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Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern praised the launch of the Tiaki Whānau pilot program to support young parents, saying it is based on a long history of programs “and they have proven that they work.”
Ardern, who was joined by Health Minister Andrew Little and Deputy Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall, officially launched the program at the Tūnohopū Marae in Rotorua on Thursday.
It is a plan that was very well received by the Te Arawa iwi representatives present, and Te Arawa and Ngati Whakaue kaumatua Monty Morrison described the plan as an “important announcement today for all Maoridom.”
Ardern said the scheme was one of three pilots that will be supported by a $ 10 million allocation from the 2019 Budget aimed at providing greater support to young parents and their whānau.
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Benn Bathgate / Stuff
Te Arawa elder Monty Morrison said that the Taiki Whānau plan was important to all Maoridom.
“Tiaki Whanau in the Lakes DHB area, the first of these pilots, takes a whānau-centric approach to helping young parents and their families during the first three years of caring for their babies,” he said.
“A whānau-centered approach to supporting young parents is vital to improving outcomes. Supporting young parents is an area that we have to do well, and it is a priority for this Government and for me.
“Tiaki Whānau will support each whānau with a kaitiaki (key worker) who can be a Well Child Tamariki Ora nurse, kaiawhina or social worker, supported by a multidisciplinary team, who will ensure that young parents and their whānau get the extra support they need for three years, starting early in the pregnancy.
“This support is to help young parents and their whānau in this life-changing event.”
Support can include health care, mental health support, help accessing social services, housing or education, or helping whānau learn more about parenting and child development.
“Most importantly, it provides continuity of care based on whakawhanaungatanga, which means building and nurturing meaningful relationships.”
“If young people get the support they need in their role as parents, this leads to better outcomes for their children and the community at large.”
Benn Bathgate / Stuff
The Prime Minister received an enthusiastic welcome at Tūnohopū Marae in Rotorua on Thursday.
Morrison said Things The key message of the program, from Maori to Maori philosophy, “was for all Maori in Aotearoa.”
“We have people ready and able to facilitate and improve the well-being of young mothers and children, that has to be a great start,” she said.
“I think Māoridom has been saying this for a long time, we need to be active, we need to raise our own standard of living and our own well-being, so I think certainly the message is endorsed today, by Maori for Maori, and a and again today. “
When asked how the pilot’s success could be judged, Morrison said “let’s go to the other side.”
“We certainly know what has not worked now, so whatever we can do to help raise our standards across the board, we have to start somewhere.”
He said an immediate measure of success would be the number of people seeking to participate in the program, also praising the fact that high-ranking government ministers were listening.
Ardern was also confident in the success of the program and in the ability to evaluate that success.
“This is based on a long history of programs in New Zealand and abroad, and they have been shown to work,” he said.
“We saw things like increases in breastfeeding, immunization, so what we wanted is to see these kinds of indicators that show a good connection between families and the types of services that should be available to everyone.”
Ardern’s optimism was matched by Little.
“The pilots are based on a trial conducted in Hawkes Bay in 2011, which resulted in better health outcomes for young mothers and their families,” he said.
“It was clear that this approach could have positive results for young parents across the country.”
Two more pilots are planned in Manukau DHB and Hauora Tairāwhiti counties and are expected to start in early 2021.
