Te Puāwai Aroha is designed for families with children aged between 8 and 17 years old, with a parent or primary caregiver who is currently getting support from a mental health, addiction, or related support service.

Whānau must be living in the Counties Manukau region.

If Te Puāwai Aroha sounds right for you or someone you know, get in touch with your key worker, social worker, counsellor, or GP who can make a referral. 

Referrals can be made by contacting our programme coordinator.

Our programme coordinator will then contact whānau directly to talk through the programme details. 

Te Puāwai Aroha means ‘blossoming love’. It was adapted from an Australian programme for children of parents with mental illness (COPMI).

Programme content

• Day 1: Resilience

• Day 2: Knowledge/resources

• Day 3: Improving connections/building whānau relationships

• Day 4: Family/Whānau Day.

Children come between 9am-3pm. Teens and parents/caregivers come between 1pm-3pm. Participants attend separately then come together on the last day to have some fun together. A nanny is available to look after children under the age of 8, so that parents or caregivers can attend the afternoon groups.

Te Puāwai Aroha is free to attend. We provide morning tea and lunch, and cover transport costs.

Teens and caregivers are welcome to join the children’s group for lunch each day before the afternoon session.

Once a term we offer a follow-up group.

Whānau who have recently attended the programme can reconnect with other whānau, share changes since the last programme, and spend quality time together.

We will connect with your current key worker or GP, to support your current wellbeing journey if your whānau needs ongoing support.

We also inform your referrer about the themes covered during the programme, any suggestions or referrals that we spoke about together, or about any concerns that we may have about care and protection issues.

Te Puāwai Aroha runs each week of term one, two and three school holidays.

Whānau can choose to attend week 1 or week 2. The programme is always held within Counties Manukau. The location changes each time so that families across the region get the opportunity to attend. 

Ongoing Support

Te Puāwai Aroha is a lot of fun but it’s not a long-term support service. We make sure you have a key worker or GP who can continue to support you and your whānau after the programme ends. We also inform your referrer about the themes covered during the programme, any suggestions or referrals that we spoke about together, or about any care and protection concerns that we may have.