Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi engari he toa takitini - I come not with my own strengths but bring with me the gifts, talents and strengths of my family, tribe and ancestors.

Becoming a father as a teenager is not always viewed in a positive light. Teen fathers often experience stigma and discrimination. Some people may assume a teen father will show little interest in his children, and may blame him for the pregnancy. Yet fathers make important contributions to the lives of their children, family and whānau members, and hapū, iwi and communities. They do this through:

• their relationships with their children
• the contributions they make to households – for example, time, skills, money
• the support they can give to partners, their networks – family, friends and wider community

We offer a range of services to expectant teen fathers and teen fathers. 

We can help you with the following:

• Working with fathers before the birth of the baby to address obstacles that might hinder their involvement with their baby
• Equipping teen fathers with the communication and negotiation skills they need to address complex family issues
• Facilitating communication and co-operation between the teen father and the mother of his child
• Providing services on an ongoing basis, so they can effectively respond to difficult family situations as they arise
• Mentoring and support
• Supported referral to services such as parenting programmes and building financial capability

All our services for teen fathers are free and confidential and are available for as long as they need or want them.