Rural Early Years ‘What growing up well looks like for Coast kids’

This research project will capture the journey the West Coast DHB are embarking on, to understand from our communities what growing up well looks like for Coast kids, and how our health system design should enable that vision. The project will act as an incubator for DHB staff who wish to explore health research in a safe and supported environment, and to grow a health research culture across the West Coast health system that supports our vision to be a centre for excellence in rural health care and research. A community development approach will be used for the conversations with our communities, and kaupapa maori research principles will ensure that we create meaningful change with the knowledge our communities gift us; to improve equity of access and outcomes for Coast kids.