Jigsaw North began in 1980
Our story
At the heart of every thriving community is a strong, supported whānau. Since 1980, we’ve worked alongside thousands of tamariki, rangatahi, and whānau in the Whangārei area, providing compassionate, practical support to help families thrive.
We are a not-for-profit social service organisation and registered charity with a deep commitment to uplifting whānau. Each year, we support more than 450 families — not just with services, but with genuine care, connection, and belief in their potential.
We believe parenting is one of the most important roles in life — and no one should have to do it alone. Through a wraparound approach that includes counselling, social work, and tailored parenting programmes, we equip parents and caregivers with the knowledge, skills, and support they need to build strong resilient families. When whānau are well-resourced and strengthened, tamariki flourish — and so does the wider community.
Our work is about more than just services — it's about connection. We build trust, strengthen whānau bonds, and deliver real, lasting change. Over the years, we’ve evolved to meet the changing needs of our community and strengthened partnerships with other organisations to ensure families receive the right support at the right time.
Together, we’re creating a future where every whānau has the support they need to thrive.
Founded in 1980
Parent Help began as a small telephone helpline supporting parents in need. This was under the newly formed Northland Child Abuse Prevention Society Inc., started by Plunket Nurse Alice Baxter and Paediatrician Dr Donald Beasley. As demand for the service quickly grew, our first paid administrator was employed to coordinate volunteers and secure funding. This marked the beginning of a journey dedicated to supporting and strengthening families and advocating for the safety and wellbeing of children in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Throughout the 1980s, Parent Help expanded its presence, moving into an office in Bank Street and actively engaging with emerging national groups focused on preventing child abuse. In response to a wave of youth suicides in Whangārei during the mid-80s, we launched Youth Help, including a dedicated youth helpline and a team of home visitors supporting mothers and babies.
By the late 1980s, we had established a refuge for young women, secured government funding, and introduced Homebuilders, a service supporting families at home. During this time, we delivered child abuse prevention workshops in kindergartens, playcentres, and parent groups, while continuing to run parenting courses and offer phone-based support. In 1989, the role of volunteer helpline operators concluded, and the phone line operations were moved in-house.
The early 1990s brought national attention to child abuse, particularly following an episode of Oprah Winfrey's show featuring survivor stories. In preparation for its broadcast in New Zealand, we joined a collaborative helpline effort, supporting a flood of calls from survivors who had never spoken out before. This moment was a turning point in raising awareness and opening national conversations about abuse.
We evolved into the Parent and Family Counselling Service, and later adopted the name Jigsaw North, reflecting our mission to help piece lives back together — for individuals, whānau, and the wider community. As part of a national network, Jigsaw stood as a strong, positive voice for children and families, promoting violence-free parenting in a bicultural, inclusive way. Over the years our reputation has continued to grow as a trusted provider of counselling, education, and family support services based in Whangārei.
Today, as Jigsaw North Manaaki Whānau, although our name, team, and services have evolved over the last 45 years, our core commitment remains unchanged: to prevent family distress and child abuse, support parents to raise healthy, resilient children, and provide compassionate, professional support to families, enabling them all to thrive.
