Family Start providers across Aotearoa say mounting financial pressures and sweeping government reforms are placing critical early intervention services at risk, with fears vulnerable whānau could be left without the support they need.
Nathan Harrington, Chief Executive of Te Kupenga Hauora – Ahuriri in Napier, says uncertainty surrounding reforms to the prevention sector is making it increasingly difficult for organisations to plan ahead and maintain frontline services.
Family Start providers work directly with vulnerable whānau through in-home support aimed at improving health, education and social outcomes for tamariki in their earliest years.
Harrington says proposed changes linked to the Government’s new Social Investment Agency model could reshape how services are funded and delivered, creating concerns about whether long-term relationship-based support will remain a priority.
Providers fear a stronger focus on data-driven investment models may overlook the complexity of whānau needs and reduce flexibility for community-led organisations that work closely with families on the ground.
At the same time, rising fuel prices are placing additional strain on providers already operating under tight budgets.
For many Family Start workers, regular travel is essential to delivering in-home visits, particularly in regional and rural communities where whānau can be spread across large distances.
Harrington says increasing transport costs are affecting workforce capacity and raising concerns about whether services can continue at current levels without additional support.
Family Start providers are also calling for greater involvement in the reform process, arguing that the voices of frontline organisations must be included in decisions that directly affect tamariki and whānau outcomes.
The national Family Start network includes 43 providers working in communities throughout the country, many of them kaupapa Māori and community-based organisations with deep local connections.
Providers say reforms must protect prevention-focused services and ensure vulnerable families are not placed at greater risk during a period of economic hardship and sector change.
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