Our People

Megan is a qualified and registered social worker. Prior to coming to Child Matters in 2019, Megan worked at Oranga Tamariki for a number of years where she held the roles of social worker and then Specialist Child Witness Interviewer, which included progressing to a National Assessor and co-trainer for Child Witness Interviewing. More recently she worked as a social work supervisor for Oranga Tamariki. Megan also has experience working as a social worker on the paediatric ward at Waikato Hospital. As the National Services Manager, Megan is responsible for leading a team of Child Protection Consultants and for the delivery of the child protection trainings, consultancy and policy advisory services. She is also a member of the Waikato Child, Youth Mortality Review Group. Megan is also the Chair of the Hamilton Oranga Tamariki Care and Protection Resource Panel.

Helen has 18 years’ experience working with perpetrators of abuse, their victims, and their children. She spent 10 years working with victims and children experiencing or surviving the effects of domestic violence with Te Whakaruruhau Maori Women’s Refuge and Hamilton Refuge and Support Services as an advocate for change, as well as finance and funding manager for both refuges. Helen worked for six years with Family Works Waikato as the family/whānau victim’s advocate on the NZ Police Family Safety Team. She also spent two years with the Department of Corrections as a Reintegration Co-ordinator for Tai Aroha Intensive Treatment Unit for high risk violent offenders, and as a Waikato Probation Officers specialising in PAC (Providing Advice to the Courts) report writing. Helen’s passion is working with families/whānau experiencing domestic violence issues and abuse, with a focus on education and tailored holistic interventions, programme design, and programme evaluation. Helen joined Child Matters in January 2018 and draws on her immense experience working with both perpetrators and victims of abuse when developing and delivering her training.