Canterbury children supports
Discover the services available to support our rangatahi and tamariki in the Christchurch and Canterbury region
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Discover the services available to support our rangatahi and tamariki in the Canterbury region.
Our Canterbury region is part of the South Island | Te Waipounamu region through Health New Zealand.
If you live in Christchurch (Ōtautahi), Timaru, Ashburton, Rangiora, Geraldine, Fairlie, Twizel, Tekapo, or Kaikōura or anywhere else in the Canterbury region; there are support services available for you and your children.
You can access Child Development Services through a referral from your GP (doctor), Plunket nurse, or a pediatrician at the hospital. Take a look at the providers in your region below.
Child Development Services Canterbury
They see tamariki from birth up to 16 years old. Some of the conditions the team work with include autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy, developmental delay, Down Syndrome, global developmental delay, and neuromuscular disorders and syndromes with developmental delays. They also see kids less than a year old with involuntary neck muscle contractions (torticollis).
Contact the team
Email referralschilddevelopment@cdhb.health.nz
Phone 03 383 6820 or 0800 333 662
Address Montreal House, 440 Montreal Street, Christchurch
What to expect with CDS Canterbury
The CDS Canterbury team works with tamariki and their whānau to understand their needs and support their development. This can include running information sessions for parents, providing therapy and support after surgery, helping organise equipment for use at home, and assisting with changes to the home to make it safer or easier to move around. They may also support therapy in warm water (hydrotherapy) and check whether special supports like splints or braces (orthotics) would be helpful.
CDS Canterbury services
Specialists who work at CDS can include a:
Physiotherapist
Helps your child with moving their body, building strength and skills, joining in with everyday activities, and supporting their overall quality of life.Occupational therapist
Supports your child to learn everyday skills like dressing, playing, and using their hands, and helps with fine motor skills and sensory needs (how your child responds to things like noise, touch, or movement).Social worker
Supports parents, whānau, and caregivers with their own needs and challenges, and helps families navigate services while caring for a child with developmental needs.Speech‑language therapist
Works with whānau to check how safely your child eats and drinks, and supports swallowing skills if needed.Dietitian
Helps with your child’s food and nutrition needs, including support for tube feeding (enteral feeding), very selective eating, or concerns about growth and weight gain.Kaitautoko
Supports and connects with Māori whānau who are referred to the Child Development Service, helping ensure care is culturally appropriate and whānau‑centred.Psychologist
Completes assessments to help understand your child’s learning and development, including assessments for autism and intellectual disability.Allied Health Assistant / Kaiāwhina (helper)
Supports the team in working with tamariki and whānau. This can include helping with individual therapy plans, running group or one‑to‑one parent sessions, helping in clinics, and creating useful resources for tamariki and families.
Other services available in Canterbury
The Champion Centre
The Champion Centre supports babies and young children in Canterbury with significant developmental challenges. They work with families, offering centre-based programmes that follow international best practices.
Their purpose is to create hope and communities where every child can thrive.
They help children with a wide range of needs, including Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, autism, epilepsy, and developmental delays. Services include:
Early intervention for children from birth to school age.
Specialised support for children with communication and social difficulties.
Monitoring for children at risk due to health issues or prematurity.
Individual assessments to better understand a child’s development.
Equipping families and communities with lifelong tools.
What to expect at The Champion Centre
Based in Burwood Hospital, The Champion Centre is an early intervention service for children with complex developmental challenges. They have a team of expert teachers and therapists to support this service.
In the words of the team
“The Centre helps children discover their voice, their joy, and their place in the world. For parents struggling with fear and uncertainty, it becomes a guiding light through the darkest moments.
Every connection, every session, every act of kindness transforms lives, proving that no child is ever beyond reach when compassion and expertise come together.”
Contact the team
Email office@championcentre.org.nz
Website championcentre.org.nz
Phone 03 383 6867
Address
Gate 1, Burwood Hospital, 300 Burwood Road, Christchurch