61 days ago

Whāngai Adoption - what you need to know

Hira Siddiqui from Citizens Advice Bureau Pakuranga/Eastern Manukau

🌿 Whāngai is Māori customary adoption, when a child is raised by members of the whānau. It is not a formal adoption so it is generally not recognised by New Zealand law.

🌿 Whāngai is a customary Māori practice where a child is brought up by someone other than their birth parents – usually another relative. Whāngai may be temporary or permanent. A parent who takes on a child is called a matua whāngai, and the child is a tamaiti whāngai. The child knows both its birth parents and whāngai parents, and the whole community is usually involved in the decision.

🌿 Reasons for whāngai include:
* finding a home for an orphan
* taking in a child from a large family that was struggling to support all the children
* taking in a child whose parents were young
* grandparents taking in a mokopuna (grandchild) and teaching them tribal traditions
* allowing children to inherit land.

🌿 A whāngai adoption is recognised with regards to succession to Māori land. Also, whāngai parents (matua whāngai) of a child aged under six years can apply for paid parental leave for the period of time when the child begins living with them.

🌿 A child of a whāngai adoption (a tamaiti whāngai) cannot challenge a will under the Family Protection Act.

Image credit: The Spinoff / photo by Social Equity
Info credit: Citizens Advice Bureau NZ: cab.org.nz / Te Ara: teara.govt.nz

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20 days ago

Some Choice News!

Kia pai from Sharing the Good Stuff

Many New Zealand gardens aren’t seeing as many monarch butterflies fluttering around their swan plants and flower beds these days — the hungry Asian paper wasp has been taking its toll.

Thanks to people like Alan Baldick, who’s made it his mission to protect the monarch, his neighbours still get to enjoy these beautiful butterflies in their own backyards.

Thinking about planting something to invite more butterflies, bees, and birds into your garden?

Thanks for your mahi, Alan! We hope this brings a smile!

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4 days ago

Brain Teaser of the Day 🧠✨ Can You Solve It? 🤔💬

The Riddler from The Neighbourly Riddler

How many balls of string does it take to reach the moon?

(Peter from Carterton kindly provided this head-scratcher ... thanks, Peter!)

Do you think you know the answer? Simply 'Like' this post and we'll post the answer in the comments below at 2pm on the day!

Want to stop seeing these in your newsfeed? No worries! Simply head here and click once on the Following button.

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6 days ago

Poll: Are our Kiwi summer holidays helping us recharge, or holding the economy back? ☀️🥝

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

There’s growing debate about whether New Zealand’s extended Christmas break (and the slowdown that comes with it) affects productivity.

Tracy Watkins has weighed in ... now it’s your turn. What’s your take? 🤔

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Are our Kiwi summer holidays helping us recharge, or holding the economy back? ☀️🥝
  • 72.3% We work hard, we deserve a break!
    72.3% Complete
  • 16.1% Hmm, maybe?
    16.1% Complete
  • 11.6% Yes!
    11.6% Complete
1065 votes