Summary
This study employed a narrative inquiry to explore the experiences of six New Zealand Informal Whānau/Kinship caregivers as they navigate community-based support to meet the needs of children in their care. Kinship care, or ‘whānau’ (family) care, refers to arrangements in which children are cared for by members of their extended family or community.
The authors identify three interrelated themes: children’s complex and trauma-related needs require responsive services, yet caregivers largely navigate systems without guidance; services are fragmented, requiring families to engage with multiple formal and informal supports; and feelings of shame, exhaustion, and fear of judgment reduce help-seeking. As a result, trust in service providers is central to caregiver engagement. When providers demonstrate understanding of informal kinship care, trauma, and mental health, caregivers feel safer and more willing to engage, strengthening support relationships.
Using Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory, the authors examine how informal caregivers experience community support across system levels. Their findings highlight relational dynamics at the micro-system, caregivers’ leadership in linking family, educational, and service contexts at the meso-system, and the resourcing role of Care Service Organizations (CSOs) at the exo-system. At the macro- and chrono-system levels, CSOs are positioned to challenge dominant caregiving assumptions and advocate for policy reform within evolving historical and legislative contexts.
Overall, these findings highlight the importance of trauma-informed, relational, and ecologically grounded clinical practice in strengthening community support for informal kinship caregivers and their families.
Methodological Notes
This study used narrative inquiry to understand caregivers' experiences through storytelling. They used purposive sampling to recruit of six participants. Each participant was interviewed twice. Interviews were audio-recorded with the participants' informed consent. The first interview followed an unstructured format, allowing participants to have guidance on where the conversation would lead. The second interview was semi-structured.
This study provides rich insights but should be interpreted with mindfulness of its limitations. The study has a small and non-representative sample; all of whom live in the North Island of New Zealand. The value of the study’s findings lies in the depth of meaningful and contextual understanding of informal caregivers’ experiences rather than in capturing the full diversity of informal kinship across varied intersectional contexts. Additionally, all participants were recruited through caregiver networks and existing support organizations. Thus, participants who are not receiving formalized support services were not included in the study.