New Zealand Law Journal, 2018, 3

The Care & Protection of our Māori Children, our Future: A Whānau Perspective study was a qualitative study undertaken in two regions of New Zealand, the Waikato and the Bay of Plenty. The study involved a series of in-depth interviews with Māori parents and grandparents with experience of State intervention in the care of their children or grandchildren. A brief literature search and review was also conducted to inform the study. This activity focused on State intervention in the care and protection of indigenous children both in New Zealand and internationally. Identifying the support whānau might need, in order to retain their children in their care, was an additional area of interest. Whilst the literature in this area is limited from the sources identified, 18 documents were deemed relevant to the research.

The qualitative research design utilised narrative inquiry in semi-structured face-to-face interviews to elicit stories from the participants. Participant recruitment employed two methods; a recruitment poster displayed by social services, GP clinics and Māori health providers in the area where the study was conducted and a newspaper advertisement in the local free papers. The researcher was consequently contacted by 35 potential participants who were then vetted for suitability for inclusion into the study via telephone or, in some cases, in person. Of these potential participants, 10 were subsequently selected to take part in interviews. All participants were Māori and the sample included two men and eight women. Of the 10 participants, nine were parents and one was a grandparent of children who were, or who had previously been, in State care. The number of children currently in the care of study participants ranged from two to 10 with the average being six. (From the article). Two of the authors presented the research findings at the 7th World Congress on Family Law and Children's Rights, Dublin, 4-7 June 2017 - follow the link to view the presentation. Record #5911