Support for Young Parents in New Zealand
Many mums love the benefits that come with being a parent at a young age, but it can also come with its challenges, especially if you haven’t finished school or started working yet.
If you’re a young parent with a baby, here are some resources and organisations that may be able to help you on your journey:
- The Association of Teen Parent Educators New Zealand (ATPENZ) website covers everything you need to know about continuing to study at secondary school as a teen parent. Visit teenparentschools.org.nz to find your closest Teen Parent Unit so you can set yourself and your child up for the future.
- Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu is a distance learning school that offers interactive online learning for students, enabling them to access education up to NCEA Level 3 from anywhere in the country. To enquire about learning with Te Kura, visit their website tekura.school.nz or call 0800 65 99 88.
- The Young Parent Payment is available for young parents aged 16-19 who meet the eligibility criteria and are in full-time education. Visit workandincome.govt.nz to see if you qualify for the Young Parent Payment or any other support.
- Youth Horizons is a national charity dedicated to improving the lives of young people. They offer a live-in teen parenting home for young mums in Auckland. For more information on their services, free phone 0800 375 210 or visit their website youthorizons.org.nz.
- E Tipu E Rea Whānau Services is an Auckland-based community organisation that provides whānau-based support, resources, and assistance to mātua taiohi (teen parents) through a kaupapa Māori framework. Visit etipuereaws.org.nz for more information on the services they can assist you with.
- Taonga Educational Centre Charitable Trust offers support services to teen parents, including social services, antenatal education, mothers’ accommodation, and early childhood centres to care for their tamariki. For a referral to their services, submit the contact form via their website taonga.org.nz.
- Youthline is an organisation that works to support young people and give them access to help when they need it. They operate out of 10 centres nationwide. Visit youthline.co.nz to reach a centre near you.
