The deeper intent behind the saying it takes a village to raise a child remains true today. A village can be a rich source of connection, compassion, belonging, and wisdom. We know early experiences and the environments which children grow can determine the trajectory of their health and wellbeing.
This same village of support begins its vital role even before a child is born, during the hapūtanga (pregnancy) journey, where the foundation of connection and care is laid for both māmā and pāpā, as well as the wider whānau.
Becoming a parent sparks a significant shift in mindset. With the birth of a precious pēpi, a sense of responsibility is also born. Suddenly, parents find themselves asking, “What do I do next?”, “I need to get my life together,” and “Do I have enough money to support my child?” These questions, especially if left unanswered, can cause a great deal of stress and uncertainty.
We spoke with parents who have engaged with the Hapū Māmā Village, asking them what their first reactions were when they discovered they were expecting a baby. Many shared that they instinctively looked to their support systems for guidance and reassurance. The māmā and pāpā expressed immense gratitude for the villages surrounding them during their pregnancy journey:
“We have a big village, and it’s so cool to see them pouring into our girl in the same way they’ve supported us. We have our church whānau, Te Ora Hou, and Te Oranganui as well. When you have a village, you can turn to people—not only for resources but for wisdom and experience. A lot of the village has helped us navigate stressful moments. It’s a reminder that we’re not alone.”
What becomes clear is that when māmā and pēpi are well cared for and supported by their whānau and midwives, it reinforces collective responsibility and interconnectedness within the whānau support system. This support helps to ensure that the journey into parenthood is one where no one feels alone, and where every pēpi is welcomed into a nurturing and empowering environment.
Every pēpi deserves a healthy start in life. Getting things right from the moment of conception through to the first two thousand days is crucial. It is during this period that the foundation for lifelong health, wellbeing, learning, and behaviour is set. Research shows that what happens in these early years can have a lasting impact on a child's future, shaping their brain development, emotional resilience, and ability to navigate life’s challenges. However, when families face hardship—such as poverty, unemployment, or addiction—stress can weigh them down, creating what experts call the cumulative weight of “toxic stress”.
Toxic stress is more than just the typical challenges we face in life; it is the persistent stress families experience from multiple stressors. This form of stress impacts directly on executive function [front part of the brain], where our ability to plan, focus attention, prioritise tasks, set and achieve goals, and control impulses, is reduced. Harvard University research has shown that living with this type of stress can disrupt brain development and even impact a child’s physical health, leading to long-term consequences that ripple through generations.
Children who are exposed to toxic levels of stress can also suffer from shortened and frayed telomeres—protective caps at the ends of chromosomes that play a key role in cellular ageing. These genetic scars, caused by excessive stress, can lead to long-term health issues, such as a higher risk of chronic diseases (like heart disease or diabetes), weakened immune function, and mental health challenges later in life. Telomeres in children are not meant to be prematurely shortened, yet toxic stress can accelerate this process. Unlike other stress, toxic stress changes the way the brain and body develop.
Recently, we held a series of toxic stress workshops for partners and stakeholders who work closely with whānau in our community. The workshop focused on raising awareness of the underlying challenges whānau face and the profound impact toxic stress has on their lives. The reflections from this workshop have generated kōrero within workplaces, deepening their understanding of the urgency to address toxic stress at its roots.
The workshop highlighted that protective factors play a vital role in reversing the impacts of ttoxic stress. Supportive, responsive relationships over time are essential for building resilience. By reducing sources of stress, we can prevent the accumulation of toxic stress, and by strengthening core life skills, we expand the executive function of the brain that can shift the balance, helping whānau overcome challenges more effectively.
“We’ve continued to have kōrero around intergenerational trauma and toxic stress, and how these manifest in our babies. These discussions have made the issues more visible, prompting us to be more intentional in our approach. We're focused on removing these layers one at a time, creating space for whānau to prioritise what matters most to them”.
Achieving breakthrough outcomes for children experiencing significant adversity requires a greater understanding of the issues at play.This can be achieved through a more unified ecosystem of leaders and services working to address the root causes of stressors, collectively addressing the systemic conditions that perpetuate persistent challenges.
What we do today will shape the lives of future generations. If we can create environments that are healthy and promote resilience and wellbeing, we will create a ripple effect that strengthens not only individual tamariki but entire communities. Local solutions, co-designed with whānau and grounded in cultural values, are the key to making this vision a reality. By working together—whānau, healthcare providers, policymakers, and communities—we can create a system that truly supports the health and wellbeing of our pēpi, setting them on a path that they deserve, for better health and wellbeing.
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