A helping hand for young parents
Awha¯nau-centred programme to support young parents in need of extra help has been launched in Rotorua.
Tiakiwha¯nau, in Lakesdhbarea, is the first of three pilots announced in Budget 2019‘s $10 million Mental Wellbeing Package to help young parents and their whanau for the first three years of the baby’s life.
Primeminister Jacinda Ardern, Minister of Health Andrew Little and Seniors Associate Minister of Health Ayesha Verrall attended the launch at Rotorua’s Tu¯nohopu¯ Marae.
Ardern paid respect to thosewho had worked for decades tomakethe programme possible, saying it had “many authors”.
“It would’ve been close to 10 years ago that I first began venturing into the work around child wellbeing,” Ardern said.
“My time as a young person living in Murupara, in the 1980s, gaveme a passion for wanting tomakesure that every child innewzealand had what I had as a child growing up.
“When I cameinto politics I was absolutely determined that I wanted to work on child wellbeing issues. All the research and evidence showed us whatma¯ori have always known: support mother, support child, supportwha¯nau and that is the foundation for everything.”
Tiakiwha¯nau will support each wha¯nau with a kaitiakiwhomay be awell Child Tamariki Ora nurse, kaiawhina or social worker, supported by a multidisciplinary team, starting in pregnancy.
The supportmaybe health care, mental health support, help with social services or education, or helping wha¯nau learn about parenting and child development.
Ardern said versions of the programme rolled out around the country before had increased things such as breastfeeding and immunisation.
“Whatwewant to see is essentially those kinds of indicators which show really good connections between families and all of the services that should be available to them.
“Ultimately what we’re looking for is improved wellbeing of the whole wha¯nau. If young people get the support they need in their role as parents, this leads to better outcomes for their children and the wider community.”
Minister of Health Andrew Little said the pilots were based on a trial in Hawke’s Bay in 2011.
“It was clear that this approach could have positive outcomes for young parents around the country,” he said.
Lakesdhbwas one of three sites chosen for a pilot, he said, because it had a high proportion of young parents, Ma¯ori and Pacificwha¯nau, andwha¯nau with high socioeconomic needs.
The Ministry of Health had provided funding for Lakesdhbto engage Well Child Tamariki Ora service provider Manaaki Ora Tipu Ora, to deliver culturally appropriate, wha¯nau-based care for up to40 wha¯nau in the area.
Papakura general practitioner Dr Jacqueline Allan was one of the membersof the Women’s Health League, which founded Tipuora, in 1989, thema¯ori mother and child health programme that was expanded intowha¯nau Ora.
Allan said she would like the Tiaki Wha¯nau programme rolled out throughout the country.
“If welook after our babies and look after the youngmumsand dadswho are caring for them, those problems won’t happendownthe line.
“We can do it our way, weknow howto do it. It’s not something that the Government or traditional medicine can do, it has to be done at the base. It’s got to be done by our experiencedma¯orimumsand grandmotherswhounderstand the families and the communities they comefrom.”
Twopilots planned in Counties Manukaudhband Hauora Taira¯whiti are expected to get underwayearly next year.
The outcomes of the pilots will be evaluated and become part of the Well Child Tamariki Ora programme.