News

Most young people feel okay about puberty, but more girls ‘embarrassed’

Research published today by Growing Up in New Zealand looks at young people’s experiences of puberty such as physical development at age twelve, feelings about puberty, and access to free period products in schools. It shows most young people were either ‘not interested’ or felt positively about puberty, although there were differences by gender and by ethnicity.

Large survey of New Zealand teachers released today – new info on digital learning, classroom environments, bullying

The results of a survey of 775 New Zealand teachers have been published today by the Growing Up in New Zealand longitudinal study. Teachers were asked about the classroom environment, how students were handling digital technology, and about online learning during lockdowns. They were also asked about their perceptions of students’ experiences of bullying and the results have been compared with young people’s own reports of being bullied.

New research on impacts of extreme weather events on young people

A new project looking at how the severe weather that hit many parts of the North Island earlier this year has impacted the wellbeing of young people starts today.

More disabled young people in New Zealand face inequities than previously known – research shows

Research published today by Growing Up in New Zealand has found that more young people and families experience disability than shown before, and these young people are experiencing inequities in many areas of their lives leading researchers to recommend that disabled young people are made a priority across government.

Research shows the importance of extended family and whānau for young people

For the first time, young New Zealanders were asked about important adults in their lives, as well as about their relationships with parents and peers. This research showed about half of young people had a trusting relationship with an adult that wasn’t their parent, such as a grandparent, which researchers say illustrates the importance of wider whānau for young people.

Data access workshop 2023

Get support to understand the Growing Up in New Zealand datasets, including the newly released data from Now We Are Twelve - life in early adolescence. We will also provide an update on the Children and Families Research Fund which is for researchers undertaking social policy relevant research using data from Growing Up.