Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Trust New Zealand is a registered not for profit organisation that provides nationwide support services, to 5400+* full time grandparent and other whanau care families - representing over 9,000 carers raising around 16,000 children and young people in New Zealand. [*November 2020]
For more than 95% of the families we work with, the grandparents have become full-time caregivers as a result of a traumatic event or family breakdown where there have been serious issues with the parents. Often it is due to drugs and/or alcohol abuse, violence, neglect, mental illness, imprisonment, or death of one or both parents. If it weren't for the grandparents/kin taking on the responsibility for the care of the grandchildren/kin, the children would be faced with state care. The fallout for both the grandchildren and grandparents is life changing and requires a deep understanding of their needs as they work to reform their family and rebuild the lives of the children.
Will you come dance with me in the sun, come hold my hand and join with me,
together united for the sake of our moko, for those of you who are in the shadows,
not knowing where to turn, come forward and see our open hand,
our aroha will embrace you, empower you and lead you into the bright sunlight.
Together we can, will and do make a difference in the life of a child.
Diane Vivian, Founder
Our Vision
Is to provide a community where grandparents raising grandchildren are empowered to provide a safe, secure and nurturing home for their grandchildren so that they can achieve positive long term outcomes in their lives.
Our Purpose
Is to provide support services to grandparents raising grandchildren to protect and promote the well-being and development of children in their care.
Our Values
- Family is everything
- Children are our taonga
- Knowledge is strength
Our Objectives
- To raise awareness of the advantages of grandparents as full-time caregivers, when a child cannot be raised by their parents.
- To achieve better life long outcomes for our children.
- To support grandparents who are full-time caregivers to protect, care and provide for their grandchildren.
- To facilitate change in the legal and regulatory environment to ensure that full-time caregiver grandparents receive appropriate support and are enabled to act in the best interests of the child.
