Spectrum Care
Spectrum Care is a New Zealand charitable trust providing person-centred disability support services across five North Island regions, serving children, adults, and families with disabilities through residential, community, employment, respite, and ACC-funded programmes.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1994
- HeadquartersAuckland, New Zealand
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Spectrum Care does
Spectrum Care is a New Zealand charitable trust (legal entity: Spectrum Care Trust Board) and wholly owned subsidiary of Spectrum Foundation (registered charity CC10168), operating as one of the country's largest providers of disability support services. It delivers a portfolio of person-centred services organised around four pillars — Whānau (family support and respite), Youth (transition and aspirations), Living (independent and supported accommodation), and Mahi (employment and meaningful activity) — supplemented by ACC-funded Living My Life pathway programmes, Aspirations day services, Media Lab creative-skills workshops, specialist cultural support (Māori Awhi, Pacifika, Asian, Niue teams), advocacy, and the 0800 OUTLOUD helpline. Services are funded primarily by NZ government agencies — Ministry of Health, Ministry of Social Development (MSD), Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC), NASC referral bodies, and Ministry of Education ORS — with a minor fee-for-service stream covering school holiday, after-school, and weekend respite programmes accessed directly by families, partially subsidised by Carer Support.
The organisation distributes services through government referral channels (NASC, ACC case managers, schools) and delivers them across five North Island regions — Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, and Wellington — through a network of residential homes, Aspirations centres in Manukau/Kumeu/Henderson/Wellington, outreach teams, and community participation programmes. Its supporting technology stack comprises accessibility-focused Easy Read documentation systems, customer-experience monitoring, an Outcomes-based goal-tracking framework, and IT/digital skills workshops such as Media Lab and 'Meet the Tech Guy' (delivered with Net Point NZ). Strategic relationships — Autism NZ MoU (2017), Netsafe cyber-safety co-development (2021), Royal Commission into Abuse in Care engagement (2020), and cultural-community partnerships (TANI, CNSST, NZCYT, Disability Connect) — anchor its community positioning. Subsidiaries include Homes of Choice, a wholly owned housing-focused entity under the same Spectrum Foundation parent.
Spectrum Care's go-to-market is sales-led and referral-driven rather than direct-demand; brand-building relies on Facebook, YouTube, newsletters, and earned media including the published 'Extraordinary Journeys' book. Headcount is undisclosed but spans full-time, part-time and casual roles; ten staff were awarded NZDSN Graduate Diploma in Disability Sector Leadership scholarships (2022), representing 20% of the national allocation. Pricing is not publicly disclosed, but government contracts operate on multi-year terms while fee-for-service offerings are pay-as-you-go. The company has received two international Business Excellence Awards and a Health Excellence Award, and is led by Chief Executive Sean Stowers.
Spectrum Care firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Spectrum Care
- Legal name
- Spectrum Care Trust Board
- Website
- https://spectrumcare.org.nz
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1994
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- Spectrum Care is a New Zealand charitable trust providing person-centred disability support services across five North Island regions, serving children, adults, and families with disabilities through residential, community, employment, respite, and ACC-funded programmes.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Spectrum Care industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Disability Support Services
- NAICS
- Individual and Family Services (6241), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Other Residential Care Facilities (62399), Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability Facilities (623210)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGAEAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Respite Care for Adults with Disabilities / Special Needs (HSABAGAI), Respite Care for Families of Children with Disabilities (HSAAAIAL), Special Needs Adult Day Programs (Developmental/Physical Disabilities, Seniors) (HLADAIAI)
Keywords
Where Spectrum Care is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Auckland
- HQ country
- New Zealand
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices8 records
Markets served
Spectrum Care business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Government-funded disability support services: Spectrum Care receives government funding from multiple agencies including the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Social Development (MSD), Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC), and NASC agencies to provide disability support services. Funding covers residential support, community participation, respite/planned breaks, and employment transition services.
- Fee-for-service and private pay: Flexible fee-for-service support options are available for families including school holiday programmes, after-school programmes and weekend-day planned break options, charged directly to families or partially via Carer Support subsidies.
