Whaanau in the Waikato region can access a variety of support services designed to assist with emotional, social, and practical challenges. These services aim to provide them with the tools and guidance needed to navigate difficult times, build resilience, and improve overall well-being. From parenting support to bereavement services, the agencies listed below offer specialised care tailored to meet the needs of families.
FORMAL SERVICE PROVIDERS:
Altogether Autism
Services: Altogether Autism provides a free, evidence-based information service informed by lived experience and the latest research. You may have questions about autism for yourself, a whaanau member, friend, colleague, client or student.
Altogether Autism provides:
Free Autism Information & Advice Altogether Autism offers a free autism information and advice service. They can be reached through live chat by clicking the orange chat bubble on the bottom right of the website, by phone 0800 273 463 or, by email info@altogetherautism.org.nz.
Free eJournal and eNews – Our latest journal and past journals can be viewed here: Altogether Autism Journal and archives
By Autistics for Autistics is a regular Zoom hui is for anyone who is Autistic or thinks they might be. These are low-pressure social groups: being on Zoom means you can choose to keep your camera off and just listen or contribute via the chat if you prefer.
Professional Development and Workshops
Altogether Autism has a wide range of workshops for Autistic people, whaanau, allies, and professionals. Custom programmes are available to meet specific learning needs. Our workshops are developed in consultation with Autistic people and professionals and delivered by experienced facilitators who have lived experience or professional knowledge of autism.
Phone: 0800 273 463
Email: info@altogetherautism.org.nz
Address: 20 Palmerston Street, Hamilton Central, Hamilton 3204
Website: https://www.altogetherautism.org.nz/
Autism New Zealand - Waikato Branch
Services: Providesw support for people with Autism and their whaanau. They offer training, education, and community outreach.
Phone: +64 7 849 2896
Email: waikato@autismnz.org.nz
Address: 2A Brooklyn Road, Claudelands, Hamilton 3214
Website: autismnz.org.nz
Carers NZ
Services: Carers New Zealand offers guidance, counselling, and resources for carers, including those looking after people with disabilities or special needs. They work closely with Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand (Waikato), which also provides support for carers through their Disability Support Services.
Phone: 0800 777 797
Email: centre@carers.net.nz
Address: PO Box 47 385, Ponsonby, Auckland 1144
Website: carers.net.nz
Child Development Centre (CDC) Waikato
Services: The Waikato Child Development Centre (CDC), part of Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand, provides specialist services for tamariki with developmental delays or disabilities. Services include early intervention, assessment, and therapy for tamariki up to 18 years old. CDC provides multidisciplinary services for tamariki with developmental concerns. This includes assessments and therapies for various conditions. Referrals can be made by healthcare professionals.
Phone: +64 7 839 8899
Email: CDCAdmin@Waikatodhb.health.nz
Address: 222 Pembroke Street, Hamilton 3204
Website: Waikato DHB Child Development Services
Community Living Trust
Services: Provides support for people with intellectual disabilities.
Phone: +64 7 853 3100
Email: admin@communityliving.org.nz
Address: Level 1, 369 Khyber Pass Road, Newmarket, Auckland 1023
Website: communityliving.org.nz
Disability Support Services (Ministry of Health)
Services: The Disability Support Services (DSS) at Te Whatu Ora caters to individuals under 65 who require ongoing support for disabilities. They offer a wide range of services including rehabilitation and assistance with daily activities. This service is part of Disability Support Link (DSL), a Needs Assessment and Service Coordination (NASC) service for persons from birth to 65 years. Eligibility for Disability Support services include intellectual, physical, sensory disability and/or autistic spectrum disorder.
Phone: 0800 55 33 99 or +64 7 839 8883
Email: dsloffice@waikatodhb.health.nz
Address: CBD Waiora, Level 1 KPMG building, 87 Alexandra Street, Hamilton CBD
Enabling Good Lives (EGL)
Services: A service aimed at supporting disabled people that offers greater choice and control over the support they receive so that they can plan for the lives they want.
Phone: +64 7 957 1561
Email: enabling_good_lives_waikato@msd.govt.nz
Address: Anglesea Tower, 218 Anglesea St, Level 9, Hamilton
Epilepsy Waikato Charitable Trust (EWCT)
Services: Epilepsy Waikato Charitable Trust (EWCT) is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for individuals living with epilepsy in the Waikato region. They offer a variety of services, including social activities, in-service training, educational fact sheets, and Skype consultations, all designed to provide support and promote awareness within our community.
