Family and Community Services
Family and community services (FACS) focuses on early intervention and prevention services for families. Their main role is to lead and co-ordinate services for families and strengthen the sector that supports them.
FACS funds and manages over 34 early intervention and prevention programmes. These range from programmes that aim to give children the best start in life to those that focus on changing attitudes and behaviours toward violence and family relationships. They also work with local communities to build a network of connected quality services for families across New Zealand.
Some of the initiatives and programmes are outlined below. For more information, or to obtain copies of resources, see the FACS website:Family Violence Intervention Programme
The Family Violence Intervention Programme, delivered through Work and Income, recognizes that New Zealand has a high rate of family violence and that many victims are likely to be clients of Work and Income. Work and Income case managers have been trained to identify and respond appropriately to clients who are living in or leaving violent family situations.
Work and Income has developed strong working relationships with other government agencies and community family violence prevention agencies to support families affected by family violence. Family violence response co-ordinators have been appointed in each region to support case managers and liaise with local support services.
Family Violence Information Line
The Family Violence Information Line (0800 456 450) provides self-help information and
connections to services in order to help people understand the impact of family violence and how they can make changes in their own lives. The information line operates seven days a week from 9:00 am to 11:00 pm
Family Start
Family Start is part of a wider strategy to strengthen families. It provides intensive, home-based support services for families with high needs, to ensure that their children have the best possible start in life.
Family Start is funded and managed by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Social Development. The programme is delivered by contracted service providers, and designated community agencies refer families to Family Start. Families can be accepted onto the programme from six months before the birth of a child up to one year after. Participation in the programme is voluntary.
SKIP (Strategies with Kids/Information for Parents)
SKIP is an initiative that supports parents to bring up their children in a positive way, using love, nurturing, limits and boundaries. Through SKIP, a range of resources is available for parents with children under five years old, and the organisations that support them.
National Directory
The National Directory is an online tool of services to help families in New Zealand. It supports families to find out which organisations there are to help them, and provides the contact details for these organisations.
The National Directory provides a resource for organisations involved with supporting families to be able to network with other organisations, or to identify what other services are available in their region. The directory is also used by government agencies to support their work in regions, and to identify the gaps in support for families.