1. Decolonizing family-centred early-intervention For Māori in New Zealand 3rd International congress on family-centred early intervention for children who are deaf or hard of hearing Bad Ischl, Austria – June 15-17th 2016
Dr Kirsten Smiler
Te Whānau a Kai, Te Aitanga a Mahaki, Rongowhakaata, Te Whakatohea
Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand

2. Impacts of colonisation
Loss of (and alienation from) land, natural and economic resources
Rapid urbanisation of Māori (away from tribal regions)
Loss of autonomy (personal and collective)
Loss of political power and influence
Language shift and knowledge and culture embedded in language
Disintegration of social structures (whānau, hapū and iwi)
Altered health and wellbeing profile (differential access to the determinants of health and wellbeing).

3. Māori Deaf children: a need for innovation?
Māori experience differential access to the determinants of health and wellbeing.
Māori are reported to have disproportionately poorer health outcomes than other ethnicities.
Universal Newborn Hearing Screening and Early Intervention Programme (UNSHEIP) – Is it family-centred?
Māori are socialised in whānau, hapū and iwi social units

4. Ka puāwai ngā kōhungahunga turi
The nature and impacts of early intervention for Māori deaf children and their whānau
What shapes whānau perceptions of ‘deafness’ in the early years?
What are the early intervention experiences of whānau of deaf children?
Do the design of early intervention services need to be adapted for Māori?

5. Kaupapa Māori Research
“Kaupapa Māori research is that in which the philosophy and practice of being Māori is the norm. Such a position accepts the validity of Māori concepts, value and practices and positions as central to the whole research enterprise. Māori have a different epistemological tradition that frames the way that they see the world, the way that they organise themselves in it, the questions they ask, and the solutions they seek. Taken together, Māori epistemology (Māori cultural theory), Māori ontology (Māori cultural practices) and Māori methodology (Māori methods) comprise the Māori world view”. Irwin and Workman (2011:170).

6. Kete Mātauranga Kete Mātauranga Whakawhanaungatanga
Five whānau raising deaf children of EI age.
Diversity of perspectives: (region (urban/rural), tribal networks, modality, technological support, educational backgrounds, onset of deafness, access to newborn screening, socio-economic backgrounds, additional disability, intergenerational deafness, varying whānau configurations.
Whakawhanaungatanga
Long-term collaboration with whānau raising deaf children
Co-construction of cases
Wānanga – collective theorizing across whānau.

7. Key findings Professional-Whānau relationships
Predominately professional-led relationships
Workplace culture defines the nature of interactions
Professionals inconsistent in the application of a family-centred approach.
To be effective professionals require an understanding of colonisation impacts on Māori and knowledge of Māori language and culture.

8. Key findings It takes a village – the need to create community
Māori promote the raising of children in intergenerational communities.
Contemporary context requires inclusion of individuals (including professionals supports) outside of whānau networks.
Whānau need to create communities with those who have lived experience of deafness to support raising of their children.

9. Whānau-ora or family-centred?
We can say that Māori children belong to families, but we can also say that Māori children belong to whānau; and, from a Māori worldview, whānau are part of wider social structures of hapū and iwi.
In New Zealand it matters whether we say family- centred or whānau-ora (whanau-centred and whānau-ora which is interchangeably used) when referring to a model of practice?

10. Return to whānau Whānau-ora as a goal Whānau-ora as a philosophy
Whānau-ora as a model of practice (which is inherently whanau-centred)
Whānau-ora as a outcome

11. Return to Pā Harakeke
Pā Harakeke is a traditional model for healthy whānau function and development and is well understood by Māori.
Pā Harakeke is compatible with the family-centred approach to early-intervention, with a focus on whānau, hapū and iwi social structures.
Pā Harakeke provides a goal, philosophy, model of practice, and outcome consistent with Kaupapa Māori, Family-centred early intervention and Whānau Ora.

12. Ka puāwai ngā kōhungahunga turi
This research affirms there are equity issues for Maori who have differing access to the determinants of health and wellbeing which impact their pathways to identification, diagnosis and identification and interactions within these stages.
Māori deaf children can be raised in families but they also are raised in whanau. Services need to evolve to accommodate these social structures.
Pā Harakeke offers a Kaupapa Māori approach to early intervention and screening. Pā Harakeke offers a goal, philosophy, model of practice and outcomes that are consistent with Māori models of health and wellbeing, Whānau ora policies, and the international consensus statement principles for FCEI early intervention.

13. References
Irwin, K and Workman K. (2011). Whanau Development and the Treaty of Waitangi: The Families Commission/Kōmihana ā Whānau Work Programme. In Veronica Tawhai and Katarina Gray-Sharp (Eds.) ‘Always Speaking’. The Treaty of Waitangi and Public Policy.
Smiler, K. (2014). Ka puāwai ngā kōhungahunga turi. The nature and impacts of early intervention for Māori deaf children and their whānau. PhD. Victoria University of Wellington.