Phone: +64 021 163 21 73
Email: info@ewct.org.nz
Website: https://ewct.org.nz/
IDEA Services
Services: IDEA Services provides a range of support services for people with intellectual disabilities, including residential services, supported living, and vocational support.
Phone: 0800 442 442
Address: 100 Morrinsville Road, Hillcrest, Hamilton 3216
Website: IDEA Services Waikato
Life Unlimited
Services: Health and disability support services
Phone: 0800 008 011
Email: info@lifeunlimited.net.nz
Address: 20 Palmerston Street, Hamilton 3204
Website: lifeunlimited.net.nz
Mackenzie Centre
Services: The Mackenzie Centre provides early intervention services for tamariki with developmental delays or disabilities. They offer a range of therapy, education, and support services for tamariki and their whaanau. This includes speech-language therapy, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, and support for whaanau.
Phone: +64 7 839 5357
Email: admin@mckenziecentre.org.nz
Address: 30 Gallagher Drive, Melville, Hamilton 3206
Website: https://www.mackenziecentre.org.nz/
Parentline
Services: Parentline offers a therapeutic service to support children who have been witnesses to domestic violence or victims of abuse.
Phone: +64 7 839 4536
Email: parentline@parentline.org.nz
Address: 48 Palmerston St, Hamilton Central, Hamilton 3204
Website: https://www.parentline.org.nz/
Parent to Parent
Services: Provides support and information to families of children with disabilities, including matching parents with trained volunteer support parents.
Phone: +64 7 839 1108
Email: admin@parent2parent.org.nz
Address: 2nd Floor, Tower Building, Ward Street, Hamilton 3204, New Zealand
Website: https://parent2parent.org.nz/
Rainbow Place
Services: Rainbow Place is free supportive service for children and young people with advanced or incurable life limiting conditions.
Phone: +64 7 859 1260 or freephone: 0800 HOSPICE
Contact Form: https://www.hospicewaikato.org.nz/en/contact
Address: 334 Cobham Drive, Hillcrest, Hamilton 3216
Website: https://www.hospicewaikato.org.nz/en/rainbow-place
Te Kōhao Health
Services: Te Kōhao Health provides Māori health and wellbeing services.
Process
A referral can be made to Whānau Ora by anyone including self referrals
A comprehensive assessment will help identify the strengths and needs of your Whānau
Whānau action plan will be written together with you and your Whānau to identify what it would take to make your Whānau successful
A navigator will be assigned to support your Whānau to implement your Whānau plan and monitor progress towards achieving your outcomes
Phone: 0800 525 382
Email: info@tekohaohealth.co.nz
Address: 58A Rotokauri Road, Nawton, Hamilton 3200
Website: tekohaohealth.co.nz
True Colours Children's Health Trust– Supporting Children with Serious Health Conditions and Their Families
Services: Provides compassionate, holistic care to families facing the challenges of a child’s chronic, life-limiting, or life-threatening illness. Their unique, integrated model ensures the whole family receives support, including through grief and bereavement, at no cost to families in the greater Waikato region.
Phone: +64 7 839 4800
Email: info@truecolours.org.nz
Address: 16 Joffre Street, Frankton, Hamilton 3204
Website: https://www.truecolours.org.nz/
Referral Criteria:
A child with a serious health condition affecting them and their family.
A medical diagnosis during pregnancy impacting the baby's health or life.
Bereavement support for parents after the loss of a baby in utero or after birth due to a serious health condition.
Your Way | Kia Roha
Our Learning & Information Centre provides:
Free Disability information and advice to disabled people, family/whānau and professionals.
Free Workshops called Kids Do Well If They Can and Brain, Body & Behaviour.
Kids Do Well If They Can is a free workshop for parents, whānau, educators, and anyone seeking to support autistic children and youth to do well. This workshop offers a positive lens to understand behaviour as well as practical tips to support behaviour that non-autistics may find challenging.
Brain, Body and Behaviour is a free workshop for parents, family / whānau, educators and anyone seeking a deeper understanding of Autistic and neurodivergent children and what they need from us. This workshop helps gain insight into the biology beneath behaviour with a compassionate approach that supports understanding of emotions and the development of self-regulation skills in children.
Tailormade training workshops for professionals.
