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Social Workers in Schools (SWiS): Tamariki and whānau experiences of the SWiS programme in kura kaupapa Māori and kura ā-iwi

Project Leader(s): 
Project contact person(s): 

Te Wāhanga, on behalf of Oranga Tamariki, conducted research into the benefits of Social Workers in Schools (SWiS) in kura kaupapa Māori and kura ā-iwi (kura), using a kaupapa Māori approach.  

This contributed to the wider project conducted by Oranga Tamariki to better understand benefits students and their families receive from the Social Workers in Schools (SWiS) service. Four reports were published for the project.  

The guiding kaupapa that shaped our research include whanaungatanga, rangatiratanga, moemoeā, manaakitanga, and mataara.  

“[My SWiS worker] helped me understand Māori more. Getting me out of trouble. Helping me understand my English, my Māori, maths. Confidence and understanding. I used to look down. Now I look up.” 

All four reports for this study can be found on the Oranga Tamariki’s website here.

Key successful ways of working

SWiS workers are successful in kura for four main reasons.  

1. Whanaungatanga 
SWiS workers in kura: 

  • have a long-term trusting relationship with tamariki and whānau, kura and their communities. 
  • know that, to support a tamaiti, they also need to work with and support whānau.

2. Te reo Māori and tikanga Māori 

SWiS workers in kura are confident in te reo Māori and tikanga Māori, and therefore are accepted in kura.

3. Kaupapa Māori

SWiS workers in kura have the knowledge and confidence to use kaupapa Māori and mātauranga Māori approaches in their practice.  

4. Understanding and including what is important to the community 

SWiS workers in kura support tamariki to connect with their culture, local knowledge, and tikanga because this will improve their wellbeing. SWiS workers find ways to help these connections.

The report made six recommendations for Oranga Tamariki to consider: 

  1. Increase funding and resources for SWiS in kura kaupapa Māori and kura ā-iwi 
  2. Make sure that all SWiS workers who go into kura have te reo Māori me ngā tikanga Māori 
  3. Extend kaupapa Māori practices to English-medium schools 
  4. Review Oranga Tamariki systems and processes so that they align with kura policies and practices 
  5. Review current tools used in kura and develop tools in te reo Māori  
  6. Improve coordination between agencies to provide effective wrap-around services for tamariki and whānau

Ngā tikanga mahi tino whai hua 

He whai hua te mahi a ngā kaimahi SWiS i roto i ngā kura nā ēnei take matua e whā.  

1. Whanaungatanga 
He tika ēnei kōrero mō ngā kaimahi SWiS i roto i ngā kura: 

  • he hononga wā roa ō rātou ki ngā tamariki me ngā whānau, waihoki te kura  
  • e mōhio ana rātou e pai ai tā rātou tautoko i tētahi tamaiti, me mātua mahi tahi, me mātua tautoko hoki tōna whānau.

2.  Te reo Māori me ngā tikanga Māori 

E māia ana ngā kaimahi tauwhiro SWiS i te kura ki te kōrero i te reo Māori, me te hāpai i ngā tikanga Māori, nā konei kua rarata ngā kura ki a rātou. 

3. Kaupapa Māori 

He mōhiotanga he māia hoki ngā kaimahi tauwhiro SWiS i roto i ngā kura mō te whakamahi i ngā ritenga kaupapa Māori, mātauranga Māori hoki i roto i tā rātou mahi. 

4. Te noho mārama me te whakauru mai i ngā mea hira ki te hapori. 

Ka tautoko ngā kaimahi SWiS i roto i ngā kura i ngā tamariki kia whakatata atu ki tō rātou ahurea, ki te mātauranga o te takiwā, ki ā rātou tikanga hoki, nā te mea, he oranga kei reira. Ka kita e ngā kaimahi SWiS) ētahi huarahi hei āwhina i ēnei hononga. 

  1. I runga anō i tō mātou mōhio ki ngā mahi e mahia ana e ngā kaimahi tauwhiro SWiS me te pānga o aua mahi, kua oti ēnei tohutohu e ono te tāpae e mātou hei whiriwhiri mā Oranga Tamariki.  
  2. Me āta whakarite kia mōhio ngā kaimahi SWiS katoa ka haere ki ngā kura he matatau ki te reo, he mōhio hoki ki ngā tikanga Māori 
  3. Me whakawhānui ngā ritenga mahi kaupapa Māori ki ngā kura arareo Ingarihi 
  4. Me arotake ngā pūnaha me ngā hātepe katoa a Oranga Tamariki kia hāngai ki ngā kaupapa here me ngā ritenga mahi o ngā kura 
  5. Me arotake ngā taputapu e whakamahia ana i roto i ngā kura ināianei, me te whakawhanake taputapu i roto i te reo Māori  
  6. Me whakapakari te ruruku o ngā tari tētahi ki tētahi, kia noho he ratonga tauawhiawhi mā te tamariki me te whānau

SWiS is a government-funded, community social work service provided in most English and Māori medium, decile 1-3 primary and intermediate schools. 

Social Workers in Schools (SWiS): Tamariki and whānau experiences of the SWiS programme in kura kaupapa Māori and kura ā-iwi project publications: