Palmerston North Children’s Profile October 2011 DMS #680827 This Palmerston North Children’s Profile is the latest in a series of sector profiles prepared by the Palmerston North City Council. Information here is drawn from a variety of government and non-government sources. The Palmerston North City Council thanks all those agencies who have contributed to this picture of children in the City. Particular thanks are due to Pat Ruiz, who undertook the preliminary research for this profile while working as an Intern with the Palmerston North City Council for the Migrant Internship Programme. For further information please contact Julie Macdonald, Policy Analyst, Palmerston North City Council (email: [email protected]). Published by: Palmerston North City Council Private Bag 11034 Palmerston North Phone: 06 356 8199 Fax: 06 355 4115 www.pncc.govt.nz 2 Table of Contents Executive Summary ..................................................................................................... 4 1. Introduction ........................................................................................................... 6 2. National Context ................................................................................................... 6 3. Demographic information ...................................................................................... 8 4. Social Wellbeing ................................................................................................. 13 5. Health ................................................................................................................. 15 6. Education ........................................................................................................... 21 7. Recreation and Leisure ....................................................................................... 27 8. Participation in Democracy ................................................................................. 29 9. Conclusion .......................................................................................................... 30 Appendix One: Maps ................................................................................................. 32 3 Executive Summary 1. The provisions made to educate and care for Palmerston North children are made within a local, national and international policy context. New Zealand is a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, which enshrines specific children’s rights in international law. 2. The New Zealand Government has passed a variety of legislation to determine the ways in which children are educated, protected, and otherwise provided for. This includes the Education Act 1989 and the Children, Young Persons and their Families Act 1989, as well as the responsibilities given to the District Health Boards to promote and improve children’s health. 3. At the 2006 Census there were 15,700 children aged 0-14 years living in Palmerston North. This figure is projected to grow to 16,400 by 2021, and then decline to 16,000 by 2031. 4. As a proportion of the Palmerston North population, in 2006 around 20% of the population was aged 0-14 years, compared with 21.5% in New Zealand overall. This is projected to reduce to 17% by 2031. 5. More Palmerston children identify as Maori (27%) than do members of the Palmerston North population overall (16%). 6. Kelvin Grove, Roslyn, Milson, Hokowhitu East, and Takaro all have over 1,000 children. 7. Ashhurst, Kelvin Grove, and Cloverlea have the highest percentages of children in their populations. 8. The suburbs with the lowest proportions of children are Massey University, Palmerston North Central, and Papaioea. Some of the suburbs with the largest numbers of children have low percentages of children (Takaro, Westbrook, Westend, and Hokowhitu East). 9. Statistics New Zealand projections suggest that the numbers of two parent families will continue to decrease, and the number of one parent families will increase. 10. There is a significant level of abuse and neglect experienced by Palmerston North children, as in the rest of the country. In 2010 there were 4,270 notifications of possible abuse made to Child, Youth and Family in the Manawatu region (for the 0-17 years age group). 11. At the 2006 Census 22.5% of Palmerston North children were living in low income households. 12. The immunisations rates for Palmerston North children at two years are slightly higher (92%) than for the country overall (89%). 13. In the MidCentral Health region, hospitalisations for medical conditions with a social gradient increased between 2004 and 2007, but declined slightly in 2008. Rates during 2000-2008 were lower than the New Zealand average.1 The illnesses 1 New Zealand Child and Youth Epidemiological Service. (2009). The determinants of health for children and young people in MidCentral. 4 associated with poor housing, poverty, poor nutrition and poor access to health care include respiratory diseases such as whooping cough, pneumonia, and bronchiolitis. 14. The rate of publicly funded hospitalisations of Palmerston North children aged 0-14 years is slightly lower than the total New Zealand rate. However, when the figures are broken down into smaller age groupings, the hospitalisation rate for children in the 10-14 years age group is higher in Palmerston North than in New Zealand overall. 15. At the 2006 Census more than a third of children live in households where there is one regular smoker. 16. The number of Early Childhood Education (ECE) services has increased over the past decade from 67 in 2000 to 88 in 2010. 17. There has been a corresponding increase in participation in ECE. Over 98% of Palmerston North children in year one of school had attended ECE, an even higher rate than the overall New Zealand figure of 94.8%. 18. Palmerston North has 29 contributing or full primary schools, five schools which provide education for intermediate age children, and seven high schools. A few schools provide education at more than one of these levels. 19. Palmerston North has a wide range of sports and recreation opportunities for children. There are 54 public playgrounds and several youth parks. 20. There are many other services and facilities for Palmerston North children including dedicated library services, Kids TM (at Te Manawa), after school and holiday programmes, and cultural opportunities. 21. There is no special policy provision for children’s views to be incorporated into public decision making in Palmerston North. However many of the facilities and services provided for children have been developed with their input. Children also have a variety of opportunities in schools to participate in decision-making about things that affect them. 5 1. Introduction The purpose of the Children’s Profile is to gather together information about children aged 0-14 years who live in Palmerston North, and to consider some of the important issues for them. Generally it does not cover issues which primarily emerge for young people (such as employment, justice, and higher education), but rather focuses on the key topics and indicators for pre-school, primary school, intermediate, and early high school age children. Fourteen is the age at which New Zealanders are defined as “young persons” under the Children, Young Person and their Families Act 1989. The Profile covers the projected changes to the children’s population over the next decades, as well as information about the health and wellbeing of Palmerston North children in comparison to New Zealand children overall. It also presents some information about education, housing and recreation for children in Palmerston North, and draws some conclusions about the extent to which children are able to participate in local decision-making that affects their lives. The Profile begins by placing this information within a broader national policy context, and mentioning the international commitments New Zealand has made with regard to children’s wellbeing. 2. National Context United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCROC) is a comprehensive human rights treaty that enshrines specific children's rights in international law. It was adopted by the UN in 1989 and defines universal principles and standards for the status and treatment of children worldwide. UNCROC is made up of 54 articles that set out a range of human rights standards for the treatment of children and young people. Four articles capture the general principles underpinning the Convention. These are: All children have the right to protection from discrimination on any grounds. The best interests of the child should be the primary consideration in all matters affecting the child. Children have the rights to life, survival and development. All children have the right to an opinion and for that opinion to be heard in all contexts. The Convention also states: Every child has the right to rest and leisure, to engage in play and recreational activities appropriate to the age of the child and to participate freely in cultural life and the arts. That member governments shall respect and promote the right of the child to participate fully in cultural and artistic life and shall encourage the provision of appropriate and equal opportunities for cultural, artistic, recreational and leisure activity. 6 UCROC was ratified by New Zealand in 1993 with three reservations. These are: Children whose parents do not have a legal right to be in the country are