Intergenerational resiliencies of young Māori sole mothers: a feminist analysis of Aotearoa New Zealand’s mental health provisions

Young Māori (Indigenous peoples of New Zealand) mothers navigating sole parenthood in Aotearoa New Zealand face inequitable access to and quality of mental health and wellness care. This article explores service inequities for Māori communities with data drawn from interviews with young Māori mother sole parents ( n = 5); as well as interviews with whānau (family) members ( n = 6), conducted in the second year of a kaupapa Māori (Māori philosophy and practice) longitudinal study. Our findings posit that the experiences unique to sole parenthood significantly impact the mental health of young Māori mothers. It was found that added stressors arose when parenting without a committed childcare partner, which in turn negatively affected the mothers’ mental health. We argue that the governing Crown entities are responsible for transforming its current health care system to better uplift and empower mental wellness for young Māori mothers, regardless of their marital status.