Biographical Info

At Stand Tū Māia, our focus is to protect children and their families from further trauma, support their recovery, and enhance their safety and wellbeing.

We offer an alternative to state care, focussed on preventing further harm, restoring wellbeing, and building resilient families. Our services are trauma capable – designed to heal trauma, strengthen relationships, and grow essential life skills.

Our approach is grounded in three principles:
1. Healing through relationships: Harm caused by relationships is best healed within safe, supportive relationships.
2. Whole-of-community support: A child’s home, school, community, and friendships all play vital roles in their recovery and must be engaged to improve their quality of life.
3. Transformative environments: Therapeutic settings that foster belonging, mastery, independence, and generosity accelerate healing and resilience.
These principles are backed by Te Ao Māori, contemporary brain science and the evidence base of Multisystemic Therapy and the therapeutic community movement.

At the heart of our approach is a commitment to collaborative, culturally grounded care that supports children and families affected by complex trauma. Services are integrated across our healing and family support centres, home, school, and other community settings to restore identity, resilience, and a sense of belonging.

Within Taranaki, we have two services available that are free for whānau;

1. Kahukura Aroha – Intensive Family Wraparound Service (age 5-12 – Taranaki Wide):
The journey of a child and their whānau within Kahukura Aroha is a transformation, symbolised by the life cycle of the endemic Kahukura (Red Admiral butterfly), a chiefly being in Te Ao Māori. This metaphor honours the child’s mana and the interconnectedness of their healing journey. Grounded in trauma-capable practice, the service supports whānau through three relational stages—stabilisation, strengthening, and transformation—guided by neuroscience-informed principles of safety, regulation, and connection, alongside Te Ao Māori values such as whakapapa, wairua, and whanaungatanga. The child is held at the centre, with their wellbeing nurtured through culturally responsive support and access to healing programmes and neurotherapies that address the impacts of complex trauma.
Kahukura Aroha operates within a wraparound model that is holistic, family-centred, and trauma-informed. It brings together multidisciplinary teams to co-create individualised care plans that reflect the unique needs and aspirations of each whānau. Services are coordinated across health, education, and social systems, ensuring continuity and cultural integrity. By integrating natural supports, cultural advisors, and community resources, the wraparound approach strengthens whānau resilience and fosters long-term healing. This model not only addresses the immediate effects of trauma but also empowers whānau to reclaim their narratives and thrive.

2. Kahukura Whānau – Family Therapy Service (age 0-18 – North Taranaki only):
Our Family Therapy Service offers a healing space where tamariki mokopuna and rangatahi (0–18 years, including unborn pēpi) are protected from further harm and supported to recover from complex trauma. Grounded in trauma-informed principles, therapy prioritises emotional safety, relational repair, and neurobiological regulation. We recognise that trauma affects not only individuals but also the entire whānau system, and we work collaboratively to rebuild trust, strengthen attachment, and foster resilience. Therapy is guided by evidence-based practices and tailored to meet the unique needs of each family, always upholding the mana of every child.
We integrate Te Ao Māori, honouring the spiritual and ancestral dimensions of wellbeing, and ensuring cultural responsiveness is woven throughout the therapeutic process. By creating a safe and empowering environment, we support whānau to understand trauma responses, restore balance, and develop healthy relational patterns. Each session is a step toward collective healing, where every voice is heard, and the whānau journey together toward recovery and reconnection.

Where? All of Taranaki and across Aotearoa. Support is available in-person. *Please note that Kahukura Whānau – Family Therapy Service is available in North Taranaki only.

When?  Monday to Friday; 8.30am to 5pm

Who? Tamariki mokopuna and their whānau; Kahukura Whānau is for 0-18 years old. Kahukura Aroha is for 5-12 years old.

Referrals: We accept referrals from any professional within the community. We initiate waitlists as needed.