Child Travel Fund

PLEASE NOTE


Regrettably, the Child Travel Fund is closed for applications until further notice as
we have used all available funding.

This page will be updated as soon as further funding becomes available. Ngā mihi.

When a loved one is imprisoned, it puts extra stress and costs on whānau. There is often little-to-no support and many struggle to visit loved ones as often as they would like. Te Pā provides a travel subsidy to help encourage the strong whānau relationships that are an important part of a person’s reintegration when they return to the community.

Te Pā is also the National Administrator of the Child Travel Fund on behalf of the Prisoners Aid and Rehabilitation Societies throughout New Zealand and Salvation Army Reintegration Services.

To learn more about Child Travel Fund eligibility and to apply, see below.

ELIGIBILITY

Applications are for:

  • A child or children (17 years and under) to visit their whānau member in a New Zealand prison/facility.
  • A whānau member to visit their child (17 years and under) who is held in a New Zealand prison/facility.
  • Please note that return trip mileage of less than 50km is unable to be funded.

SUPPORT OFFERED

  • Child Travel Fund is financial support only and doesn’t include providing the means of transport.
  • Reimbursement is 83c per km and is capped at $300 total for a return journey.
  • If the travel is over 700km return, there is also accommodation assistance of $100 available on top of the travel assistance.
  • Payments are made every Wednesday. Paperwork must be submitted by the Tuesday prior to the visit date.
  • The distance travelled is calculated from the address where the child/children or whānau member resides, direct to the facility being visited.

FREQUENCY

  • Whānau can apply once a month for a visit. Special exceptions can be made for unique events (such as family days and parole hearings).
  • To enquire about extra visits, please contact us via Whānau Services at whanau@tepaa.nz.

HOW TO APPLY

Please complete the online form at the bottom of this page.

When applying for the first time, proof of bank account details must be provided. This can either be a screenshot of the account information (including the bank logo, name on the account, and account number) or a bank statement. This is the account Te Pā will make payment to.


PROOF OF VISIT

  • A Confirmation of Visit form must be signed and stamped by a staff member at the site visited. This can be either a Corrections Officer or Youth Justice Worker. Please ensure the staff member prints their name as well as signing and stamping the form as this enables us to contact them, if needed.
  • The fully completed form is to be emailed to Whānau Services at whanau@tepaa.nz.
  • Please note that if a completed form is not returned, there may not be eligibility to any further assistance.

UNABLE TO ATTEND A VISIT

  • If a visit doesn’t happen for any reason (such as COVID), the Confirmation of Visit form must still be returned, along with an explanation for why the visit didn’t go ahead. Depending on the circumstances, Te Pā may require the payment to be returned or to be used for the next planned visit.
  • If we don’t receive this information, further assistance may not be possible.