Ngā Tini Whetū

Early support and prevention for whānau

Ngā Tini Whetū is an early support and prevention prototype established in 2020.

This initiative puts whānau at the centre and empowers them to realise their own solutions that are more holistic and culturally grounded. We want to explore and evaluate how whānau ora and mātauranga Māori practice can improve the prevention of injury and harm across a range of often inter-related areas.

It encompasses a shift in the way that government works together with Kaupapa Māori organisations to deliver services. This involves focusing on whānau leadership and early support to provide access to services, support and resourcing that was not previously available. 

Ngā Tini Whetū enables more whānau to access early support, services and resources that are tailored to their needs. This innovative approach allows government agencies and Crown entities to collaborate with Kaupapa Māori organisations to support whānau.

Ngā Tini Whetū is delivered to around 800 whānau across Te Ika-a-Māui (the North Island) by 58 Whānau Ora partners.

Initial lessons learnt

The Ngā Tini Whetū prototype is being evaluated by AIKO Consultants and this report is the early lessons learnt from the first year. 

Ngā Tini Whetū lessons learnt report by AIKO

Key findings from the first year

The lessons learnt report highlights several positive findings, including: 

• the public service is maturing in how it supports and embeds whānau ora 
• Ministerial leadership was instrumental for getting the programme underway 
• Crown and Māori share common goals and aspirations for tamariki and whānau
• the Whānau Ora Commissioning Agency successfully challenged agencies to better understand how to partner with a Māori commissioning agency
• senior leaders are championing collaboration between agencies.

The report also found opportunities for further strengthening and exploration as the prototype develops:

• agencies need to identify how to build experience, capability and evidence to support whānau ora and other forms of collaborative working across government
• while more work is needed to embed collaborative ways of working, what has been completed is unique, innovative and courageous
• there is also an opportunity to explore how innovative funding can support future Māori-Crown and Iwi-Crown partnerships and facilitate cross agency resourcing.