Up to 50 iwi members, from Wairoa to Wairarapa, have approached Ngāti Kahungunu wanting to help take care of children at risk of being removed from their families by the state.
The iwi put out the call for whānau help two weeks ago.
The initative comes after an attempt by Oranga Tamariki to take a baby from its mother resulted in the lockdown of Hawke's Bay Hospital in May.
Ngahiwi Tomoana chairs the iwi trust board and spoke to Susie Ferguson about the call.
