Child Poverty in Aotearoa: Looking Back, Moving Forward
There is so much that exists behind child poverty statistics. The number, presented as a percentage, belies a multitude of stories. The digits represent too many anecdotes of tamariki going to school hungry and having their learning affected, of failure to thrive and chronic illnesses, of families more vulnerable to abuse, exploitation, and crime.
As a metric, levels of child poverty is a solid indicator of the state of the nation. And unfortunately, in Aotearoa the recent numbers are not painting a positive picture.
The state of child poverty since 2018
After the Child Poverty Reduction Act of 2018 was passed, the number of children living in households experiencing material hardship did begin a downward trend—until 2022, when the graph began to rise again. The latest numbers from Stats NZ demonstrate that this number has returned to 2018 levels: 13.3% then, and 13.4% now.
This tenth of a percentage point is a small number with a lot of human reality behind it. That’s around 9,000 more children living in poverty. Material hardship is measured by asking questions about items on the DEP-17 index. These include things that many New Zealanders take for granted:
Having regular meals that included meat, fish, or chicken.
Being able to afford decent shoes.
Being able to give gifts.
Being able to afford a car, utilities, and contents insurance.
Attending doctors and dentists visits when needed.
Using heating when it’s cold.
Rising levels of child poverty mean that more tamariki are going without these things and more.
Material hardship often manifests in visible, tangible ways: empty lunchboxes, cold homes, shoes worn thin or missing. But it also shows up in less obvious places, like a lack of access to the digital world. Digital exclusion is both a consequence and a compounding factor of poverty. When tamariki don’t have a device to do their homework or a reliable internet connection at home, they miss out on more than assignments. They miss out on connection, confidence, and the chance to explore future career pathways.
As education becomes increasingly tech-integrated, this digital gap quietly widens the opportunity gap. Without intervention, it reinforces cycles of disadvantage: those without access fall further behind, while those with means continue to surge ahead. Addressing child poverty in Aotearoa requires us to see digital equity not as a separate issue, but as part of the same systemic picture—a vital lever in building a future where all tamariki can thrive.
What’s the future for Aotearoa?
In the absence of action from the government, what can we do about child poverty? Where there are systemic gaps in getting food and resources to children that need them, it’s often charities, non-profits, and community organisations that step in and do what they can. Passionate and compassionate people are frequently left to pick up the pieces where the system does not address inequity.
If you’re interested in making systemic change, we’re excited for it! We need people who want to eliminate child poverty in local and central government. However, if you can contribute to providing a helping hand to disadvantaged tamariki, there are plenty of ways you can do it.
Digital Future Aotearoa is a future-focused organisation intent on equipping children across Aotearoa for a more prosperous future. Through our programmes such as Code Club, Recycle A Device, Ōtautahi Outreach, and Digital Pīkau, we are opening up doors to the fast-growing tech industry and attempting to even the playing field when it comes to innovation and opportunity. In the long run, initiatives like these (and other upskilling non-profits) will allow today’s tamariki to break generational poverty cycles.
We’re a single piece of the puzzle when it comes to combatting child poverty in the non-profit sector. There are many wonderful organisations out there doing important mahi like getting food into the bellies of tamariki nationwide, sourcing and distributing warm clothing, teaching budgeting, and more. New Zealanders wanting to get behind the kaupapa might have trouble knowing where to start—and Share My Super is a great resource for vetted, effective child-focused charities. Whether or not you can donate via the platform, they have done their research to determine some of the best channels through which you can direct your money based on evidence of impact, financial health, governance and operational capabilities.
Returning to pre-Child Poverty Act levels of child poverty is a cause for concern. However, all New Zealanders can be part of the solution. If you’re able to help, whether through DFA or any of the other incredible charities making a difference in Aotearoa, we encourage you to get on the waka with us.
