Manaaki Māmā
Manaaki Māmā is a community-led initiative that targets young māmā (under 25) living in high deprivation suburbs of Porirua (particularly Cannons Creek and Titahi Bay). By investing early in the wellbeing of these young māmā and their pēpi, it strengthens protective factors, restores connection, and creates safer, more stable futures for whānau and our wider rohe.
The voice of young māmā and providers in Porirua
A special edition Manaaki Māmā Reimagining workshop was facilitated to support hapū māmā and their whānau.
We know that the first 1000 days from conception to 24 months lay the foundation for healthy and thriving tamariki. This recommendations paper shares their insights and aspirations, with a clear message: māmā and whānau flourish when wrap-around support is accessible, connected, and responsive.
Our Collective Impact Rōpū brings Porirua providers together to move beyond siloed responses. By working collaboratively, we can make services easier to navigate, redesign resources so they meet whānau needs, and strengthen referral pathways like WellHomes through midwives. Together, we’re building a system of support that truly wraps around māmā and pēpi. The following are a few initiatives that have come to life following recommendations from the reimaging report.
The resource co-design initiative brought young māmā alongside midwives and Te Wāhi Tiaki Tātou to redesign maternity resources. Their voices are set to shape checklists, video prototypes, and early-pregnancy tools so information is clearer, timely, and delivered in ways that feel relevant, from trusted text messages to TikTok reels.
The Well Homes Referral initiative brings together key partners committed to improving housing-related health outcomes for hapū māmā and their whānau in Porirua. This Manaaki Māmā initiative focuses on improving referral pathways from maternity care to healthy housing support services.
The rōpū is working collaboratively to strengthen the connection between maternity services and healthy housing support. Specifically, the focus areas are:
Identifying Barriers to Referrals: A survey was distributed to Lead Maternity Carers (LMCs) and midwives across the Wellington region to better understand what hinders referrals to the Well Homes programme. Results are shown on the next page.
Raising Awareness and Educating LMCs: Well Homes staff are delivering a series of presentations during LMC education sessions. These sessions aim to build understanding of the service, promote its value, and answer questions from midwives and LMCs.
Streamlining and Automating the Referral Process: The LMC database is being updated to allow for electronic referrals that are pre-populated with key client information, reducing administrative burden and improving accuracy. For Community Midwifery Teams (CMT) working within Te Whatu Ora, efforts are underway to align and improve referral processes within the existing databases to make access smoother and more efficient.
