Healing the harm. Restoring the aroha.

After a long history of trauma and violence, Rowena* and Moana* are now on a path towards healing and restoring their whānau, thanks to the support and guidance of our kaimahi.

Rowena was a victim of physical and psychological abuse from a previous relationship and her two tamariki had been removed from her care and placed with whānau. Her partner, Moana, had a long history of violent behaviour and had been in prison for both family violence and for assault with intent to injure. He had tamariki from a previous relationship, but family court orders prevented him from having any contact with his children.

Rowena and Moana were expecting their first pēpi together, and given their history, Oranga Tamariki was likely to seek court orders to place the child into care. Desperate to keep their pēpi, the pending birth of their child was their motivation to change, with both parents-to-be wanting a safe whānau and home for their tamariki.

Moana referred himself to the Te Whare Non-violence Programme, and Rowena referred herself to our Wāhine Safety Programme. Throughout the programme, Moana also received one-to-one support with a kaimahi tane from Te Whare. This allowed him space to reflect on the origins of his violent behaviour, hold himself accountable for his actions and begin to sow seeds of empathy by describing the virtues of the father he aspired to be.

After three months, both Moana and Rowena graduated from their respective programmes and transitioned into Whānau Resilience, a longer-term service. The couple now has a dedicated Te Whare social worker working alongside them for up to two years to support their healing, recovery and restoration journeys.

Over a year later, Moana and Rowena are caring for their healthy pēpi. Rowena has also had her other two tamariki returned to her care and is taking the time to rebuild her relationship with them. Moana is working towards becoming a certified mentor to help other tāne break free from cycles of violence. The couple will continue their journey of change with the support of Te Whare.

Our kaimahi attended an emotional occasion as a pōwhiri and karanga guided Rowena’s tamariki back into their mother’s care. It was very rewarding to see our mahi in action and to witness this couple’s amazing progress. With the support and guidance of our kaimahi, Rowena and Moana are continuing their journey towards healing and recovery – and becoming the parents they really want to be.