23 October 2019

SmartStart has expanded its service to include information and resources for children up to 6 years old!

Te Tari Taiwhenua, Department of Internal Affairs, launched SmartStart back in December 2016, and since then the site has had over 700,000 visits.

Becky Cassam, Manager Life Event Services, says SmartStart was initially released to help parents navigate from the early stages of pregnancy up until a baby is 6 months.

“The information has been extended to capture a much wider range, from parents trying to have a baby all the way up to when a child is 6 years of age” says Miss Cassam.

“The new site offers the same experience the previous site, with additional information and resources in one place, for both the parent and child” says Miss Cassam.

There’s a wealth of information building on the current resource, such as registering your baby, accessing BestStart payments, mental health support, language development, returning to work, immunisations, and tips for keeping kids safe.

"We're incredibly proud to release our expanded content into SmartStart to help support parents who are discovering and experiencing the joys and challenges parenthood has to offer" says Miss Cassam.

This information expansion aims to make things easier for parents and caregivers, allowing them to access the services they’re entitled to at the click of a button, and aligns with the Government’s Child and Youth Wellbeing Strategy.

Visit SmartStart at: https://smartstart.services.govt.nz

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