LINK HOUSE AND BIRTHRIGHT WAIKATO MERGE INTO SINGLE PARENT SERVICES

Marie from Fairfield

Birthright Waikato, operating in the Waikato for over sixty-two years and Link House for over thirty-eight years has finally merged Trusts to become Link House Birthright Waikato Trust trading as Single Parent Services.
A spokesperson for the agency said that the reason for the merger is that both agencies were doing similar work and it made sense to join forces to focus on each agency’s strengths. The primary aim of the new agency is to build a community in which families led by one parent can thrive as powerfully as any other.

Back in the 1950’s, the form of assistance provided by Birthright to hard-pressed widows and their children was mentoring and moral, rather that financial, support. As many as 100 children at a time were taken away for a ten-day holiday. One former child remembers being put on a rail car, by herself, at the age of ten and sent to a farm far away.

Now the Counselling & Advisory Service offers specialised counselling services for youth and adults to address life issues including anxiety, depression, parenting, sexual abuse and violence. They also offer practical short courses in, for example, self-esteem and cooking on a budget.

The social workers work through issues or barriers faced by their clients to jointly come up with practical solutions.

All counsellors and social workers are fully qualified and registered with their specific professional bodies. Funding is provided by the Ministry of Social Development, Oranga Tamariki, Accident Compensation Corporation and community grants.

Check out their website on spsw.org.nz... or call on 0800 457 146.for further information