Parenting programmes can play an important role in supporting parents. However, broad assumptions are made regarding parents’ motivation to participate in and make subsequent changes to their parenting as a result of attending parenting programmes, and very little research has explored more in-depth areas of parental motivation for those attending parenting programmes. This study examined parents’ self-reported changes in motivation and related parenting behaviour through a pilot evaluation of an Aotearoa New Zealand parenting programme, Building Awesome Whānau. Self-determination Theory (SDT) was utilised to assess how these motivational changes related to changes in the fulfilment of the psychological needs of autonomy, relatedness and competency. Participants were 24 parents who participated in the programme between July 2019 and April 2020. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected via pre- and post-course surveys. Results from the quantitative analyses showed significant improvements in parents’ fulfilment of psychological needs related to autonomy, relatedness, and competency, and a significant increase in intrinsic motivation for parenting. No significant improvements were found for external, introjected or identified motivational regulations. Parents also reported significant shifts in their competency for involvement in a range of parenting activities; however, the analyses indicated that most of these may have been influenced by regression to the mean. Parents also reported significant reductions in lax and inconsistent parenting, and over-reactive parenting behaviours. No significant changes were reported for warm and sensitive parenting behaviour. Analysis of qualitative data identified three main themes. First, parents reported considerable diversity in motivational intent for attending Building Awesome Whānau, and subsequent diversity in parenting outcomes. Second, parents reported a shift in their focus from day-to-day parenting to more of a reflective stance in their parenting. Third, parents reported an increased openness to accessing support networks. These results are discussed in light of key SDT literature; including variability in motivational regulations, and the role social environments may play in the facilitation of intrinsic motivation and internalization. It also includes comparison to evidence from other parenting programme evaluations. Recommendations are made for a different methodological strategy for any future evaluation of Building Awesome Whānau that is more closely aligned to kaupapa Māori research principles, in addition to opportunities to revise programme content based on the findings from this study