Our Community team provides the following programmes:
Free After-School Sport for Disabled Children and Young People
free after school sporting programmes in Hamilton for disabled children and young people, aged 5-21. These programmes have been specifically designed to provide an opportunity for disabled children and young people to participate and develop skills in an active adaptive team sport.
Life Friends Class in Hamilton
Life Friends is an adult education course designed to help you learn about friendships and meaningful relationships, and how to go about building them.
Life Fit Programme
Life Fit is a fun gym circuit programme for people with disabilities. It will help you achieve your physical fitness and health goals in a safe and social environment.
This programme is open to any person aged 15 years or over with an intellectual disability or mental illness. It is a chance to get active and improve your health and wellbeing alongside others with similar goals.
Our Multi-Sensory Environment (MSE) room and garden have been specially designed to help people with disabilities enjoy a wide range of experiences for therapy, learning, relaxation, and fun. They are both located in Hamilton
Family members, caregivers, and support workers wanting to support people to use the multi-sensory environment (MSE) room or garden must first complete a Your Way | Kia Roha MSE basic training course before they can use the facility. This six-hour training course is carried out from 9.00am to 3.00pm in Hamilton at least nine times a year, for a fee of $50 per person (including GST)
Positive Action Course
This course will help you learn new skills and knowledge to enable you to make positive changes in your life and live the life you choose. You can attend this course for free if you are aged 16 years or over, have a disability or mental health condition, and are registered with Work and Income or on a Supported Living Benefit.
This programme helps prepare disabled students, aged from 16 to 21, to transition smoothly into post-school education, employment and / or community services and activities. For best results, this programme should be started at the beginning of the student’s final year of school
Ngā Mara Ātea – A Marae-Centred Programme is a day programme with a cultural difference for people with intellectual and physical disabilities, aged 16 to 65.
People participating in this programme are introduced to Tikanga Māori (living by Māori values) and Te Reo Māori (Māori language) in a safe and supportive whānau environment. It is a programme based on Mara – a place of nurturing – and Ātea – a place of belonging – where participants can ‘stand inside the Marae’ so that their ‘distress may cease’.
Our free and community-based Māori disability support service is available to all whānau wanting support when accessing disability services in our communities.
Our Hearing Therapy team provides Free Hearing Tests & Advice nationally.
We offer an extensive range of mobility products through our Mobility Centre.
We are an approved agency to carry out assessments for the Total Mobility Scheme.
Disability Supports & Services Directory - This directory provides contact details and descriptions of activities, services, and supports for disabled people and their whānau.
Phone: +64 800 008 011 or +64 7 839 5506
Email: hamilton@yourwaykiaroha.nz or andrew.walker@yourwaykiaroha.nz
Adress: 20 Palmerston Street, Hamilton Central, Hamilton, 3204
Website: https://www.yourwaykiaroha.nz/
INFORMAL GROUPS:
Facebook:
Autism Support Network- https://www.facebook.com/share/g/KAJkXAZ7mbUEKqKD/
Autism New Zealand- https://www.facebook.com/AutismNewZealand
Autism in New Zealand (Professionals/ Educators)- https://www.facebook.com/share/g/shNvzA2RnPXeSzk5/
Teen Years with Autism NZ (Parents and Caregivers)- https://www.facebook.com/share/g/JmGu99CeDAp5CoiL/
Neurodiverse Parent and Child Support Group NZ- https://www.facebook.com/groups/521178368715147
Enrich+ Autism Groups- https://www.facebook.com/enrichplusautism
Positive ADHD Parenting Aotearoa NZ - https://www.facebook.com/share/g/pu8g1NzkfcK6tUFw/
Families Empowering Families- https://www.facebook.com/share/g/2KrmuSSXUiQvjFid/
ASD Parents and Carers Friendly Group NZ- https://www.facebook.com/share/g/7UYb3LDzNZubPX8C/
Disability COnnections NZ- https://www.facebook.com/groups/disabilityconnections
PDA New Zealand Parents’ Group (founded 29 July 2015)- https://www.facebook.com/groups/pdanewzealand
Parafed Waikato Youth Club- https://www.facebook.com/share/g/aV68o4DWKjaRTpEa/
Disability Funding Support NZ- https://www.facebook.com/share/g/ENSW4rfr5AgAEiUQ/
Disability Equipment & Resources NZ - Buy/Sell/Swap- https://www.facebook.com/share/g/hTEazRU64LGY9j2y/