Parenting Place was founded 30+ years ago by Ian and Mary Grant, whose long history of supporting young people naturally evolved into helping those same individuals as they became parents. Ian’s gifted communication and Mary’s creativity and administrative leadership formed a strong partnership. Their early parenting seminars – rich in storytelling, humour, and hope – quickly grew in popularity and led to the creation of resources likeHot Tips and Toolbox, which offered practical guidance to everyday families seeking confidence in their parenting.
Pio Terei and Jenny Hale – still key team members in the organisation today, were early staff at Parenting Place, then called Parenting with Confidence. Later name changes – to Parents Inc for branding reasons and ultimately to Parenting Place after opening a physical centre in Greenlane Auckland – mirrored shifts in identity and structure. Throughout, Ian and Mary and their team addressed the real concerns of families, with hope for better relationships as the core message in all their communications. This approach also shaped Attitude, the youth arm established from Mary Grant’s work in sex education and the team’s growing engagement with high schools, which eventually became an independent organisation in 2021.
Further developments included programmes like Building Awesome Whānau in response to relationships with Māori and a desire to represent Aotearoa New Zealand. Growth also came through strategic partnerships and funding relationships—from early corporate sponsors to later mergers such as the integration with Space. These developments gradually shifted the organisation from a founder‑driven not‑for‑profit to a more established, multi‑partner entity with broader expectations and responsibilities.
Across its history, Parenting Place has delivered support through events, courses, workshops, retreats, camps, school presentations, magazines and now through digital formats and licensed models. What has remained constant is its commitment to engaging communication and supporting strong parent‑child relationships. Ian and Mary Grant were inspired by their faith and love for people. These origins are expressed in the values of the organisation today: Tūmanako (Hope), Ako (Learning). Auahatanga (Creativity), Mahi tahi (collaboration) and Manaakitanga (Care).
As the organisation looks ahead, its rich heritage of creativity, cultural responsiveness, and community connection provides both grounding and momentum. With hundreds of thousands of families impacted already, Parenting Place’s story offers many reasons for confidence in the next chapter.
