News

Positive relationships, bullying prevention and early support needed for young people’s mental wellbeing

Research published today by Growing Up in New Zealand shows the importance of strong positive relationships for young people’s mental health and the negative impact of bullying. It also showed that depression symptoms at age 8 were associated with worse symptoms at age 12, leading researchers to call for early support for children.

Increased worries related to COVID-19 pandemic associated with worse quality of life in young people

New Research looking at experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic for young people in early adolescence has found that those who worried more about the pandemic experienced poorer health and wellbeing outcomes.

School engagement – latest research shows student-teacher relationships, academic self-belief, and inclusivity are keys to success

Research published today by Growing Up in New Zealand shows that students who report positive relationships with their teacher are more engaged in school. The research also shows the importance of students’ self-belief as learners, and the need for inclusive school environments.

University of Auckland Welcomes Funding Support for Major Youth Wellbeing Study

Further funding in this year’s Budget for Aotearoa's largest contemporary longitudinal study of child health and wellbeing has been welcomed by the University of Auckland team leading the decades-long project.

Webinar series 2023

Join our free webinars to hear about the latest research from Growing Up in New Zealand about what life is like for twelve-year olds. The webinars explore the findings from the just released “Now We Are Twelve” snapshot series and are relevant to anyone interested in how young people are doing in Aotearoa.

New information on housing and homelessness in twelve-year olds released today

New research shows that many twelve-year olds live in secure and good quality housing, and that around three-quarters live in a home that their family own. However, this isn’t the case for all young people with some experiencing homelessness, involuntary house moves and homes with dampness and mould, which researchers say can severely impact their health and wellbeing.