Case Study: Breathing New Life into a Cornerstone Initiative
Breathing New Life into a Cornerstone Initiative: How Dr Jane George led the transformation of the Supporting Parents Healthy Children Guidelines
The Challenge: Outdated Guidelines in a Changing Landscape
When Dr Bronwyn Dunnachie looked at the Supporting Parents Healthy Children (SPHC) guidelines sitting on her desk in 2023, she knew they were no longer fit for purpose. Created in 2013, these guidelines had been instrumental in helping mental health practitioners support parents across Aotearoa. But as Bron explains, the world had changed significantly in the decade since:
“There’d been some obvious changes in that period of time. The increasing responsibility to be culturally focused. In particular, some of the wording around that idea which still sits there in the title, needing to shift to a more whānau focused perspective.”
The limitations were clear: dated language that didn’t reflect contemporary understanding of family structures, insufficient cultural perspectives, and a format that was expensive to update and distribute. Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic had disrupted momentum around SPHC implementation as services focused on basic delivery.
Perhaps most significantly, the 2013 version was narrowly targeted at clinicians working in Specialist Mental Health Services (SMHS) with adults experiencing mental health or addiction challenges who were also parents/caregivers. The health landscape had evolved substantially since then, with greater recognition that supporting these parents required a coordinated, cross-sector approach.
Whāraurau faced a critical question: How could they revitalise these essential guidelines to better serve New Zealand’s diverse communities, expand their reach beyond specialist mental health services, and rebuild sector engagement after the pandemic—all while working within tight budget constraints?
The Journey: From Printed Document to Living Resource
In October 2023, Whāraurau held a stakeholder hui to review an early draft of the updated guidelines. Dr Jane George was invited to attend this gathering with the view to take on project management responsibilities for a refresh of the guidelines. With her unique combination of qualifications; a newly completed doctorate (DHSc), clinical experience as a social worker in child and youth mental health, and previous oversight of SPHC implementation on the West Coast, Jane brought both academic rigour and practical knowledge to the project.
“Jane joined the project through what was described as an ‘opportunistic’ arrangement due to her west coast role, knowledge of the project, implementation experience, writing skills, and availability after completing her doctorate,” noted the team, describing the collaboration as a “win-win situation.”
Following the hui, Jane began producing a series of iterations based on stakeholder feedback, initially as a traditional document. As the project evolved, she helped lead the comprehensive review process, bringing together a diverse coalition of voices that had previously been underrepresented.
As the project evolved, a significant shift in thinking occurred. Rather than producing another printed document that would inevitably become outdated, the team reimagined the guidelines as a web-based, living resource. This approach offered multiple advantages, as Bron explains:
“It’s just much more accessible for the sector, cost sensitive, if you like, because there’s no way we could have spent hundreds or thousands of dollars printing a whole lot of documents again. Plus it enables that continuing kind of review process and tweaking over time and the addition of resources as well.”
The project wasn’t without challenges. Working with diverse stakeholders created tensions, particularly when representing different cultural perspectives. The team grappled with questions of representation and mandate: as Jane noted, “Which part of me is at the table? Do I have enough of a mandate from my community to speak for that?”
Cross-sector collaboration proved particularly difficult. Despite good intentions, the team encountered what Bron described as “the very non joined up approach from government level around working intersectorally. It’s just so difficult.”
When Joycelyn Tauevihi joined the project, she recognised the need to strengthen the representation of diverse communities. She conducted additional research to ensure equitable inclusion of Rainbow+, Asian, Pacific, and Māori perspectives; voices that had been largely absent from the original guidelines.
“What I saw was a huge difference,” explains Joycelyn. “The previous document is what happened then. But this document is what’s happening now and some of the challenges we’ve had along that line, like the first document had no input from the Asian community or the Rainbow+ community.”
Joycelyn also expanded the models of care beyond the commonly used Te Whare Tapa Whā and Whānau Ora frameworks, encouraging practitioners to explore different approaches that might better suit the diverse families they work with.
The Transformation: A Resource for All of Aotearoa
The result of this extensive collaboration is a revitalised SPHC initiative that better serves New Zealand’s diverse communities:
- A web-based format that allows for continuous updates and easy access for practitioners across the country
- Cross-ministry and multi-agency scope that reaches beyond specialist mental health services to include education, justice (courts/probation), physical health services, child protection services, and kaupapa Māori services
- Inclusive perspectives with significantly stronger representation of Māori and Pacific worldviews, lived experience voices (parents/caregivers with mental health or addiction histories), and other groups such as LGBTQI+
- Contemporary language that acknowledges diverse family structures and emphasises intersectionality
- Expanded models of care beyond traditional frameworks
- Practical resources for implementation in various settings
Since its launch, the website has seen impressive engagement metrics: [PLACEHOLDER FOR WEBSITE METRICS ONCE AVAILABLE].
Early feedback from the sector has been overwhelmingly positive. Practitioners appreciate the updated language, the inclusion of diverse perspectives, and the practical resources provided. Most importantly, the broader scope has engaged professionals from across multiple sectors who previously may not have seen SPHC as relevant to their work.
The Road Ahead: Implementation and Impact
While the updated SPHC guidelines represent a significant achievement, the team recognises that their work isn’t done. As Bron emphasises, “We cannot afford to take effort off the accelerator for a moment.”
The focus has now shifted to implementation. The team is conducting regional visits to support practitioners in applying the guidelines effectively, though budget constraints limit these to once every 9-12 months.
“We’re looking for implementation,” says Joycelyn. “We’re going to be looking for evidence that they’re implementing what the guidelines actually tell us or share with us. Or they’re enhancing their own practices because of some guideline information that they’ve particularly got.”
Despite these challenges, the team remains committed to supporting mental health practitioners across New Zealand in providing family-centred care. The revitalised SPHC initiative stands as a testament to what can be achieved through collaboration, adaptability, and a commitment to inclusivity.
As Joycelyn reflects on the project, she sees potential for even greater integration of Whāraurau’s various initiatives: “I have a sense that there are many of the projects we have are very, very similar and I wonder why we don’t have a one-stop model where we all utilise for different areas.”
This vision of more unified approaches to supporting mental health practitioners and the families they serve may well represent the next evolution in Whāraurau’s important mahi.
Key Learnings
- Digital transformation creates accessibility: Moving from printed materials to web-based resources dramatically improves access while reducing costs.
- Diverse perspectives strengthen outcomes: Including voices from previously underrepresented communities results in more comprehensive and effective guidelines.
- Implementation requires ongoing support: Publishing updated guidelines is only the beginning—practitioners need continued support to apply them effectively.
- Cross-sector collaboration remains challenging: Despite multiple attempts, achieving meaningful collaboration across different sectors continues to present significant barriers.
- Evolving language reflects changing understanding: Regular updates to terminology and frameworks are essential to ensure resources remain relevant and respectful.
About Whāraurau:
Whāraurau is a dedicated mental health service provider in Aotearoa New Zealand, committed to supporting practitioners and improving outcomes for parents and children across the country.
About Dr Jane George:
Dr Jane George (DHSc) works with organisations and individuals to positively impact health access and outcomes equity for rural people. She specialises in health workforce recruitment and retention, building on her doctoral research and extensive experience with allied health professionals. Her background as a social worker in child and youth mental health informs her people-centred approach to system improvement.
