GRG provides specialist support services to full time grandparent and other whānau care families - representing thousands of carers raising thousands children and young people in New Zealand. These services are focused on strengthening and empowering grandparent and whānau care families so that they can raise resilient and healthy tamariki and rangatahi.

Their Support Services include:

• Financial and Legal Advocacy This service is vital for the one-on-one direct support for our member families.
• Local Support Groups A nationwide network of Grandparent groups providing local grassroots support and fellowship to more than 6,000 grandparent and whānau member families.
• Research and Publications As the landscape for family life changes, it is important that the regulatory and legal environment responds and remains relevant to their changing needs.
• Caregiver Education Grandparent and whānau caregivers can benefit from GRG's free SALT workshop program, designed for caring for children affected by trauma, and access training from other providers.

Counties Manukau Support Group

Shirley Afoa – Papakura As a mother of 7 and grandmother of 15, I have lived in Papakura for the last 47 years. My journey as a grandmother raising grandchildren began in 2014 when my eldest son passed away from cancer.

He was a single dad at the time because the children's mother had already passed away. I had just recently become a widow, so it was a hard time for me.

That's when I found Grandparents Raising Grandchildren and joined the Pukekohe group. After a year, I became the Support Group Coordinator for Pukekohe.

Recognising the great need in South Auckland, I started the Papakura Support Group. To find out more about the Papakura Support Group, get in touch with our national office.