Tēnei te mihi atu ki ngā tini kaimahi kei ngā hāpori, e pūkaha ana ki te whakatō me te whakatipu te mauri-ora ki ngā whānau maha, e rongorongo i ngā pēhitanga o te wā ka pā mai ki a rātou.  Nō Te Ao Māori te poutoko nei i hangaia, hei arataki ngā kaupapa whakamātautau kaimahi, e kaingākau ki te mahi me te iwi Māori.

In 2015 the Social Work Registration Board invited Tāngata Whenua Voices in Social Work (TWVSW) to contribute to the SWRB review of social workers competency to work with Māori. The opportunity to design a framework informed and guided by Māori knowing, thinking, understanding and wisdom, “as old or new friends in a new time”[1] invokes the imagery of our old people’s voices, guiding, enriching and supporting contemporary social work practice.

It also highlights the potential of Mātauranga and Āhuatanga Māori as critical in the fashioning of preferred approaches to good social work practice in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Hui were held around the motu and after much debate and discussion the Kaitiakitanga Framework emerged. In addition, sitting alongside the Framework will be resources and guidance including articles and practice examples. However we want to share the Framework while these are in development.

The Kaitiakitanga Framework will be of particular interest to education providers as they incorporate these concepts into their social work teaching programmes. It is also a useful resource to draw upon when considering your continuing professional development including to support self reflection.

At its basic yet most profound level, kaitiakitanga is about fulfilling the vital obligation for ‘taking care of’, undertaking its commitment to ensuring the constant pursuit of safe space respectfulness, absolute integrity and wellbeing in relationships. The concepts of the Framework are now recognised as the takepū for the work of the Board  – the applied practice principles/values with which we operate.

• Kaitiakitanga is the responsibility of the SWRB for safe stewardship, guardianship and protection

• Rangatiratanga is the responsibility of the SWRB to lead, advocate for, facilitate and act with integrity

• Manaakitanga  is the responsibility of the SWRB to engage in mana-enhancing relationships through the demonstration of care, mutual respect, hospitality, generosity and aroha

• Whanaungatanga is the responsibility of the SWRB to purposefully connect and strengthen mutual and sustainable relationships

The intent of this Kaitiakitanga Framework is to provide a cultural approach to underpin and inform social worker’s competence to work with Māori. The concepts can be applied directly into practice, and into learning and reflection as a base reference.

[1] Te Rangihīroa in Sorrenson, Nā tō hoa Aroha, 1986.

Kaitiakitanga Framework