Who we are

Who We Are

For most grandparents, raising their grandchildren is the result of an unexpected and traumatic event that requires a significant readjustment to their lives and the lives of their grandchildren.

Founded in 1999 and established as a charitable trust in 2001, Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Trust New Zealand is a unique organisation that has a deep understanding of both the long-term benefits for grandchildren being raised by their grandparents and the challenges it can present.

Supporting Whānau

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.

Amo highlighted Māpuna as something precious, and a term his grandmother affectionately used for him. The word also signifies "to well up", an emotional response often experienced when relaying to others, the experience of many Grandparents Raising Grandchildren whanau. The word "Hei" in the name is used to denote relationships in kinship terms, providing additional layers of meaning to our new Māori identity.

In 2024, Grandparents Raising Grandchildren have taken further steps to embrace te ao Māori, adoptingMe Tuku (to give) as its' Māori engagement strategy to help guide and build cultural awareness in all we do. Currently in its infancy, when the meaning of this tikanga is fully expressed, it will enable GRG to incorporate into its strategy, aspects of aroha (love), kaitiakitanga (collective responsibility), whanaungatanga (familial strength), mana (enhancement), koha atu koha mai (reciprocity), aumangea (resilience), ukaipōtanga (potential) and whakaute (respect).