Overview

Seven thousand toddlers in New Zealand have a special connection with each other that will last for at least 21 years. They are all taking part in a study that aims to improve the lives of their generation and answer the fundamental question: What makes us who we are?

Based at the University of Auckland's Centre for Longitudinal Research - He Ara ki Mua, Growing Up in New Zealand is keeping tabs on the growth and development of the children. Parents were interviewed before the birth and the families will be visited by researchers regularly until the child turns 21.

They will be asked about their health and wellbeing, family/whānau life, education, psychological development, neighbourhood and environment, culture and identity. Their answers will be a mine of information for planners and policy makers as they work to improve the lives of all New Zealand children.

Growing Up's top priority is to reflect the diversity of our population. The first results, released in November 2010, show that a third of the babies have at least one parent born overseas. Information from the study will help policymakers check the effectiveness of their strategies for this wide range of families and for future generations.

The babies in Growing Up have been selected to represent the general population of all those born in New Zealand between 2008 and 2010. The study casts a wide net to reflect life for most New Zealanders - families include first-time mothers, working mothers, dads, solo parents, same-sex couples, and those living in cities, small towns and the country.

Although recruited in Auckland and the Waikato they will be followed up wherever they move to in the future. The research is anonymous and parents and children give their time for free.