Lay summary
Māori children have been reported to be more likely than non-Māori children to have experienced unmet needs for primary healthcare and a lack of culturally competent care contributes to health inequities. Physiotherapists play an important role in early childhood paediatric healthcare in a variety of settings and can offer support and education to caregivers for their child’s development. This study seeks to identify key cultural values for Māori families in the early childhood service they engage with via qualitative semi-structured interviews. This information may be applied to physiotherapy-supported playgroups and/or paediatric healthcare to improve engagement with Māori whānau, improve cultural responsiveness of physiotherapy services, and contribute to better support for Māori and Pasifika children and their caregivers.