Critical factors for child wellbeing in the first 1000 days: Te Ao Māori evidence brief

Published
Integrating Te Ao Māori concepts and programmes that work for Māori into support for whānau will increase the wellbeing of children in their first 1000 days, says a new report from the Social Wellbeing Agency.

“We commissioned the report, Te Ao Māori perspectives of what works to support wellbeing in the first thousand days, to understand what works to support wellbeing for Māori māmā hapū, pēpi, tamariki and whānau. The researchers have discussed how Te Ao Māori concepts can be used to increase wellbeing,” said Chief Executive Renee Graham.

Kaupapa Māori researchers from the University of Waikato and the University of Auckland identified collective identity for a Māori child as a first step of a whānau-centred approach to their wellbeing. They also reviewed existing evidence of parenting programmes and recommend the establishment of more programmes specifically designed for Māori.

“This work supports our wider evidence on the relationship between aspects of parental, family, and whānau wellbeing in early childhood, with a focus on the first 1000 days of a child's life. This report will support policy work within the Government’s Child and Youth Wellbeing Strategy,” said Ms Graham.

You can read the report here, Te Ao Māori perspectives of what works to support wellbeing in the first thousand days(external link)

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