Swings + Roundabouts Summer 2017

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our centres are whānau focused we are
now engaging with many more parts of our
community who value our Kaupapa.
Through the building of relationships with
whānau it quickly become apparent that
many whānau were living day to day with
many stresses and under intense pressure.
Before we knew it, we were assisting whānau
with Work and Income, housing issues,
health concerns, and sometimes putting
food on the table.
The mahi soon become too much for us to
manage as we primarily wanted to remain
focused on the provision of quality care and
education. It was clear that the stresses
within whānau where directly impacting
on the wellbeing of the tamariki, therefore
impacting on their education. The next
logical step for us was to employ a part
time whānau support worker (kaitiaki) who
would be able to offer the extra assistance
our whānau needed but remain connected
to Three Little Birds. Another direct outcome
when assessing where help was needed
for us was tamariki health needs and Three
Little Birds was the first private centre to
engage with the IMOKO health programme
as Dr Lance O’Sullivan was supportive of our
dream, while recognising the need within our
service. We now have 80 tamariki enrolled
with IMOKO and growing by the day.
Three years later we now have a full time
kaitiaki who we believe can engage whānau
successfully through the sense of belonging
and trust whānau have with Three Little
Birds. Ka Hikitia – Accelerating Success
2013–2017 focuses on driving two critical
factors through the education system - high
quality teaching and strong engagement
(2013). Pedagogy and practice is constantly
internally evaluated within our services
and it is our view that our kaitiaki bridges
many gaps and strengthens our capacity
for engagement. “Strong engagement and
contribution from students and those who
are best placed to support them – parents
and whānau, hapū, iwi, Māori organisations,
communities and businesses – have a
strong influence on students’ success.
Māori students’ learning is strengthened
when education professionals include a
role for parents and whānau, hapū, iwi, and
Māori organisations and communities in
curriculum, teaching and learning” (2013).
As we have progressed our kaitiaki now
works with several different government
agencies and community groups throughout
Whangarei and is advocating on behalf of
whānau, working towards a better outcome
for them and their tamariki. We have now
newly established a trust (still in its infancy
and has no funding) Nga Kakano o te Noota
(Seeds of the North) that will continue to
work alongside Three Little Birds allowing
our dream to continue to grow in Whangarei
and Te Tai Tokerau whilst remaining central
to our Kaupapa ‘Ko te Tamaiti te Putake o
te Kaupapa – The child – The heart of the
matter’.
Although three years ago there was a lot of
mistrust and misinformation circulating from
the ECE sector in our community regarding
vans being a use of ‘bums on seats’ and
an inability to build relationships with
whānau, we hope that by sharing our story
that this allows others to see our dream.
We thought ‘out of the box’ and utilised a
variety of strategies to build and maintain
collaborative relationships with tamariki
and whānau, All staff within our service
whether it be Kaiako, van drivers, or support
staff are committed to our kaupapa “Three
Little Birds Whānau", and tamariki and their
whānau are part of and feel a real sense
of belonging. Three Little Birds Tikipunga
when undertaking their ERO review had
affirming statements within the review that
recognised that we were more than a ‘bums
on seats’ profit driven service when ERO
stated “They visit the homes of all families
and establish relationships with whānau
that are supportive and caring. Teachers
believe that knowing children's whānau
Education Review Office
childcare-and-education-centre-30-09-2016/
Ministry of Education (2007) – educationcounts.
Ministry of Education (2007). Ka Hikitia –
Managing for Success: The Māori Education
Strategy 2008–2012. Wellington: Ministry of
Education.
Ministry of Education (2013). Ka Hikitia -
Accelerating Success 2013-2017. The Māori
Education Strategy. Wellington: Ministry of
Education
Mitchell, L., Royal Tangaere, A., Mara, D., &
Wylie, C. (2006). Quality in parent/whänau-
led services. Wellington: Ministry of Education
Whalley, M., & the Pen Green Centre Team.
(2001). Involving parents in their children’s
learning. London: Paul Chapman Publishing.
adds considerably to their ability to connect
well with children. Centre staff provide a
pick-up and drop-off service for children
from home to the centre and back. They
also provide nourishing, well-prepared food
Kaitiaki Debbie Emberson
for all children throughout the day.” As a
private centre we do not qualify for any
additional funding and the extra services we
supply including our kaitiaki comes directly
from our operational funds. But we believe
strongly that having a kaitiaki working
alongside the service and the whānau
brings huge benefits and recognises the
holistic approach needed within educational
settings. We are not looking to make huge
profits, we are wanting to better the lives
of our tamariki and start them on a journey
of lifelong learning and honouring our
philosophical belief, it takes a village to
raise a child.
He aha te mea nui o tea o
What is the most important thing in the
world?
He tangata, he tangata, he tangata
It is the people, it is the people, it is the
people
December 2017 { 21 }