Guidance
Supporting whānau connections
We need to support tamariki to establish, maintain and strengthen safe connections with their whānau or family (including siblings), hapū, iwi, marae and family group, and anyone else they or their whānau or family identify as important.Upcoming changes for this guidance
Mana tamaiti, whakapapa and whanaungatanga
The section 7AA principles of mana tamaiti, whakapapa and whanaungatanga are interconnected and are the foundations for establishing whānau or family connections for tamariki.
For tamariki Māori, whakapapa and whanaungatanga are essential to oranga (health and wellbeing) because they provide te tamaiti with a sense of belonging and identity and reinforce mana tamaiti.
Our Māori cultural framework and Te Toka Tūmoana provide a foundation for working with Māori and they provide further practice guidance for working with tamariki Māori to support mana tamaiti, whakapapa and whanaungatanga. Similarly, Va'aifetū is the framework for working with Pacific peoples and provides further practice guidance for working with Pacific children.
Working with Māori: Te Toka Tūmoana
What our tamariki say
‘It’s important to know our parents and siblings, they can support us.’
‘Whānau are most important cause you know they got you in the long run.’
‘We love our family, even though we’ve been through some challenges.’
‘Family means the world to me.’
‘When good things happen I would share this with my family.’
‘I would talk to friends and family, they’re the ones that care deep down about me.’
‘When I have bad news I would tell family and friends because they believe in me and see the best in me.’
‘Having good relationships with whānau means getting along with them, getting to see and talk to them.’
‘I have a right to call my family but it’s up to staff to facilitate it, but they are busy.’
Purpose of establishing whānau or family connections
Whānau or family connections will:
- promote wellness, reduce trauma
- maintain cultural connectedness
- create cultural identity and belonging
- support their spiritual, religious and cultural beliefs
- build self-image
- maintain relationships with family, whānau, hapū, iwi and other people special to tamariki.
‘I know some of my ancestor’s stories. I didn’t learn here … I learnt from my father.’
Whakapapa whānau
Whanau connections are established through whakapapa, which refers to the genealogy and bloodlines that tie tamariki Māori to their ancestors, past, present and future in their whānau, hapū and iwi.
Whakapapa also includes significant ancestral places, such as:
- marae
- wahi tapu
- maunga
- awa/moana/roto.
Whakapapa provides tamariki with a sense of belonging in Te Ao Māori – to people, place, birthright and in relation to history. The relationships within whakapapa lineage provide te tamaiti with access to important resources through the systems and processes of whanaungatanga obligations and responsibilities.
Non-Māori tamariki have genealogy and bloodlines that tie them to their ancestors, past, present and future in their wider family connections.
We need to identify and explore these to support te tamaiti to develop, maintain and strengthen their identity and belonging.
‘Yeah I think we should have a good relationship with whānau … because we might grow up and never know who our family is and where we belong.’
‘Without those connections I would be lost. I’d be a lost soul.’
Kaupapa whānau/family
This refers to people who are not part of the genealogy or bloodlines of te tamaiti but they do hold important relationships with te tamaiti.
These people may be part of a family group, such as long-time friends of the whānau or family or te tamaiti, or an important relationship through activities, such as:
- kapa haka
- sports
- hāhi (church/faith)
- school such as a teacher or mentor.
Kaupapa whānau can make valuable contributions to supporting the needs and aspirations of te tamaiti.
Establishing whānau or family connections for te tamaiti
In establishing safe whānau or family connections for te tamaiti we should engage with whānau or family as early as possible to discuss the importance of these connections and to enlist their support.
Remember, sometimes whānau or family dynamics have been disrupted and this may isolate te tamaiti from valuable relationships.
It’s important to approach these discussions with whānau or family respectfully and sensitively in order to connect te tamaiti with the full breadth of their whānau or family relationships and resources.
We should discuss with whānau or family how any information regarding whānau or family connections is shared with te tamaiti and who will hold the information. If te tamaiti is living with non-whānau or family we should also involve them in the process so they can support te tamaiti to establish and maintain whānau or family connections.
‘I hardly ever got to see my parents like when I was younger and I only just started seeing them like last year so it’s kind of awkward going back — it’s really hard to bond.’
We need to start by reviewing all of the information that has been gathered about the whānau or family of te tamaiti, for example:
- information from the assessment phase
- any previous whānau or family searches or whakapapa research
- hui ā-whānau or other credible sources.
When analysing the information, we use our professional judgement to avoid bias that could negatively impact on establishing whānau or family connections for te tamaiti. If more information is required, engage with one of our specialist Māori positions such as a kairaranga ā-whānau and request assistance to establish whānau or family connections.
If a kairaranga ā-whānau isn’t available seek the support of a senior Māori practitioner or a competent bicultural practitioner — a non-Māori/tauiwi practitioner who works effectively with Māori, who can guide you in how to access the relevant information to support whānau connections for tamariki Māori.
Similarly if te tamaiti is Pacific, seek the support of a senior Pacific practitioner to provide guidance for how to establish family connections.
Working with Pacific peoples: Va'aifetū
Working with Māori: Te Toka Tūmoana
Mana tamaiti
Talk with tamariki about their whānau or family connections and what these mean to them. Work with tamariki at their pace and use age and developmentally appropriate ways to engage with them. There are many reasons why some tamariki may be reluctant to engage with whānau or family connections and their whakapapa, including:
- being unfamiliar with members of their whānau or family or extended whānau or family
- experience of trauma within their whānau or family or extended whānau or family
- having little understanding or knowledge of the value of whakapapa and the role it plays in their lives
- feelings that being Māori has no positive meaning to them
- feelings of whakamā toward their whānau or family connections or feeling in some way they have brought shame to their whānau or family.
Whatever their reasons are, it’s important these are acknowledged and that they’re encouraged to engage with their whānau or family connections. Be transparent and work with them at their pace.
Te tamaiti may be able to identify a trusted person within their whānau or family or from within their kaupapa whānau or family, such as a known mentor, friend or tuākana who can support them to engage with the breadth of their whānau or family connections.
Tamariki with disabilities might require specific communication aids in order for them to participate in a discussion about whānau or family connections.
Safe whānau connections
The purpose of whānau or family connections is to promote positive identity and belonging. With this in mind, we will not support te tamaiti to connect with people when it isn’t in their best interests.
When assessing the safety of a whānau or family member it’s important to avoid biases that may unnecessarily undermine important relationships for te tamaiti.
We need to start by carrying out a thorough assessment to identify why a relationship would not be in the best interests for te tamaiti. To mitigate bias we need to use the case consult process and include a kairaranga ā-whānau or senior Māori practitioner in the makeup of the consult group. Lastly, we need to record the rationale for any decisions.
Even when safe direct contact cannot be maintained for a particular whānau member who is significant to te tamaiti, we should think about how a positive view and connection of that person can be nurtured.
Supporting te tamaiti to engage with their whānau or family connections
Consult closely with the kairaranga ā-whānau, a senior Māori practitioner or competent bicultural practitioner — a non-Māori/tauiwi practitioner who works effectively with Māori, about how to engage te tamaiti with their whānau connections.
In the first instance whānau or family are the most appropriate people to engage te tamaiti with their connections. It’s particularly important for tamariki Māori that their whānau or family are consulted and involved in sharing whakapapa with te tamaiti. The whakapapa research may have identified a whānau or family member to take on this whanaungatanga responsibility.
If whānau or family aren’t available, then a plan for who and how to engage te tamaiti in their whakapapa should be developed in further consultation with the kairaranga ā-whānau, a senior Māori practitioner or competent bicultural practitioner.