Barnardos FAIR Centre Turns 10
This year the FAIR Centre celebrates 10 years of service to the community. The FAIR Centre was set up to empower people by giving them the information they needed to make decisions, changes and take action. As well as providing a free nationwide information service through their 0800 line, the Centre produces regular up-to-date information sheets for distribution to organisations and individuals throughout the country and a library service for Barnardos staff.
Although its not a counselling line, the information the FAIR Centre telephone team has at its fingertips can really make a huge difference to a caller seeking help. The FAIR Centre has a vast computer database of community services around the country, which means that the caller from Kaitaia looking for parenting courses can be advised as easily as the caller from Greymouth seeking respite care. The database is updated monthly.
Some 25,000 people have called the FAIR Centres over the last decade, nearly one-fifth of them last year. They rang seeking information on a range of issues - including benefits, family law, and local support services, as well as child support and custody issues.
The FAIR Centre team also produces up-to-date information sheets on a range of issues affecting families - everything from custody and access, help for teen mums and dads, options for early childhood education, tips on babysitting, information on family income to how to challenge decisions and complain to organisations. Nearly 30,000 information sheets were distributed to 580 subscribers and individuals calling the Centre's 0800 line last year, including to organisations such as Citizens Advice Bureau, IHC and Plunket.
The FAIR Centre phone number is 0800 222 345, and is open Monday to Friday, 9.00am to 5.00pm. |
Contact for Enquiries
The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
Pastoral House
25 The Terrace
PO Box 2526, Wellington
Tel: +64 4 894 0100
Fax: +64 4 894 0720
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