How Ngā Rangatira Mō Āpōpō is Reshaping Whānau Support in the Justice System
- Pillars Ka Pou Whakahou
- Jun 16
- 3 min read
Updated: Jun 27
Kaiwhatu Kura Whānau will act as a court navigator, helping whānau understand the court process and access relevant sources once a family member has entered the justice system. Working alongside whānau, they will co-design support plans for tamariki and whānau.
When a parent goes to prison, there is no dedicated role to support the children left behind, to help them understand what’s happening, to advocate for their needs, to guide their whānau through the overwhelming legal system.
But through their vision, Ngā Rangatira Mō Āpōpō (Youth Advisory Panel) is reshaping what whānau support looks like in the justice system.
A Youth-Led Solution: Kaiwhatu Kura Whānau
Through the lived experience and advocacy of Ngā Rangatira Mō Āpōpō (Youth Advisory Panel), we are calling for a bold and compassionate solution:
Kaiwhatu Kura Whānau – whānau navigators in the criminal District Court.
This role would act as a dedicated guide for families navigating the justice system, specifically the criminal District court. A Kaiwhatu Kura Whānau would support parents, children, and caregivers to understand the court process, access services, and co-design long-term support plans for tamariki.
For more information on Kaiwhatu Kura Whānau, please read our kōrero here.
The name was gifted by one of the youth advisory panelists and captures the deep purpose behind the role:
Kai – person
Whatu – to weave, or the essence
Kura – taonga, wellbeing, or identity
Whānau – family
The Kaiwhatu Kura Whānau is someone who weaves together understanding, identity, and care for families at one of the most critical points in their lives (T.Y, Youth Advisory Panelist).
Designed with Lived-Experience Voices
The rangatahi of Ngā Rangatira Mō Āpōpō are sharing their lived-experience to make the system better for tamariki and whānau.
“We have a broken system trying to heal broken families.” – R.A ("Whānau Navigator into district courts and reaching more rangatahi")
Ngā Rangatira Mō Āpōpō's vision for the Kaiwhatu Kura Whānau role is rooted in real life. They know that being passed from service to service, programme to programme, can be traumatic for tamariki and rangatahi with a parent in prison.
"We urgently need to establish the (Kaiwhatu Kura Whānau) role into criminal district courts to safeguard tamaiti and whānau through the court process and get support in place much earlier on." - R.A, Youth Advisory Panelist.
With the Kaiwhatu Kura Whānau:
Tamariki and whānau would be supported from the beginning of the court process.
Families would co-design a tailored Children’s Support Plan to ensure long-term wellbeing for children.
Trusted community organisations like Pillars Ka Pou Whakahou could be looped in earlier, with referrals that respect whānau needs.
The system would start to reflect manaakitanga and aroha — support and empathy.
A Vision to Reshape Support
The young leaders of Ngā Rangatira Mō Āpōpō envision a future where tamariki impacted by whānau incarceration are visible to the justice system, where every tamaiti is seen, supported, and given a chance to create positive futures.
“This might not be there in time for me, but it might help my siblings, my little cousins, all the other kids who were kids like us.” - Youth Advisory Panelist
We are calling for the immediate establishment of the Kaiwhatu Kura Whānau role within criminal District courts across Aotearoa.
We are seeking bi-partisan, evidence-informed support to make this vision a reality.
The rangatahi of Ngā Rangatira Mō Āpōpō have shown us what’s possible when we centre the voice of the child. Let’s honour their insight, their courage, and their vision for future tamariki.
Together, we can stop the cycle of intergenerational offending and help create a positive future for every child in Aotearoa.
Sources:
We’d like to acknowledge the rangatahi of Ngā Rangatira Mō Āpōpō; for their continued advocacy of the role of Kaiwhatu Kura Whānau and this article through their keynote speeches from the Youth-led Transformative Justice Conference 2024.
"Whānau Navigator into district courts and reaching more rangatahi" —R.A. Youth-led Transformative Justice, November 2024. Keynote Address.
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