The development of this way for Christian Māori Social Work arose from a combination of factors. These included the need for a social work practice that reflected Māori values and beliefs, Christian Te Ao Māori world view, and provided a practical way to further develop the bi-cultural journey Open Home Foundation has embarked on.

Te Aho Takitoru was developed by a project team of Māori social work practitioners in Te Whare Kaupapa Āwhina to enable our organisation to offer culturally appropriate support to whānau and their tamariki. The development and practice of Te Aho Takitoru is looked after through Te Roopu Māori. All OHF social workers have initial induction in Te Aho Takitoru.

Te Ahurea Pūtahi

Cultural advice, support and assessment is available to our social work teams and whānau to help ensure whānau receive support from people who understand their cultural needs.

Te Aho Takitoru

Te Aho Takitoru is a way of working together using Māori cultural processes and values to assist whānau to make the changes they believe are necessary to ensure the safety and mauri ora for their tamariki and mokopuna.

Te Whare Kaupapa Āwhina social workers are guided by Te Aho Takitoru when working with whānau and tamariki Māori who are in TWKA/OHF care. When they first meet with whānau, the social workers will offer them the opportunity to work with them using this framework.

Te Aho Takitoru

Te Aho Takitoru supports whānau on a Journey of Hope to discover their rangatiratanga ability to make the changes they believe necessary to reach their goals. This journey is taken in three stages:- 

 Pōwhiri/Pōhiri

Time is given for whakawhanaungatanga to get to know one another and to decide how best to work together to achieve the whānau goal.

Hui

Together with the social worker, whānau look at what's worrying them using some helpful tools such as the Kōpū and whānau hui. The strengths of the whānau and the views of the tamariki also play an important part in looking at what needs to change and how.

Waka

The social worker will support whānau as they make their planned journey of change to reach their goal.

The Kōpū is a framework that helps whānau to shape their perspective about the problem and its solution. Whānau use the Kōpū to map their information in a way that helps them see where and how they need to make the changes necessary on order to reach their goals. Information is written into any of the areas that whānau feel is right for them. Each area focuses on an important whānau value and whānau write in what is working well and what they are worried about.

Tapu                                                  Whakapapa                                        Tūmanako

Safety, protection                    Connectedness, belonging                        Hope, future goals

Houhanga Rongo                             Mauri Īhu                                              Aroha

Reconciliation, peace                                                                                  Capacity to care

Kotahitanga                                       Mana                                              Whakapono

Unity, working together                Respect, behaviour                             Trust, openness

The Mauri Īhu area is left until last when whānau will use their map to decide what needs to change to reach their goal.

Te Aho Takitoru enables social workers to work with whānau Māori in a culturally appropriate manner using intervention strategies generated from Māori knowledge and world-view.

HE KAKATAI (Blue Heron). Used with kind permission of the artist Thomas Lauterbach

The traditional role of 'Kaitiaki´ (guardian) is the most potent expression in Māoridom of the importance of all living things, including the fact that the care and protection of tamariki is paramount. Te Whare Kaupapa Āwhina (TWKA) holds the belief that whakapapa and whangai relationships should take preference over non-whānau care because the true kaitiakitanga belongs to whānau, hapū and iwi of the tamariki concerned.

Te Whare Kaupapa Āwhina believes that the best outcomes for tamariki Māori are achieved when they are cared for and protected within their own whānau. This belief has guided the development of our  kaitiakitanga processes to help whānau Māori to meet their care and protection needs.

Working with whānau Māori to build safety for their tamariki

Te Whare Kaupapa Āwhina social workers work alongside whānau to focus on what's working well with the view to increase safety for the tamariki in their care. Our social workers and whānau can access cultural support from Te Ahurea Pūtahi, our cultural Services team including whānau hui facilitation and Marae based hui.

Kaitiaki partnerships with whānau, hapū and iwi Māori.

Te Whare Kaupapa Āwhina is committed to working in partnership with roopu whānau/hapū to provide care and protection solutions for their own tamariki. Please Contact us for a kōrero to see if and how we could help build your capacity.

Kinship Care through Te Whare Kaupapa Āwhina

Tamariki have a right to experience safety, nurture and have a sense of belonging within a whānau
setting and wherever possible should be within their immediate or wider whānau.

When care and protection concerns arise that necessitates securing safety for a child by removing them from their Mum and Dad (or the person usually having the care of the child) TWKA/OHF will support whānau to explore first options for a placement within the whānau or wider family.

The TWKA Kinship Care model is a partnership between TWKA/OHF and Kin to provide a home for a child who cannot live with their Mum or Dad. OHF and whānau or wider family work together to provide care and protection for the tamariki. The kin carer is identified and endorsed to provide care for a specific child, based on their pre-existing relationship.

OHF social workers support whānau through the care and protection processes under the CYP&F Act 1989.

Manaaki Whānau

Manaaki Whānau is an TWKA/OHF support service offered to caregivers and whānau carers who are caring for tamariki and mokopuna through Ministry for Vulnerable Children, Oranga Tamariki (MVCOT). This service is designed to provide kaupapa Māori support to whānau through the use of Te Aho Takitoru, to improve the stability of placements and prevent placements from breaking down.

Christian Māori Foster Parents in Te Whare Kaupapa Āwhina

When there is no apparent whānau options to provide care, OHF social workers will explore wider whānau, hapū or even iwi networks. However there are times when tamariki Māori need immediate care which should ideally be provided by TWKA Māori foster parents.

