to be established
- Training Volunteer Support Parents in the skills necessary to support other parents by providing Support Parent Training courses
- Linking families with trained Support Parents who provide experienced and practical support and information
- Providing parents with information regarding local, national and international support groups for their child’s disability or condition
- Providing a national lending library and journal service accessible to families
- Recognising the unique and specific needs of families so that regular support is provided to avoid crises developing
- Responding to requests for information and advice about issues affecting families of children with special needs
- Providing specific support to young people who have brothers and sisters with special needs. We offer “SibSupport N.Z.” programmes
- Providing information to the health, social care, and education professions which support children with special needs
Each of the 10 regional groups are affiliated to the national body and provide their own matching, support and information service. Each group is able to provide additional services depending on regional requirements. For many groups this means that they will be involved in social activities such as providing morning coffee groups for parents, running family weekends, holding information evenings, having special weekends for mums or dads and promotional activities.
How is it funded?
Funding is derived from the Ministry of Health to provide contracted core services and Family/Whanau Carers Programmes, along with grants from various different Funders. The organisation relies heavily on private donations and other fundraising activities, most of which are conducted at local regional level. They have recently introduced “Direct Donor” schemes and gratefully accept bequests made in wills.
How can I get their help?
You can contact Parent to Parent New Zealand Inc in a number of ways:
- Visit the website www.parent2parent.org.nz and select “on-line enquiry” or select “locations and contacts” for full contact details for their 10 Regional Offices and National Office.
- Phone 0508 236 236 during business hours and ask for the contact details for your local Region.
- Email national@parent2parent.org.nz
How much does it cost?
Parent to Parent New Zealand support services are free. They have a fantastic network of Volunteer Support Parents who generously give of their time. They also rely on fundraising activities and donations. Any donation received is greatly appreciated, but not expected.
Link to the Parent to Parent Website
This is an easy-to-use, informative and extensive website. It contains a large range of information on syndromes and conditions, matching requests, library books and journals, training courses and conferences, just to name a few.