- ACC Living My Life: ACC-funded support option providing facilitated pathway mapping, independent facilitation, tailored supports, and coaching to self-manage for people with life-changing injuries. Accessed via ACC referral.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | NASC-referred / Ministry-funded programmes |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Fee-for-service / Carer Support |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
Spectrum Care product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Spectrum Care provides person-centred disability support services across New Zealand, including residential and supported accommodation, planned breaks (respite), home support, school-to-work transition support, employment and aspirations programmes, advocacy, and culturally tailored support for Māori, Pacific, and Asian communities. Services are delivered through referrals from government agencies (NASC, ACC, MSD) and direct fee-for-service family engagement across five North Island regions.
Product overview
Spectrum Care is a disability support services organization offering a unified portfolio of person-centred services rather than a software platform. The core offerings span four main service areas: Whanau (family support), Youth, Living (accommodation), and Mahi (employment/work). These are supported by specialized programmes including Living My Life (ACC-funded), Aspirations Support (day services), Transition Support, Media Lab (creative skills), Cultural Support, Advocacy Support, and Home Support. Additional services include Planned Breaks (respite), Supported Accommodation, School Holiday Programmes, and the 0800 OUTLOUD helpline. Services are delivered across the Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, and Wellington regions of New Zealand through a network of community homes, day centres, and outreach support.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Spectrum Care Whanau
- Spectrum Care Youth
- Spectrum Care Living
- Spectrum Care Mahi
- Living My Life
Companies that use Spectrum Care
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Spectrum Care technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Spectrum Care partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- NetsafecorePartnership with Netsafe to create four cyber safety Easy-read documents: Online Safety, Be Happy Online, Online Bullying, and Romance Scams. Created as part of International Day of Disability. The Easy-read format is accessible for people with learning disabilities and those who process information differently. Spectrum's SLT (Speech and Language Therapy) team prepared the resources for staff use.
- Royal Commission into Abuse in CarecoreSpectrum Care hosted two members of the Pacific intellectual disability component of the Abuse in Care Royal Commission (Fa'afete Taito and Pati Umaga). The Commission is investigating what happened to children, young people and vulnerable adults in State and faith-based care in Aotearoa New Zealand between 1950-99. Spectrum Care is actively partnering to support Pacific communities to engage and participate in the Inquiry.
- Autism New ZealandcoreSpectrum Care and Autism New Zealand signed a Memorandum of Understanding recognising complementary interests and shared goals of supporting better life outcomes for people with autism. Focus areas include: working together to increase access to flexible support options such as planned breaks; working together to expand educational services and resources; working together to develop a wider range of employment opportunities for people living with autism. Guiding principle: 'Working together to smooth the journey for people living with autism'.
- Net point NZminorIT solutions company that partnered with Spectrum Care's Aspirations team to deliver an IT Workshop ('Meet the Tech Guy') providing hands-on IT hardware experience. Net point NZ expressed interest in providing volunteering opportunities at their service centre, with one Spectrum Care participant already taken on as a volunteer/trainee. The company has been featured in Yellow Pages NZ magazine.
- Homes of ChoicecoreHomes of Choice is a wholly owned subsidiary of Spectrum Foundation (Spectrum Care's parent charitable trust). Both organisations share a common mission of supporting people with disabilities to find and create homes they can call home.
- Spectrum FoundationcoreSpectrum Foundation is the parent charitable trust (registered in New Zealand, number CC10168) of which Spectrum Care is a wholly owned subsidiary. Spectrum Foundation is a charitable trust providing support for children, young people and adults with disabilities and their families.
- TANI (The Asian Network Inc)minorLong-term community partnership with TANI for the provision of support and advisory services to people of Asian descent accessing Spectrum Care services. Contributed to TANI newsletter article demonstrating commitment to Asian communities.
- CNSST (Chinese New Settlers Services Trust)minorLong-term community partnership for the provision of support and advisory services to people of Asian descent, particularly Chinese New Settlers, accessing Spectrum Care services.
- NZCYT (New Zealand Chinese Youth Trust)minorLong-term community partnership supporting Chinese youth and families accessing Spectrum Care services.
