Item Development for Tōku Whare (My House): A Kaupapa Māori Neurodevelopmental Screening Resource

Neurodevelopmental screening tools used in Aotearoa New Zealand are predominantly developed internationally, and are therefore misaligned with the unique worldview of te ao Māori (the Māori worldview). A culturally grounded kaupapa Māori neurodevelopmental screening tool was created by integrating mātauranga Māori (traditional knowledge) and kaupapa Māori (philosophy) approaches with empirical research. The tool is specifically designed to support early intervention for tamariki Māori (Māori children) aged from 6 to 8 years. The screening tool Tōku Whare is a set of 22 cards identifying characteristics of tamaiti (child) neurodevelopment. The screening items were developed following an eight-stage process that included a literature review, multiple wānanga (discussions), a Delphi method study, and speech and language refinements. A training manual created to support the use of Tōku Whare screening is delivered through wānanga, currently being used in Aotearoa New Zealand to assist understanding of neurodevelopment and to explore the impacts of trauma and Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.