Supporting children and families

Help with the cost of pre-school childcare.

Help with the cost of before-school, after-school, and school holiday programmes.

Help with the cost of early childcare if you're a parent aged under 18 and in secondary school.

A payment which helps carers or parents with things like laundry, housework, cooking, childcare or parenting skills.

Learn more about the childcare assistance that's available through the Working for Families package. Their calculator can help you estimate the amount of childcare assistance you may be able to get.

Programmes and initiatives to help families and their children.

Promoting the wellbeing and safety of children and supporting positive parenting.

Information, ideas and materials to help you support your children and get more involved in their education. This site includes information about early chilcare education services and tips on choosing one that suits you and your child.

Search through our job vacancies on our Find a Job website

Assistance if you're a sole parent.

We can help you find a job that’s right for you.

Assistance that recognises the cost of raising children and ensures that you’re better off in work. Three out of four families with children can get Working for Families assistance such as:

• tax credits
• help with housing costs
• childcare assistance.

Assistance for sole parents.

Help with your rent, board or the cost of owning a home.

A card that can help you and your family with the costs of health care. You'll pay less on some health services and prescriptions.

A payment which helps carers or parents with things like laundry, housework, cooking, childcare or parenting skills.

A payment for parents who are involved in an international custody or access dispute and are finding it hard financially.

A brochure about some of the help you may be able to get when you're having a baby such as:

• paid parental leave or a Parental Tax Credit
• Child Support
• Working for Families assistance.

Assistance that recognises the cost of raising children and ensures that you’re better off in work. Three out of four families with children can get Working for Families assistance such as:

• tax credits
• help with housing costs
• childcare assistance.

Information and resources for parents paying child support, custodians and employers making child support deductions.

For information about Paid Parental Leave.

An allowance if you're the primary person caring for a seriously disabled child or young person.

A card that can help you and your family with the costs of health care. You'll pay less on some health services and prescriptions.

Assistance for full-time carers of someone at home.

An allowance which helps you with regular, ongoing costs because of a disability, such as visits to the doctor or hospital, medicines, extra clothing or travel.

Information on the role of Disability Services within the Ministry of Health and the disability support services it funds.

If you or your family need a lot of prescriptions each year, this card can help with these costs.

Assistance if you're a carer supporting a child or young person whose parents can't care for them because of a family breakdown.

Assistance if you're a carer supporting a child or young person whose parents have either died, can't be found or can't look after them because they have a long-term illness or incapacity.

Help with your rent, board or the cost of owning a home.

A card that can help you and your family with the costs of health care. You'll pay less on some health services and prescriptions.

Promoting the wellbeing and safety of children and supporting positive parenting.

Assistance that recognises the cost of raising children and ensures that you’re better off in work. Three out of four families with children can get Working for Families assistance such as:

• tax credits
• help with housing costs
• childcare assistance.