“We see a lot of particularly young children and infants coming to the hospital from communities that are disadvantaged… that’s an area those of us involved in Research for Children Aotearoa would really like to make improvements on.”

Professor Tony Walls is one of the co-directors of Research for Children Aotearoa, a child health researcher, and infectious diseases expert. He is the Head of the Department of Paediatrics at the University of Otago, Christchurch and also works as a paediatrician at Te Whatu Ora Waitaha Canterbury. His research is mainly focused on the treatment and prevention of common childhood infections, and specifically vaccine-preventable diseases.

“We listen. We allow communities, whanau and tamariki to define what their aspirations and needs are. Through that conversation we as a collaboration look at how we shape research, take research and ground it in those communities we are seeking to serve. We have the opportunity to really transform the lives of tamariki and their whanau.”

Collaboration is key- this signals a way of engaging with each other where values and relationships are central.
Acknowledging the shifts- to break the silos across institutions, to lean in to multi discipline collaborations for impact and for transformational change.

Be purposeful in connecting; whānau in communities, innovation, research, science, mātauranga. Collaborations to enable the translation of discipline-based knowledge into real shifts for equity, for tamariki which of course is whānau outcomes.

This is expressed in the purpose but also in the cotranslation of research at the interface - to have relevance through relationships.

Our intention is not just to gather and analyse but to engage, to ask, to include, to be led, to try to harness the opportunity afforded us through collaborations for and with tamariki and their whānau.

It’s the 'so what?, and what?' principle
Ethically, what can we achieve together now that we know? How can we, as a collective, strive to ground research for meaningful outcomes, to drive investment and enable the next generation to reach their potential.

Research and those that undertake it become a part of the eco-system, they acknowledge the multiple spaces where knowledge exists, through collaborations like this, like the Children’s Charter- Ūia kā Pou we are developing with CORE education. We hope to offer something so that the institution is invited into the community and the way that knowledge bearers from communities can be supported by the resources and knowledge that sits within institutions.

For Ngāi Tūāhuriri these ideas are grounded in concepts laid out by our upoko, Te Maire Tau in the Grand Narratives where he quotes the tupuna Natanahira Waruwarutu, who left a reflection for his uri (descendants) referring to the principle of āwhinatia. He translates this as the way in which the capacity to care for others is a component of the maintenance of Rangatira. It might be argued therefore, that our responsibility as tangata whenua extends to ensuring that knowledge is useful to the people who would most benefit from its application to enhance generational health and wellbeing.

“Research for Children Aotearoa brings a new form of energy into being advocates for children. To ensure our families are treated well, our children are treated well. Getting our workforce to line up and give them opportunities. We want to create a longevity of change so we can change the health and wellbeing outcomes for our families and children 10, 20 years into the future.”

Kiki Maoate is a paediatric surgeon and urologist with Te Whatu Ora’s South Island surgical team, and he is Associate Dean Pacific the the University of Otago, Christchurch where he champions research and educational opportunities.

Kiki is the President of the Pasifika Medical Association Group, with portfolios including Pasifika Futures Ltd – Pasifika Whanau Ora Commissioning Agency, PACMAT – Pasifika Medical Association Medical Assistance Team, Etu Pasifika - Primary care providers, Medical Journals - Pacific Health Dialogue and New Zealand Medical Journal. He is an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his dedication and commitment to Pacific health.

“Aotearoa New Zealand has a strategy that aspires to make it the best place in the world for children to live. That’s a challenging task involving complex issues, so we need a trans-disciplinary response. Canterbury already has collaborations in health research and education through Te Papa Hauora. Research for Children Aotearoa further extends this important mahi with a strategic focus on research that will have a positive impact on supporting our tamariki and their whānau.”

Professor Gail Gillon is director of the University of Canterbury’s Child Well-Being Research Institute and co-director of the Better Start National Science Challenge E Tipu E Rea, a decade-long programme of research focused on ensuring all young children have a successful start to life.

Gail’s research speciality is on interventions for early literacy success in children who enter school with known challenges for reading and spelling. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society Te Apārangi, recognising her impact on speech-language therapy and teaching practices in Aotearoa and around the world.