Agreement recognises Family Works support for children and families

An agreement signed between the Ministry of Social Development and Presbyterian Support New Zealand today focuses on delivering the best results for children and families in need of support.

The contract entrusts Presbyterian Support’s nationwide network of Family Works centres with responsibility to provide services that meet a wide range of needs, from counseling, social work and budgeting to parenting education, family violence prevention and support for youth at risk.
Presbyterian Support’s National Executive Group Chairman, Chris Graham, says the new arrangement will ensure the national network of Family Works providers, which has a proven record of high quality effective service, is best enabled to deliver.

“The agreement continues the Ministry’s move to formalise relationships with trusted community organisations and, at the same time, to be confident that taxpayers’ money is being spent to best effect,” Chris Graham says.

Social Development Ministry Deputy Chief Executive Ray Smith says this morning’s signing marked an important step forward in this significant and valued relationship and builds on Government support for joined-up social service delivery and reduced compliance costs.

“This financial year the Ministry provided $11.3 million in funding to Presbyterian Support. We have been working to ensure we team up as effectively as possible and today’s signing is the culmination of that work.”

“The agreement sets out in plain English how we will streamline contracting with Presbyterian Support’s regional organisations, by providing an overarching framework to simplify compliance. It shifts the responsibilities on providers away from ticking boxes to the delivery of outcomes,” Ray Smith says.

“The Ministry is interested in results. We are delighted the agreement recognises that Family Works’ client-centred approach gets the right results and makes a positive difference in the lives of the people who benefit from our services,” Chris Graham says.

Presbyterian Support has Family Works centres located throughout the country from Invercargill to Whangarei.

ENDS

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