Honouring care-experienced mokopuna Māori: creating conditions for wellbeing

The cumulation of structural violence and wilful harm perpetuated by the state care system in Aotearoa has created a climate for change and calls for the establishment of a new system of care. Mokopuna Māori who have lived through the care system are being left out of this conversation. For transformational change to occur, there must be a focus on honouring these experiences and upholding mokopuna rights. This article presents Kaupapa Māori research undertaken by a mokopuna Māori with the lived experience of state care, alongside established Kaupapa Māori researchers. Literature containing the voices of care-experienced mokopuna Māori was reviewed to explore what conditions exist and are needed to uphold wellbeing. Mokopuna rights, stability, relationships and identity were determined to be important to wellbeing. A rights-based perspective makes it clear that the Crown must honour the rights and expertise of care-experienced mokopuna if new systems of care are to be successful.