Care for Multiple Birth Families 
Home Grown Kids are advocates for the needs of multiple birth families, with decades of experience pairing Nannies with biological or adoptive families of multiples.
A Nanny is someone special who comes into your family home to educate and care for your children. Sometimes this might be just for a couple of hours a week to provide a helping pair of hands or give you an often much needed break! We are careful to choose warm, caring people who have a passion for working with infants and young children, and feel comfortable fitting into an established family home and routine. Perhaps you are still finding your feet as a new parent, and that is okay too! While a Nanny’s main role is childcare, they may also help out with other household duties such as meal preparation, groceries, pick ups and drop offs etc.
Will you be able to select your own Nanny?
Of course, we believe your choice should come down to something quite simple: a gut feeling about the connection your Nanny has with you, your family and your children. We encourage all of our families to spend time with a potential Nanny in their home before making a final decision. Rest assured we stand strong alongside our Nannies. We care about them and we are committed to the work they do, supporting and communicating with them every step of the way. We understand that engaged, fulfilled carers make for happy families and even happier children who thrive – this is what we are all about!
What is Home Grown Kids role after placement?
A registered Visiting Teacher and admin team will provide ongoing support and assistance throughout your Nanny’s employment for an small admin fee of $11.50 a fortnight. This includes processing of your Multiple Birth Home Payments, regular visits to your home to check on your children’s education and care, providing ongoing professional development opportunities for your Nanny and of course being available for your family any time for advice or queries.
Work and Income Home Help Payments
The Work and Income Multiple Birth Home Help Payments are available to help families of multiples with the cost of home help. This benefit is not means tested, all New Zealand citizens or permanent residents are eligible if they have given birth to twins or adopted twins and have another child under the age of five years old, or if they have given birth to or adopted triplets, or higher order multiples.
Parents of twins are entitled to 240 hours, which is to be used within 12 months. Those who have given birth to or adopted triplets or more are entitled to 1560 hours, which is to be used within 24 months. All home help is granted from the date the children are born if they are born at home, or otherwise from the date that they are discharged from the hospital.
Your family may use your allotted hours in any way that suits your needs best, such as short term full-time help, or longer term part-time help. However, there is no further entitlement once the hours are claimed or once the maximum period has ended. It is strongly recommended that families begin the application process before their multiples are born. The wonderful administration team at Home Grown Kids can provide the application forms, and help you complete them, or you can contact Work and Income directly.
Help with Childcare Costs (WINZ and the MOE)
New Zealand Ministry of Education funding and WINZ payments can help make quality childcare more affordable for families with multiples, who need extra help to return to work or prepare for a future career, through study. This is provided through the Early Childhood Education ‘20 Hours ECE’, and Childcare subsidies. Child subsidy entitlements are determined by means testing, there for your entitlement is depending on the size of your family, your income, and how many hours a week your child attends the service provider. All subsidies will be paid directly to Home Grown Kids as your chosen service provider.
20 Hours ECE is where the Government funds up to 20 hours a week of early childhood education for children aged 3-5 years attending an ‘ECE’ service. You will need to choose between receiving 20 Hours ECE, the Childcare Subsidy or a combination of both payments, but not both payments for the same hours.
Childcare Subsidy—this is paid for pre-school children aged under 5 years and attending an early childhood programme for 3 or more hours a week, (or under 6 years if you receive a Child Disability Allowance). You may be entitled to help with up to 9 hours of childcare a week and, in some cases, you may receive up to 50 hours a week if you are working, studying, involved in a WINZ activity or are a night-shift, seriously ill or disabled, or caring for a child in hospital or a child you get the Child Disability Allowance for.