We begin by prioritising time and space to establish trust where all team members are empowered as equal partners. Local kawa and tikanga are important.
Within Te Tūāpapa we strengthen adult capability by building relationships and connections with kaiako within an individual setting and across multiple settings. Examples include:
- Working alongside a cluster of schools to adapt structured literacy approaches for mokopuna with diverse learning needs.
- Exploring Kōwhiti Whakapae with a group of early learning kaiako to support their planning.
Discussions with whānau about our work together include:
- how we will communicate together
- who will be working with their mokopuna and their whānau
- what information will be collected, where it will be stored and how it can be accessed.
These kōrero provide a good opportunity to build trusting relationships with whānau. During initial interactions with whānau, it’s also important to give information on how to raise and concerns or complaints they might have.
It is important to give guidance to all involved on how information about mokopuna can be shared in a safe and appropriate way. This also helps build trust with whānau.
You can read more here:
- A guide for groups sharing learning support information
- Office of the Privacy Commissioner | Privacy Act 2020 and the Privacy Principles
We build connections with mokopuna, whānau and kaiako as we identify strengths and interests, to work together to come up with a plan to support their aspirations and goals of mokopuna and their whānau.
Teams can use a range of progress and outcomes tools to measure success. Plans will vary depending on the identified needs and goals, from advice and guidance, to a full range of supports across Te Tūāpapa.
This is an important part of planning, so everyone is clear about their agreed roles, expectations of them, and how the team will continue to work together.
Within a team, whānau are able to discuss who they want to be their lead worker. This person will help to:
- identify key team members
- clarify their roles
- highlight the strengths, expertise and resources of all team members, including mokopuna and whānau.
When Ministry practitioners are working with whānau who identify as Māori, Kaitakawaenga can support relationship establishment and gather information in a culturally safe and culturally affirming way. This opens doors and supports the safe pathway of support for mokopuna, their whānau and other team members.
Sustaining trusting relationships with whānau and kaiako throughout He Pikorua gives space for difficult and challenging kōrero to occur where needed. These could be when values and beliefs differ, meaning approaches and levels of support may need to change.
Examples of listening and sharing from practice
Practitioners support the PB4L School-Wide (PB4L–SW) team, including mokopuna and whānau, to achieve a shared understanding of PB4L–SW and results they expect to see as they implement it in their school. Practitioners make sure that everyone knows their actions and responsibilities, and what they are working towards as a team to achieve the agreed outcomes.
A mokopuna has told a practitioner that they cope better when they have warning just before they are expected to move to a new activity. The practitioner works with the mokopuna to share this idea with their kaiako who agrees this would also be helpful for others as well. They agree to start using a five-minute warning for all mokopuna before shifting between activities.
A practitioner gets a request for support for a mokopuna. In listening to what the whānau want, all agree that it may help to involve other agencies, organisations or professionals. A collaborative plan is made with the mokopuna and their whānau to explore other support services.
A practitioner gets a request for support for a mokopuna who is already being supported by an established team. The practitioner talks to whānau about their aspirations for their mokopuna, and what needs to happen to achieve them. The practitioner talks to whānau about their aspirations for their mokopuna, and what needs to happen to achieve them.
The practitioner then talks to the other team members to understand what work is already taking place, and to agree what each person’s role will be, and how the new team can add value collectively to achieve the best outcomes. The team then identifies a lead practitioner.
A pediatrician has suggested support for a whānau and their mokopuna who has developmental delay and communication needs. The whānau has asked for support with their mokopuna attending their local Kōhanga Reo. As part of whakawhanaungatanga, the kaitakawaenga contacts the whānau and meets them at their home. They spend time with the whānau talking about their aspirations for their mokopuna.
Further supports are also discussed that including joining whānau on a visit to the Kōhanga Reo, supporting other team members to learn more about the whānau’s cultural needs,, and co-working with other practitioners in the team along the educational pathway of mokopuna.
In a regional office, a group of PB4L School-Wide practitioners, RTLB and other learning support practitioners have collaborated to develop and deliver a package of support to a cluster of schools.
The package includes jointly facilitating workshops using the Teaching for Positive Behaviour book and the Understanding Behaviour, Responding Safely (UBRS) training. This work has given the practitioners the opportunity to provide more consistent and timely support for several schools in the cluster, in the first few weeks of the term.