Abstract:
“Extraordinary things emerge from following thousands
of ordinary lives” – adapted from Helen Pearson (The Life
Project)
The Now We Are Eight Report continues the series of
“Now We Are” reports, adding child-centred descriptive
information about the cohort children’s wellbeing and
development in middle childhood, in the context of their
families, whānau and wider environments.
For the fi rst time in this study, the analyses presented
in this report include the voices and views of the cohort
children themselves. At the eight year Data Collection
Wave, the children had the opportunity to answer their own
questionnaires and contribute direct information about
their own sense of who they were, how they connected with
their world and what was important to them in terms of
their futures.
The report highlights that children regularly experience
change and fl ux in their own wellbeing status, as well as
instability in the environments around them. The patterns
of change over time are variable across population groups
and the timing of exposure, as well as duration, often
matters for shaping wellbeing in middle childhood.
The collection of information from the children and their
families continues to enable us to better understand
why we see diff erential wellbeing for children growing up
in diverse families, with diverse identities, cultures and
backgrounds. We can use this information to explore how
to better support all children and families in Aoteoroa New
Zealand and ensure that strategies are context relevant and
meet the needs of all children.