Te Pā Harakeke

TIAKINA TO WHAKAPAPA - a bit about us and our journey so far

Formerly known as the Children’s Team, Te Pā Harakeke was transferred from Oranga Tamariki to Te Rūnanga o Tūranganui ā-Kiwa as part of social system transformation. This move was driven by Manaaki Tairāwhiti who are the regional leadership group for social wellbeing in Tairāwhiti. The intention is to move our whānau into the centre of social wellbeing support in Tairāwhiti and drive iwi led responses to meet whānau need.
 

What we are about? 

Te Pā Harakeke is a whānau-led, childcentred service that captures the voice of whānau and tamaiti mokopuna.  
As many of our whānau come to us with multiple and complex needs, a service like Te Pa Harakeke enables them to get the appropriate support that they need. We encourage whānau to be the leaders of their plans to ensure they achieve the best outcomes for tamaiti mokopuna. At times we engage a kai mangai who is a trusted person on behalf of the whānau. Our service is a coordination/facilitation service for whānau and our point of difference is our focus on child wellbeing ensuring tamariki are in a safe and nurturing environment.  
 

Using the better everyday method to make a difference

Through testing and learning from cases and applying the Better Everyday Purpose-Method-Measures approach. The core philosophy behind this approach is to consistently make or do things better even if they seem to work well in a particular moment. All problems can be seen as opportunities to improve.

How do we achieve this? 

By identifying and escalating system barriers to government agencies at both local and regional offices. We also provide feedback to Manaaki Tairāwhiti to provide data to inform change. This encourages leadership to act when necessary to remove barriers and ensure that we continue to work together for whānau and their tamaiti and mokopuna. We receive and assess information given from whānau, community and government agencies already involved or who need to be involved. We then work out how we can best support and/or aid whānau or other agencies to build a whānau plan.  

What we have done so far? 

Te Pā Harakeke has been focussing on our “core mahi” is prevention work with whānau to address potential or actual care and protection concerns for tamariki. Areas of interest for us are health and education, as these two areas are crucial in the development of our tamariki, and being able to support whānau to access what they need to thrive in our community. Other important areas of our mahi are working alongside other agencies to help meet basic needs for whānau such as shelter, food, access to the right health support including mental health as well as access to appropriate social supports, and meeting needs for education, legal advice and representation. And so the list goes on. Te Pā Harakeke is an Iwi /Government agency partnership with Oranga Tamariki where we are working alongside each other to meet the needs of whānau and tamariki in our community.