Improving Our Responsiveness for Māori: Insights from Whānau and Early Learning Services on Improving Kai and Physical Activity ^†

Two thirds of tamariki Māori attend an Early Learning Service (ELS) before they go to school. ELS are an important setting to support Māori to maximise their potential. Unfortunately, services with a high percentage of tamariki Māori have a low level of engagement in the Heart Foundation’s Healthy Heart Award (HHA).

Innovation Unit and Heart Foundation partnered to work through a social innovation process that was deeply rooted in Te Ao Māori values such as Whanaungatanga, Manaakitanga, Kaitiakitanga and Ako. The objective was to understand how the HHA can achieve greater impact for tamariki Māori and their whānau. A people-centred approach helped to understand the dynamics and challenges around improving kai and physical activity for tamariki Māori. Empathy interviews with 6 whānau and 20 ELS providers and interviews with 5 key stakeholders provided broad perspectives of the true challenges for tamariki Māori in achieving optimum wellbeing, nutrition and physical activity. Critical insights and tangible recommendations were collated and analysed to establish how to achieve greater impact on the wellbeing of tamariki Māori.

The results showed that ELS with a high percentage of tamariki Māori face challenges around meeting basic needs of children coming into their care who may not be getting this at home: love, warmth, safety and food. Both ELS and whānau prioritised cultural identity and belonging above physical activity and nutrition, and healthy food was not a priority to these ELS when food security and other basic needs were not being met. “It’s not about good food or bad food, it’s about whether tamariki have food”.

To achieve greater impact for tamariki Māori and their whānau, solutions for the HHA need to allow for interconnectedness of wellbeing factors, consider how the current challenges influence wellbeing priorities and relationships, and how cultural stories/whakapapa can be incorporated.