Te Kahu Oranga Whānau partnership

A vision for all tamariki to be in the safe care of their whānau, hapū and iwi is at the heart of a Strategic Partnership Agreement signed with Te Kahu Oranga Whānau in Kaitaia.

Te Kahu Oranga Whānau is a collective of iwi and Māori organisations in Te Hiku o te Ika (the Far North), which includes Waitomo Papakāinga Development Trust, Te Whare Ruruhau O Meri, Te Rūnanga o te Rarawa and Tuhiata Mahi Ora.

Partnership evolution for whānau in Te Hiku

Partnership evolution for whānau in Te Hiku

Transcript

Duration: 01:16

Katie Murray, Kaiārahi, Waitomo Papakainga

The biggest thing that I’m excited about is for our tamariki and our whānau. And being able to provide them with services that allow them to reach their dreams and their aspirations.

Te Kahu Oranga Whānau – a collective of iwi and Māori organisations in Te Hiku (the Far North) – has signed a Strategic Partnership Agreement with Oranga Tamariki.

We’re talking about evolution. It looks like that Māori will be given back control over our own destiny, of our children, and our whānau.

And that we’re not going to rely on the crown to be the ones to do that, we’re going to be able to do it by building our capacity as Māori providers, as whānau and hapū. We will create strategies around supporting whānau to care for their own.

Phill (Hoddy) Murray, Te Tumu Whakarae, Te Rūnanga o Te Rarawa

Knowing that there are organisations within their rohe, iwi organisations that can actually reach out and support those whānau is crucial, you know especially at this time.

We’ve got COVID issues, we’ve got mahi issues, so now more than ever, these types of social services are required to ensure the integrity of our people, not just now but well into the future.

About our partnership

This is the 8th Strategic Partnership Agreement Oranga Tamariki has signed across the motu. The partnership has been built through the values of Māoritanga and commitments under te Tiriti o Waitangi and Section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act. It enables further action in Te Hiku to ensure tamariki are in the safe care of their whānau, hapū and iwi.

The vision of the partnership was founded on the saying ‘mā te hiku or te ika, te upoko e kōkiri’ – ‘it is the tail of the fish (Far North) that thrusts the head of the fish (Wellington area) forward’. In alignment with this, Kaitaia Oranga Tamariki office will be renamed as Te Hiku o te Ika.

Te Kahu Oranga Whānau is taking on some of the responsibilities of Oranga Tamariki and driving the kaupapa. They are able to step in when tamariki are in unsafe situations and provide support through wider whānau networks.

Published: October 11, 2023