TSI First 1000 Days Early Years Project

Project lead: Alex Woodley

The first 1000 days of a child’s life - from conception to age two - are critical for lifelong wellbeing. In South Auckland, where families face complex social and economic challenges, the First 1000 Days Project focussed on shifting the odds for tamariki through early, evidence-based, and culturally grounded interventions.

Led by Auckland Council’s The Southern Initiative (TSI) and supported by Point, the project combined quantitative research, ethnographic insights, and co-design principles to understand what families need and how systems can better respond.

The project began with a simple but powerful question: “How might we support parents in South Auckland to give tamariki the best start in life?”

TSI’s approach was deeply collaborative. It engaged whānau, local boards, and service providers to co-design solutions that reflect lived experience. Point contributed to this mahi by:

• Supporting the development of a theory of change

• Synthesising data on risk and protective factors

• Facilitating workshops and reflective practice sessions

• Helping surface insights from families and frontline workers

The research highlighted the importance of:

• Early, strong family attachment

• Culturally responsive environments

• Strengths-based support systems

• Interventions that include both parents and babies