This paper reports outcomes of an evaluation into the self-administered Te Tomokanga survey, designed to determine the cultural acceptability of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) for indigenous populations. It incorporates questions that examine CAMHS delivery in light of the Whare Tapa Whā,1 a Māori comprehensive model of health with a focus on whānau involvement and culturally responsive services. This mail or telephone survey was completed by a cohort of 168 Māori whānau, whose children had been referred to one of the three types of CAMHS, mainstream, bicultural, and kaupapa Māori,2 of the District Health Board in the Midland health region, an area with a large Māori population with high levels of social deprivation. The Te Tomokanga instrument was shown to have a similar factor structure to the North American questionnaire from which it had been derived. It identified issues relevant to Māori whānau satisfaction with CAMHS. The work supports the concept that Māori desire therapeutic methods consistent with the Whare Tapa Whā, such as whānau involvement and the importance of recognising culture and spirituality. Participants were generally positive about the services they received from the three different CAMHS types, which shows good acceptability of CAMHS for Māori. Satisfaction with CAMHS was related to whānau involvement and culturally delivered services. 1. The Whare Tapa Whā framework relies on a Māori worldview of health, a holistic approach advocating a balance between the four dimensions of the Taha Whānau (family), the Taha Tinana (physical), the Taha Hinengaro (cognitive or intellectual) and the Taha Wairua (spiritual). It is believed if one aspect is in distress then it impacts on the others causing tension and increased risk of poor health. Optimal health requires balance between all four dimensions. 2. Kaupapa Māori mental health services provide Māori dedicated clinical and cultural workforce for Māori service users.