There is a great need for Māori foster parents in TWKA/OHF. Māori foster parents can relate more closely with the cultural needs of tamariki and nurture their sense of belonging to whānau. Māori foster parents can often help build safer ongoing connections to a tamariki Māori's own whānau, hapū and iwi. Read more about how to Become a Foster Parent.

Tauiwi Foster Parents in Te Whare Kaupapa Āwhina

Both non Māori social workers and foster parents have some cultural training and are aware of the bi-cultural policies of Te Whare Kaupapa Āwhina. Care plans for a Māori child in their care will include access both to their extended whānau as well as plans to ensure their cultural identity is cared for.

Mihi

Tēnā koe / koutou hoki. We, Te Whare Kauapa Āwhina greet you one and all. Here you can find information about all the different services OHF offers. Our goal is to work with whānau to promote whānau mauri ora.

You can contact Ministry for Vulnerable Children, Oranga Tamariki (MVCOT) or your NASC to find out if a refeeral to one of our services is appropriate for your whānau

He mahi tauwhiro/social work

Our social worker works alongside whānau to see what is working well and what they are worried about. Together they work to ensure the safety of the tamariki and develop a plan that will support whānau to mobilise their strengths and achieve their goals. Read more about our social work service. Read more about Te Aho Takitoru our Māori social work framework that whānau can use to help make decisions about what they want to see change for a brighter future.

Whāngaitia te Tamaiti / Kin and foster care

Sometimes it becomes necessary for tamariki to be placed in alternative care (kinship or foster care). Wherever possible this care is provided by the extended whānau of the tamariki . If there is no whānau placement available, the social worker will work with whanau to find the best available foster parents for tamariki. Read more...

OASIS Respite Care

In some areas Open Home Foundation provides Autism Spectrum Disorder/Intellectual disability respite services to support whānau to continue the primary care of their tamariki with special needs. Oasis Services are located in Auckland, Bay of Plenty, and Hawke's Bay and includes a central residence in each location with house parents and support staff. We have an Oasis service in Wellington based on individual foster parent(s) homes Read more...

Intensive Wraparound Support

In some areas Open Home Foundation can provide Intensive individualised wraparound support to whānau who are caring for tamariki or rangatahi who have high needs. To access this support whānau must first be referred to OHF by the NASC (Needs Assessment and Service Coordination) . Read more...

Manaaki Whānau

Manaaki Whānau is a service providing Kaitiaki a Whānau or social work support to MVCOT Caregivers and Whānau Carers to facilitate and prevent placement breakdown. This service is designed to provide Kaupapa Māori support to Caregivers and Whānau Carers. The service is delivered in a way that recognises and values the culture of the Caregivers and Whānau Carers, using the Te Whare Kaupapa Awhina Māori framework Te Aho Takitoru to support whānau mauri ora.

Lynda Parata - 16/6/1962 - 11/12/2014

He wahine ngāwari, he mea whakatau tamariki, rangatahi me ngā pākeke hoki - A gentle woman, with skill that brought peace and a sense of security to all people.

Kei roto i te ngākau nui o Te Whare Kaupapa Awhina mō ake tonu atu - Forever remembered within the heart of Open Home Foundation.

Tupu Tahi

'Tupu Tahi´ is the way Open Home Foundation define our organisational approach to the bi-cultural development of our practice and response when assisting whānau, hapū and iwi to meet the care and protection needs of their tamariki.

It is expected that having 'Tupu Tahi' operating within Te Whare Kaupapa Āwhina will result in Māori have a sense of belonging facilitated through tikanga Māori and that a safe cultural environment is established for all.

Te Roopu Māori o Te Whare Kaupapa Āwhina

Te Roopū Māori has a central role in the formation and operation of policy, processes and practice for Māori staff and service users within Te Whare Kaupapa Āwhina. Te Roopū Māori also has a role in self determination of matters Māori, including kaitiakitanga of Te Whare Kaupapa Āwhina taonga Māori. Te Roopu Māori accepts the challenge of Te Reo and Tikanga

Te Roopū Māori is Open Home Foundation's primary vehicle for consultation with Māori staff and ensures a Māori perspective is sought, obtained and acknowledged. Te Roopū Māori facilitates a collective voice, arrived at through a process which Māori Staff have confidence in and is likely to secure their support.

Te Roopū Māori provides Māori staff with the opportunity to meet in their own space utilising their own processes to discuss, and make recommendations on policy, practice and professional issues that may concern them.

Te Tiriti o Waitangi and Te Whare Kaupapa Āwhina

Statement of Intent: We are a Christian Child and Family Support Service. We are not part of the Crown but adopt the Treaty of Waitangi / Te Tiriti O Waitangi as a covenant. We are committed to exceed Treaty obligations and link with Māori to support whānau, hapu and iwi self determination.

Normal Te Tiriti O Waitangi expresses the rights of Māori and Tauiwi to prosper in Aotearoa / New Zealand and defines the partnership relationship between Māori and Tauiwi. As a responsible Treaty partner, Te Whare Kaupapa Āwhina will be guided by the following principles in its partnership journey, both internally with staff, foster parents and volunteers, and externally with Māori whānau, hapū and iwi:

• Tupu Tahi (Unity)
• Mana Motuhake (power, respect)
• Oranga (wellbeing)
• Marae (generosity)

Please Contact us if you would like to obtain a copy of any of these policies to read in detail.

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