Our history

1893

A Baptist preacher, Reverend Birch, took in two children he found living in a barrel, and from there established the beginnings of what would eventually become a children’s home. In the early 20th century ownership of the the home was transferred to the Baptist Union of New Zealand.

1914

The Baptist Union opened the Manurewa Children’s Home. Iosis is situated on part of the former home’s land. Our administration office was once the matron’s house, and our Family Learning Centre was the isolation unit for children with infectious diseases!

1960

The Baptist City Mission was established in Mt Eden and grew to offer a range of services to help those in need.

1973

The Domestic Purposes Benefit was introduced, providing struggling families with the financial support they had previously lacked and making it possible to keep children with their parents in the family home.

1981

The Merivale Centre for Women and Families was officially opened, offering emergency accommodation for mothers and children. It later became known as the Merivale Women’s Refuge.

1982

Baptist Family Services was established. The first social worker was employed and, as a result, other new operations began. These included Counselling, Parent Support and, in the late 1990s, the Supervised Contact Centre.

1989

The Children Youth and Families Act of 1989 moved to put children in foster homes rather than orphanages. The Manurewa Children’s Home closed as a result.

1995

The Domestic Violence Act led to an increase in work at Merivale as over 120 families a year were housed short term and established in the community in safe accommodation.

2006

Iosis was incorporated on 17 March, amalgamating Merivale Women's Refuge, Baptist City Mission and Baptist Family Services. Iosis adopted a fresh vision and created an agency for families facing complex challenges. Merivale later became a therapeutic residential parenting programme called the Merivale Whānau Development Centre.

2021

Iosis creates a Māori Development Leader role to build relationships with local iwi and other important stakeholders, and develop new programmes that will more effectively meet the needs of Māori whānau.

2023

Merivale Whānau Development Centre is renamed Iosis Whānau Centre to more closely identify the residential parenting programme with Iosis’s other work.

Today

Iosis works with families from across South Auckland. We continue to offer innovative services and programmes to help families transform their family life for good.