Children
Early childhood centres fear closures as Omicron spreads
Groups representing early learning service owners and managers say there is already a teacher shortage and many services will not be able to find enough relievers to stay open if staff caught…
Kids and covid: minimising risk and maximising resilience
Neuroplasticity educator and parenting expert, Nathan Wallis discusses children and Covid. What is the impact on children of having to wear face masks at school? And what are the common features we… Audio
Children's Commissioner says occupation bound to have impact on kids
Children's Commissioner Judge Frances Eivers says the anti-mandate protest on Parliament grounds is no place for children who could be harmed in escalating tension. Audio
OT apologises for incorrect information on $4m sexual violence programme underspend
Oranga Tamariki has apologised for providing inaccurate information to RNZ about its sexual violence programmes for children.
Roycom hearing into St John of God abuse at Marylands School opens
The treatment of boys with learning disabilities by a Catholic religious order over a nearly 30-year period comes under the spotlight of the Abuse in Care inquiry starting today.
Some playcentres enforce mask rules despite no mandate
Some parents are worried mask rules for playcentres are unsafe and they are wearing them even though they do not have to.
Children's Commissioner role under threat
Alarm bells are ringing over new legislation that could strip the power of the independent Children's Commissioner. Audio
Covid-19: Teens say half their friends infected
Teenagers who attended the Soundsplash Festival near Hamilton at the weekend say half their friends now have Covid-19.
Some say they have been told they have omicron and there are fears the event… Audio
Covid-19: Teens say friends picked up virus after festival
A number of teenagers who attended the Soundsplash Festival near Hamilton at the weekend say half their friends now have Covid-19.
Some say they have been told they have omicron and there are fears… Audio
Drug Foundation worried about drug use on social media
The Drug Foundation wants adults to have open and honest conversations with young people about portrayals of drug use on social media.
Australian researchers looked at TikTok where a third of the… Audio
School uniforms 'increasingly unaffordable for most families' - charity
Variety - the Children's Charity says it has seen a 50 percent increase in the number of claims for school uniforms from 2020 to 2021. Audio
Benefit increases going to more than half of families with children - report
Families Package benefits go to more than half of families with children, but housing costs and Covid-19 income disruption have eroded some of the gains, a government report shows.
Anti-poverty group says families package still falling short
The government's touting the success of a families package scheme, saying it helped more than half of all families with children in its first year.
Introduced in 2018, the Families Package boosted… Audio
School expects up to half of staff could be in isolation at Omicron's peak
One primary school principal in Māngere East says since the announcement of Omicron's arrival in the community, she has been thinking about how to handle predicted staff shortages. Audio
Omicron outbreak: schools prepare for red light life
Thousands of students will be returning to school from next week.
But with the entire country now under the red traffic light setting; staff, teachers, and students from year four and up must wear… Audio
'Children are going to keep dying': Advocacy group warns of little action on abuse
There has been no progress in dealing with New Zealand's high rate of child abuse despite strategy talks in recent years, according to an independent child abuse advocacy and training provider.
Educating fathers key to improving children's immunisation rates - research
Ensuring fathers get information about the importance of vaccinations could be key to boosting childhood immunisation rates, according to new research.
Auckland playgrounds inaccessible to kids with disabilities
Auckland Council figures show just 14 percent of the region's public playgrounds are considered accessible for children with disabilities.
But those levels of accessibility vary - some may have a… Audio
OT: Expert warns against stripping Children's Commissioner role
An advocacy group is urging the Government to slow down on progressing new Oranga Tamariki legislation - calling it a rushed patch job.
The bill - which would introduce an independent monitor -… Audio
Advocacy group urges Government to slow down on new OT laws
An advocacy group is urging the Government to slow down on progressing new Oranga Tamariki legislation - calling it a rushed patch job.
The bill - which would introduce an independent monitor -… Audio