<p style="text-align: justify;">Whakauae Research held the first research symposium for 2016 at Community House in Whanganui, on 18 March 2016.&nbsp;These events showcase M&#257;ori health research of relevance to local communities. &ldquo;Poipoia te Mokopuna&rdquo;, the name chosen by Whakauae for the event, means&nbsp; &ldquo;nurturing our mokopuna&rdquo;; reflecting the strengths-based approach taken by the presenters. The presenters were Associate Professor Leonie Pihama (Director of Te Kotahi Research Institute at the University of Waikato), Rihi Te Nana (Director for Kakariki Ltd), Rachel Brown (Doctoral Fellow with Whakauae Research) and Tania Williams Blyth (senior family lawyer, District Inspector for Mental Health and a member of the New Zealand Parole Board)<strong>.</strong></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">Wanting to make the most of the availability of the Poipoia te Mokopuna presenters, Whakauae arranged for the delivery of two professional development sessions which took place the day prior to the symposium. Leonie facilitated an interactive all-day session with Whakauae staff, drawing on her understanding and experience of Kaupapa M&#257;ori research. Meanwhile Tania presented the results of her research, M&#257;ori wh&#257;nau talking about the care and protection of tamariki, to 25 Te W&#257;nanga o Aotearoa (Whanganui) first year social work students.</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">The symposium was attended by approximately 40 members of the research community, health and social services providers and local iwi. &nbsp;Participants included representatives from Te Atawhai o te Ao - Independent M&#257;ori Research Institute for Environment and Health, Te Oranganui Iwi Health Authority, Te K&#333;tuku Hauora o Rangit&#299;kei, T&#363; Tama W&#257;hine o Taranaki, T&#363;poho Iwi and Community Social Services, Child Youth &amp; Family, Whanganui Safe &amp; Free, Age Concern, the Whanganui District Health Board, Life to the Max and the Star Unit at Palmerston North Hospital.</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">Topics covered during the day included; wh&#257;nau mechanisms for coping with children with life threatening conditions; M&#257;ori wh&#257;nau and their experiences of the Family Court system; M&#257;ori childrearing within a context of Wh&#257;nau Ora and traditional models of childcare. There were some significant challenges highlighted regarding the existing systems wh&#257;nau have to negotiate in times of stress and vulnerability; in particular Family Court, Child Youth and Family and hospital services were identified by the research as not always meeting the needs of wh&#257;nau. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">Each presenter had thought about how research results could be translated into practical resources and interventions. Rachel intends to use the stories from the wh&#257;nau she has interviewed to help other families negotiate hospital systems in times of stress; she is thinking about a practical guide for parents of children with life threatening conditions. Tania, with the support of Tainui, has already used the stories she gathered from wh&#257;nau to set up a pilot study offering navigator services for wh&#257;nau negotiating Child Youth and Family and Family Court systems. And Leonie and Rihi had used their research to produce a resource book, Taku Kuru Pounamu, a visual engaging guide to parenting using whakatauki. A copy of the book was gifted to each person who participated in Poipoia te Mokopuna.</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">Participants, who provided written feedback, confirmed that Poipoia te Mokopuna was a great success and a really useful way for Whakauae to disseminate research findings back to the community.&nbsp;</p>

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<h3 style="text-align:center"><em>&quot;Thank you so much for the Research Symposium &ndash; I found it so interesting and relevant to our work.&nbsp; We would love to see more of these if you are able to arrange them &ndash; so great to see research with some very practical applications, and relevant to the issues we are facing every day in our work.&quot;&nbsp;<span style="font-size:12px">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;<span style="font-size:16px">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(Symposium participant)</span></span></em></h3>

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