Relational practice is an intentional way of working where establishing, attending to, and maintaining empathetic and honest interpersonal relationships are prioritised. Relationships are central to support change. In order to do this, we:
- use empathy, attending, tikanga, whakawhanaungatanga, language and engagement approaches that are respectful, relational and transparent
- acknowledge the connections of whānau, hapū and iwi to te tangata (significant people), te taiao (places) and te wairua (their values and beliefs)
- value the significance and importance of vā and te wā (time and space) to build meaningful in-depth relationships and advance oranga (wellbeing).