REFERRAL AGENCIES

We operate in Marlborough which is serviced by 25 primary schools. Annually Marlborough is expected to have in excess of 600 new entrants arrive at school for the first time.

SSFI Marlborough partners with local referral agencies that are already in contact with families in financial crisis. These organisations are already familiar with each child, their family, their financial situation and can identify the children that are about to start school. 

SSFI Marlborough provides each referral agency with a Referral Agencies Guidebook which outlines our selection process. Adhering to that selection process, our agency partners identify an eligible child to receive our 5 Kitbox and makes application to us. Referral Agencies include:

Marlborough Kindy Association

Marlborough Pacific Trust

Ministry of Education

Little Footsteps

Blenheim Early Childhood Centres

Maataa Waka Ki Te Tau Ihu Trust
Public Health Nurses of NMDHB
Te Piki Oranga

Marlborough Children’s Team of Oranga Tamariki

To protect the confidentiality of each child and their family, we ask that our referral agencies only provide SSFI Marlborough with the information required to prepare their 5 Kitbox. This includes the child’s first name, birth date, the school the child is attending, their clothing and shoes sizes, and their general interests. The resulting School Start Kit is provided to our partner referral agency who delivers it to the family. This process has been designed to ensure the confidentiality of the children we support and their families.

If you are an agency working with families in financial crisis and want to become a part of our team please contact us on info@ssfimarlborough.nz and we will organise to visit with you to discuss how we can work together to support Marlborough’s at-risk 5-year-olds starting school.