Manuka Family/Whanau Services is a community based service working with families where children and young people who have been assessed as having mild to moderate mental health or behaviour problems and are referred through the Gateway process in the Mid-Central Health region/rohe to a primary mental health service.
Manuka Family/Whanau services is part of WellStop Inc. WellStop mainly works in the area of sexual abuse and views the Primary Mental Health Service as important prevention. Strong and resilient children in well-connected and supported families are less vulnerable to abuse.
We employ qualified and experienced staff who work from the understanding that parents and caregivers are the best people to encourage children and young people to heal or make changes. Children attending therapy alone cannot make changes. We believe that healing and change is possible in all families.
If you would like more information please download our Manuka Brochure.

FAQS

What Do We Do?
We provide brief interventions (usually 6-8 sessions), which is free of charge to families and whanau who have involvement with CYFS. Our primary focus is to support parents and caregivers to understand the behaviours associated with trauma and poor attachment, which is common, particularly for children in care. Therapy is tailored to each family's needs, and may involve individual therapy for the child or young person, as well as support sessions for the parents/caregivers. Therapy may focus on helping individuals with emotions, behaviours, social skills or issues from the past, such as abuse and/or neglect.

Accesing Manuka Family/Whanau Services
Families referred to this service must have children involved with Child, Youth and Family Services and have been assessed through the CYF and DHB Gateway Process. Referrals to Manuka Services are accepted from the Gateway Coordinator after an assessment has been completed. This service is only available in the Central and East Coast Regions.