Keeping tamariki safe and connected to their whānau is at the heart of Mana Whānau. Our latest evaluation report shows that intensive, whānau-led, in-home support helps families stay together safely—reducing the need for state care and supporting lasting change. Here’s a brief overview of the findings and why they matter.
We invite you to read the full report for the evidence, whānau insights, and recommendations.
What Mana Whānau looks like in practice
Mana Whānau supports whānau who are at the edge of care, or working towards reunification, through an intensive six-month programme delivered in the home. The approach is culturally grounded, non-judgemental, and whānau-led. Flexible kaimahi work alongside whānau to reduce immediate stressors, strengthen natural supports, and build parenting capability. The focus is on removing the conditions that create risk—not assessing parenting in isolation.
Key findings at a glance
The evaluation found strong outcomes that were sustained over time:
- 87% of parents retained or regained care of their children by the end of the programme.
- 94% of whānau interviewed one to seven years later were still safely caring for their tamariki—demonstrating sustained impact.
- In most cases, statutory involvement was reduced or ended, with tamariki kept out of care or supported to return home.
The report also highlights consistent improvements in the everyday conditions that underpin child safety and wellbeing:
- Reduced toxic stress through improved housing, financial stability, and access to essentials
- Safer, warmer homes and more stable living environments
- Improved school attendance and better access to health and learning supports
- Reduced family violence and harmful substance use where present
- Stronger parental confidence, routines, consistency, and self-belief
- Tamariki showing improved emotional security, behaviour, and independence
Whānau described Mana Whānau as respectful and practical—often noting that trusted relationships with kaimahi were central to engagement and change.
Why the findings matter
These findings sit within the wider reform context highlighted by the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care. The evaluation shows that when whānau are supported early and intensively—in ways that uphold mana and self-determination—tamariki can be kept safe without removal.
While programmes like Mana Whānau require upfront investment, the report shows these costs are modest compared with the long-term social, human, and financial costs of state care. Mana Whānau is an evidence-informed prevention approach that supports system goals to reduce care entries, enable reunification, and strengthen whānau capability.
Opportunities for collaboration
The evaluation also identifies practical opportunities to strengthen impact further—for example: earlier referrals, longer or more flexible support where needed, improved pathways for whānau affected by disability and neurodiversity, and ongoing connection to reduce isolation once the programme ends. These are areas where partnership across agencies and sectors is critical.
Read the full Mana Whānau Evaluation Report (March 2026) to explore the evidence base, whānau voices, and recommendations—and to consider how we can work together to keep children safe, connected, and thriving within their own whānau.
If you would like to learn more or discuss this service in more detail please reach out to lifewise@lifwise.org.nz.
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