Frequently Asked Questions: Te Oranga o ngā Māmā me ngā Pēpi i tō tātou rohe 2018–2026
This is a local monitoring report researched and drafted by the Āti Awa Toa Hauora
Partnership Board that looks at how well the health and wider system is supporting
Māori māmā and pēpi in our rohe – from pregnancy through early life. It combines
whānau voice with health, housing and social data to provide a fuller picture of both
lived experience and system performance.
The report covers 2018 to 2026, bringing together long-term trends with the most
recent available data to show both progress and persistent inequities.
The report draws on a mix of local and national data sources, including:
- Health data (maternity care, immunisation, hospitalisations)
- Housing and social data (deprivation, living conditions)
- National datasets such as Census and Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI)
- Local service and provider insights
Whānau voice was gathered through wānanga and engagement with māmā and
whānau (2024–2025).
These insights are treated as equally important as quantitative data and are woven
together to shape the report’s findings.
The period from pregnancy through the first two years of life is critical for life-course
health and wellbeing outcomes. The physical and mental health of the māmā and
her broader environment affects the health of the developing baby. It is also in this
period that most brain development occurs, laying the foundations for life.
Māori māmā and pēpi continue to experience inequitable outcomes across multiple
areas – including poorer access to health care, quality housing, and early support.
The report shows these outcomes are driven by system barriers, including:
- Late or difficult access to services
- Cost and affordability
- Transport challenges
- Poor or insecure housingFragmented or hard-to-navigate systems
The report highlights the real-life experience of many whānau trying to access care;
needing to overcome multiple barriers just to get basic support.
Yes. Some improvements are being seen, such as rising immunisation rates.
However, inequities remain significant.
- Investment in kaupapa Māori, whānau-centred models of care
- Earlier and more proactive engagement with māmā
- Improved access to maternity and primary care
- More coordinated, joined-up services
Services that are: kaupapa Māori – whānau-centred – accessible and trusted
consistently show better engagement and improved outcomes.
Health sector leaders, government agencies, and commissioning bodies all have a
role in improving access, investing in effective models, and addressing wider system
barriers.
The findings will inform ongoing monitoring, advice to decision-makers, and future
investment and planning to improve outcomes for Māori māmā and pēpi.
Purpose
This report provides a summary of the oranga of Māori māmā and pēpi across our Āti Awa Toa Iwi Māori Partnership Board rohe, combining whānau voice with health, housing, and social sector data to assess how well the system is working and where change is needed. It is a monitoring dashboard within a kaupapa Māori framework and is designed to support ongoing system learning and transformation.
How the report was developed
The report draws on multiple sources of evidence across the period 2018–2026,
including:
- Wānanga and engagement with māmā and whānau (2024–2025)
- Health sector data (e.g. maternity care, immunisation, hospitalisations)
- Housing and social data, including deprivation and living conditions
- Local and national datasets (e.g. Ministry of Health, IDI, Census)
Collectively, these sources provide a fuller picture of both lived experience and system performance.
First two years of life
The period from pregnancy through the first two years of life is critical for long-term health and wellbeing. Getting this stage right improves lifelong outcomes; getting it wrong significantly increases the likelihood of poorer health, development and wellbeing over time.
Accessing Early Support
For too many Māori māmā and pēpi, accessing early support is still an obstacle course. Barriers such as cost, transport, housing conditions and fragmented services mean whānau are often unable to access care early, consistently or in ways that work for them.
Findings
Late or no access to maternity care: In 2023, 12.9% of Māori māmā were not enrolled with a Lead Maternity Carer at any stage during pregnancy.
Missed access to specialist care: In 2024, Māori women missed 28.9% of first specialist maternity appointments, compared with 3.5% for non-Māori non-Pacific women.
Inequities continue into early childhood: As at February 2026, Māori tamariki had the highest rate of not being fully immunised at 24 months, at 8.8%.
Higher rates of preventable harm: In 2024, tamariki Māori were 1.3 times more likely to experience an avoidable hospitalisation event than non-Māori non-Pacific children.
Housing and deprivation are affecting health: Poor and insecure housing conditions are strongly linked to higher rates of illness and hospitalisation for tamariki.
What this tells us
These outcomes reflect structural barriers within the system – including access, affordability, service design and wider social conditions.
What is working well
The report highlights that where services are:
– kaupapa Māori
– whānau-centred
– accessible and trusted
then whānau engage earlier and outcomes improve. Local models show the effectiveness of integrated, relationship-based support.
What needs to change
– Earlier engagement with māmā, particularly young māmā and those in high
deprivation areas
– Improved access to maternity and primary care
– More coordinated support across health, housing and social systems
– Investment in holistic, kaupapa Māori models that whānau use and trust.
Change the system
The evidence from 2018–2026 shows that these inequities are persistent and systemic. If we want better outcomes, we need to fix the barriers within the system – not expect whānau to successfully navigate around them.