A culturally adapted parenting programme for Māori families in Northland is reducing parental conflict and improving children's behaviour, a new study shows.

Photo: 123RF

Te Whānau Pou Toru is a parenting programme adopted from the Triple P-Positive Parenting Program which the United Nations rates as the world's leading parenting program.

Ngāti Hine Health Trust teamed with the University of Auckland and the University of Queensland, which started the Triple P Program, to develop Te Whānau Pou Toru.

The Ministry of Health funded a randomised controlled trial to measure the programme's effectiveness which included 70 families in Whangarei and Kawakawa.

In the programme, parents took part in parenting discussion groups where they learned positive parenting techniques.

The trial showed six months after programme completion, parents reported significantly fewer and less severe child behaviour problems and less conflict with their partners around child rearing.

Board Chair of Ngāti Hine Health Trust Gwen Tepania-Palmer said the trust's vision to enhance the well-being of whānau had been realised for many who took part in the programme.

"Recommendations are currently being considered about how this exciting and valuable project can be integrated into Ngāti Hine Health Trust's Whānau Ora culture of maximising positive outcomes for whānau."