Our two Family Service Centres in Papakura and Takanini are true community hubs, providing integrated health, education and social services in two high-needs communities. The Family Service Centre model was devised and developed by Dam Lesley Max and the Papakura Centre was opened in 1992, followed by the Takanini Centre in 2014. Our approach is to give a hand up along the way, giving people and communities the support and tools, they need to meet their own goals and objectives and find solutions to their problems.
Our Centres offer early learning services, social workers in schools, community centre social workers, counsellors, parenting programmes, and playgroups. Family Service Centres are “one-stop shops” promoting safety, well-being and learning for children and families through support, counselling, education and advocacy. Our aim is to assist and support families to make positive change for the greatest number of children and and people within these communities.
Our team supports more than 350 families every year, and have done so for nearly 30 years. We provide a wraparound service which includes assisting with housing, food, health care, employment support and wellbeing services. Every Thursday bread is provided to the schools we work with as well as to community groups and individuals. We operate a free Early Learning Centre at our Papakura branch and a licensed Playgroup in Takanini.
We often wonder what families do in all those many New Zealand communities that do not have access to a friendly, professionally-staffed Centre like ours in Papakura and Takanini.
OUR FACTS & FIGURES
Parenting resource videos for families Read more
Meet our Family Service Centre Team... Read more
Papakura Early Learning Centre, next to Kelvin Road School, is part of a family service centre (FSC) providing health, education and support services for families. All-day sessions are offered for children from two to five years of age. Read more
Our Family Service Centres assist the community with housing, food, health care, employment support and wellbeing services as well as offering early learning services, parenting programmes, playgroups, social workers in schools, counselling and more... Read more
Family Service Centre Takanini opened its doors in January 2014. Our warm, colourful new Centre was established in partnership with the Counties Manukau Kindergarten Association, whose superb early learning centre provides a beautiful environment for the local children. Read more
Papakura Family Service Centre & Early Learning Centre has been providing valuable services to the families in Papakura since 1992. We provide an early learning centre, the HIPPY programme, Plunket, social work and advocacy, counselling, parenting, budgeting and Social Workers in Schools. Read more