Investment needed for Manaaki Māmā
Opinion editorial written by Silvana Tizzoni, Strategy and Relationship Management Advisor
Over the past two years, Te Wāhi Tiaki Tātou has been listening deeply to whānau through a series of reimagining sessions. What stands out as a consistent theme is that too many whānau have not had the right knowledge, support, or resources at the right time to enable their families to thrive.
Our reimagining session held in September 2024 with young māmā under 20 added another important layer.
Beyond the material challenges of housing, food, and rising living costs, these māmā spoke openly about the stigma of being a young mum and feeling judged and excluded. What they told us they wanted was simple but powerful: to feel accepted, supported, and excited about being young māmā.
What the Data Tells Us
Some young māmā in Porirua face a complex interplay of challenges shaped by structural inequities and intergenerational disadvantages. Alongside insecure housing, financial hardship, difficulties accessing timely antenatal care, and systemic disconnection from essential services, many are also missing the positive whānau support that others might take for granted.
Quantitative data shows the urgency:
Between 2018 and 2024, 65% of Porirua māmā gave birth in high-deprivation areas. In 2023, nearly half of these births occurred in Cannons Creek or Titahi Bay. [1]
46% of Pacific māmā and 37% of Māori māmā live in damp or mouldy homes. [2]
28% of young māmā presented to Emergency Departments during pregnancy, and only one-third were enrolled with a Lead Maternity Carer in their first trimester.[3]
Nationally, 12–18% of māmā experience poor mental health during the perinatal period, higher for those facing financial or relationship stress.[4]
Intergrated Data Infrastructure (IDI) data shows that many Māori and Pasifika māmā from high-deprivation areas and their partners carry their own childhood experiences of the care and protection system. Too often, this pattern continues for their pēpi, entrenching vulnerability, deepening isolation, and creating cycles of harm that can stretch across generations.
The wider data confirms this intergenerational impact. In Porirua:
666 children have parents who themselves grew up in the care system.[5]
621 children have parents who are currently, or have recently been, in prison.[6]
312 children aged 12 or younger were stood down or suspended from school as of March 2025.[7]
This highlights the stark reality of intergenerational disadvantage in action.
Intergenerational Impact
Cycles of harm do not have to continue. If we focus our collective efforts on māmā, we have the opportunity to stop harm before it takes hold and replace it with intergenerational strength. With the right support wrapped around young māmā and their pēpi, we can uplift them in the present and lay down foundations for futures where every māmā feels accepted, supported, and excited about her journey ahead.
Manaaki Māmā Provider Wānanga (August 2025) is a reminder that when providers work together, real systems change becomes possible.
Changing the Future
Changing the future for young māmā requires moving beyond piecemeal responses to a collective, sustained approach. It means providers working together rather than in silos, so that support is easier to find and easier to use. It means investing early, when the impact is greatest, and committing for the long term so that change is not lost to short funding cycles.
Courage is required from funders, government, iwi, and providers alike to focus on prevention, wrap-around care, and intergenerational wellbeing. By building strong foundations now, we can replace cycles of harm with cycles of strength. The future of Porirua rests with our tamariki, and by walking alongside their māmā today, we create the conditions for a community where every whānau can thrive!
If you are ready to be part of this kaupapa, email us at TeWahiTiakiTatou@ngatitoa.iwi.nz.
#ManaakiMāmā #MāmāThrive #YoungMāmā #PoriruaMāmā #PoriruaCommunityPower #InvestInMāmā #ReimaginingPorirua #InvestInCommunities
References:
[1,2,3] Social Investment Agency (2025). Hāpu Māmā Insights: IDI Analysis for Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira.
[4] Ministry of Health (2021). Maternal Mental Health Service Provision in New Zealand: Stocktake of District Health Board Services.
[5,6,7] Social Investment Agency (Timeframes now included). Priority Cohorts Insights: IDI Analysis for the Social Investment Fund.