Kahu’s mother is Pākehā and her father is Māori. The family is relatively new to the area and Kahu started at the centre five months ago. The first story sets the context for the team’s recent observations of Kahu. Wanting to know more about how they might support Kahu’s sense of belonging, the team examine the Connected Relationships and Caring for Others section of Kōwhiti Whakapae - Social and Emotional area. 
As you read the stories, the highlighted comments will provide more information about the connections between the learning story content and the team’s use of Kōwhiti Whakapae as well as their alignment and links with 'Te Whāriki'. Using 'Te Whāriki' and their local curriculum as the starting point, the team found that Kōwhiti Whakapae provided complementary information to reflect and strengthen their tailored support for children.  
This example, shows kaiako focusing on an area of valued learning, identifying where Kahu is at, progressing her learning in play-based ways, aligned with her interests and whānau aspiration.