Tamariki Māori (Māori children) represent 60 percent of children in state care in Aotearoa (New Zealand), despite Māori only being 16.5 percent of the population. In response to public outcry, policy changes in 2019 have reduced the number of tamariki Māori entering state care; however, they have resulted in under-resourced kaitiaki whānau (Māori family caregivers) providing care for traumatised tamariki. My analysis of the literature makes clear that the inequities experienced by kaitiaki whānau are the direct result of state policies and practises that continue to fail to recognise the importance and inter-connectedness of tamariki Māori well-being with that of their whānau (families) and their lands. This situation underscores ongoing issues in the state’s approach to child welfare, particularly for Māori whānau, reflecting a disconnect between policy intentions, practical support, and a failure to fully embrace Māori perspectives in the care and protection of tamariki. Examination of these issues provides the rationale for the Whānau Care project, a model of practice co-designed with kaitiaki whānau, hāpu (family groups) and iwi (tribe), and relevant agencies to provide the proper support, training, and access to the funding needed for the care of at-risk tamariki Māori. My research demonstrates the urgent need for a transformative shift in child protection policies and practises in Aotearoa so that they become grounded in Māori principles of collective well-being and self-determination.