- Disability Connect Chinese Families Autism Support GroupminorCommunity partnership providing support services to Chinese families with autism accessing Spectrum Care.
- EUGY by DodolandminorEUGY donated a large range of 3D animal model building kits to Spectrum Care's School Holiday Programmes. The models were extremely popular with children attending the programmes.
- Laura Ferguson Trust (formerly Laura Fergusson Trust)coreFrom July 1st 2020, Spectrum Care assumed responsibility for services previously provided by Laura Ferguson Trust in the Waikato region. All existing support staff from Laura Ferguson Trust remained with their people and whanau, becoming part of Spectrum's workforce. Extensive collaboration ensured minimal disruption during the transition.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves10 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Spectrum Care competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- MASH Trust: New Zealand disability and mental health support provider offering residential, respite, and community services. Comparable in mission, service portfolio, and government-funded operating model.
- CCS Disability Action: Major New Zealand disability support and advocacy organization providing information, support services, and equipment across the country. Comparable in mission, advocacy focus, and government-funded service delivery.
- NZCare Disability: New Zealand provider of disability support, home support, and community services. Comparable in residential and community-based support offerings, and government contract dependency.
- LifeWise Disability: Auckland-based disability support provider offering residential, respite, and community services. Comparable in geographic market (Auckland), service portfolio, and NASC referral model.
- Explore Specialist Advice: New Zealand disability support provider offering residential, respite, and community participation services. Comparable in service mix, NASC referral model, and North Island presence.
- IDEA Services: One of New Zealand's largest disability support providers, operating residential, community, and vocational services across multiple regions. Directly comparable to Spectrum Care in service portfolio, government funding model, and customer base.
Broad incumbents
- Access Community Health: Large New Zealand home and community support provider serving older adults, people with disabilities, and those with injuries. Comparable in home support and ACC-funded service delivery, though with a broader elderly-focused portfolio.
- Healthcare New Zealand: Major New Zealand community health, disability, and home support provider. Comparable in disability and home-based support services, with a broader national footprint and larger scale.
Emerging players
- Autism New Zealand: National autism advocacy and support organization partnered with Spectrum Care since 2017. Comparable in serving the autism sub-population within the broader disability community, though focused more on information and advocacy than direct support delivery.
Regional players
- Supported Lifestyle Services: New Zealand disability provider focused on supported independent living and community participation. Comparable in service model and disability customer base, though with a more limited geographic footprint.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Spectrum Care social profiles
Digital presenceSpectrum Care financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Spectrum Care leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Spectrum Care subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Spectrum Care funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Spectrum Care M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Spectrum Care
What does Spectrum Care do?
Spectrum Care provides person-centred disability support services across New Zealand, including residential and supported accommodation, planned breaks (respite), home support, school-to-work transition support, employment and aspirations programmes, advocacy, and culturally tailored support for Māori, Pacific, and Asian communities. Services are delivered through referrals from government agencies (NASC, ACC, MSD) and direct fee-for-service family engagement across five North Island regions.
Is Spectrum Care a public or private company?
Spectrum Care is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Spectrum Care founded?
Spectrum Care was founded in 1994. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Spectrum Care based?
Spectrum Care is headquartered in Auckland, New Zealand, in the Oceania region.
How does Spectrum Care make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Government-funded disability support services are the primary driver. The others are fee-for-service and private pay and ACC Living My Life.
Who are Spectrum Care's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are MASH Trust, CCS Disability Action, NZCare Disability, LifeWise Disability, Explore Specialist Advice and IDEA Services. Broad incumbents are Access Community Health and Healthcare New Zealand. Autism New Zealand is listed as an emerging player. Supported Lifestyle Services is listed as a regional player.
Does Spectrum Care have an API?
No public API is recorded for Spectrum Care.
What industry is Spectrum Care in?
Spectrum Care's product category is Disability Support Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAEAG, Disability Services & Independent Living Support, with a secondary code of HSABAGAI, Respite Care for Adults with Disabilities / Special Needs. Its NAICS code is 6241 and its SIC code is 8300.