“It feels real good having my own space” – Young Māori mothers in the E Hine study talk about housing

The provision of good quality housing for young families is a key way of supporting health and well-being, and this is especially important for young Māori (Indigenous) mothers and their children, who experience a greater burden of social and health inequities. Low-quality housing can negatively affect health, safety, employment, education, social connectedness and identity. Seeking the views of young Māori mothers is essential for informing initiatives to support access to housing that is responsive to their needs and aspirations for ‘home’. The analysis reported here focuses on the housing journeys of the young women during the last year of participation in E Hine, a longitudinal, qualitative, Kaupapa Māori (by Māori, for Māori) study that followed young Māori women (initially aged 13–19 years) from pregnancy or the early antenatal period (n = 44). The last interviews with the participants were when the young mothers’ babies were 2–3 years old (n = 37). Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis, with a focus on housing experiences. With the exception of one young woman and her partner, most of the participants (n = 32) were living with their child(ren) and other adults. Three intersecting themes were developed: (1) ‘Seeking spatial autonomy: The importance of finding one’s own space to parent’ relates to the importance placed, by the young women, on having their own space; (2) ‘Relational beings: The tensions of relational autonomy for young parents’ attends to the desire of the young women for spatial autonomy while still being embedded within support networks; and (3) ‘Material dilemmas: Aspiring to make a “home” during a housing crisis’ explores the material challenges faced by the young women.