Welcome to Welfare Guardians Canterbury

The information on this page will be useful to:

• Anyone considering applying to be a volunteer Welfare Guardian in Canterbury
• People and organisations wishing to request a volunteer Welfare Guardian in Canterbury

Visit our own website for more info

Please click on the link to go to the Welfare Guardians Canterbury website where you can make a referral and apply to be a volunteer Welfare Guardian. Welfare Guardians Canterbury

Making Referrals.

Applying to be a Welfare Guardian.

Note that you can download the application and referral forms from our website.

Focus on Health and Welfare

Please note that Court-appointed Welfare Guardians only look after health and welfare of their assigned people. They do not have rights to make any decisions about the property and assets of the subject person. These decisions can only be made by a Court appointed Property Manager. Volunteer Welfare Guardians are only appointed as Property Managers in exceptional circumstances as this work is invariably undertaken by professional business organisations such as the Public Trust.

Who are we?

Welfare Guardians Canterbury is a charitable trust established to provide recruit, approve and train suitable volunteers to apply to be Court-appointed Welfare Guardians for people who are unable to make, or communicate, decisions for themselves. Once appointed the Trust provides on-going support for the volunteers.

The Trust consists of a Board who bring various fields of expertise and experience to ensure the Trusts aims are met. The current Trustees have expertise in social work, aged care representation, family court processes and health and disability issues.

Approved volunteers are needed when the subject person lacks any suitable local relatives willing to apply to become their Welfare Guardian.

Once appointed by the Family Court the Welfare Guardian is the only person legally able to make decisions about the day-to-day care and welfare of their Subject Person. These may include decisions about non-urgent medical treatments, accommodation and any day-to-day matters that the person would normally make for themselves but, who the Court have ruled, lack the capacity to do so.

What does the Trust do?

• The Trust recruits, approves, trains and supports suitable volunteer Welfare Guardians.
• The Trust Co-ordinator receives requests for volunteers from a range of people including lawyers; rest home managers and family members who live outside the local area or are unable/unwilling to act as a Welfare Guardian themselves.
• The Coordinator matches the needs of the subject person to a suitable volunteer and supports the volunteer to apply to the Court for an Order appointing them the Welfare Guardian.

What if I have further questions?

If you would like further information about Welfare Guardians Canterbury, have any questions about becoming a volunteer Welfare Guardian or how to request a volunteer contact the Coordinator at:

Email: info@welfareguardianscanterbury.nz

Phone: 0204 189 3045, or Welfare Guardians Canterbury, c/o 24 Main North Road, Papanui, Christchurch 8053.