Palmerston North Children's Profile

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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 not entitled to education, health and welfare benefits. There is no minimum age or agreed conditions of employing children. Children held in custody can be held with adult prisoners in some circumstances. The New Zealand Government reports to the UN every five years.2 At the same time, a non-governmental organisation report is also presented, providing an alternative viewpoint about New Zealand’s progress towards meeting the objectives of the Convention.3

New Zealand legislation and government roles The rights and needs of New Zealand children are provided for by a wide range of legislation, including that which provides for the population more broadly (e.g. Human Rights Act 1993; Health and Disability Commissioner Act 1994). A defining piece of legislation is the Children, Young Persons and their Families Act 1989, which provides the legal framework for the care and protection for children and young people aged 0-18 years. The Care of Children Act 2004 updated New Zealand’s custody and guardianship laws and provides the statutory basis for the representation of children’s views in Family Court proceedings. The Education Act 1989 establishes the right of all New Zealanders between five and 19 years to free primary and secondary education. A variety of government agencies have direct responsibilities for providing services for children. These include the Ministry of Health (and the District Health Boards), the Ministry of Education and the Education Review Office, the Housing New Zealand Corporation, the Ministry of Social Development (including Work and Income and Child Youth and Family), and the Office for Disability Issues. There are also two specific organisations which have primary responsibilities for issues affecting children. The Office of the Commissioner for Children operates under the Children Commissioner’s Act 2003, which acts to promote the rights, health, welfare and well-being of children and young people. The Families Commission is an autonomous Crown agency governed by a board of commissioners. Advocating on behalf of children is part of its role in working on issues of concern to families. The Agenda for Children is a government strategy aimed at improving the lives of children. The Agenda was launched in June 2002 and outlines: the Agenda for Children vision a set of principles to guide government policies and services affecting children a new "whole child" approach to child policy and service development a programme of government policy and research initiatives to help achieve the vision.

2 http://www.myd.govt.nz/documents/working-with-young-people/uncroc/uncroc-in-nz-3rd-and-4th-periodic-report-full- doc.pdf

3 Action for Children and Youth Aotearoa Incorporated. (June 2010). Children and youth in Aotearoa. New Zealand Non- governmental organisations alternative periodic report to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child.

3. Demographic information Palmerston North is New Zealand’s seventh largest city and has a population of over 82,000 (up from 78,500 in 2006). At the 2006 Census, the 0-14 years age group made up around 20% of the local population (15,700 children). This is slightly below the overall New Zealand figure of 21.5%.

Source: Statistics New Zealand

Statistics New Zealand medium growth projections show that the 0-14 years age group will grow slightly in the next decade and then fall again. The growth of the older age groups (60+ years) means that children will continue to decline as a proportion of the Palmerston North population (from 20% in 2006 to 17% in 2031). These projections are illustrated in Figure 2.

Source: Statistics New Zealand

Ethnicity At the 2006 Census the ethnic make-up of the 0-14 years age group was significantly different to that of the Palmerston North population overall. While 80% of this age group were in the European or Other group (a similar percentage to the population overall), there was a much higher percentage of Maori children, and a somewhat higher percentage of Pacific children, than in the overall population (see Table 1). Note that the ethnic categories are not mutually exclusive because people can, and do, nominate more than one ethnic group that they belong to, and have therefore been included in figures for each group they identify with.

Table 1: Population ethnicity structure of Palmerston North (percentages) 2006

European or Total Maori Asian Pacific Other population

Total population 64,500 (82%) 12,400 (16%) 6,100 (8%) 3,000 (4%) 78,500

0-14 years 12,600 (80%) 4,300 (27%) 1,100 (7%) 1,100 (7%) 15,700 Source: Statistics New Zealand

Over the next twenty years Statistics New Zealand projects that the percentage of the 0- 14 years age group who will identify as Maori, Asian, or Pacific will increase, and that the European and Other group will decrease slightly (see Figure 3). Given that the total population will increase during this time, the actual numbers of people in all four ethnic categories will increase.

Source: Statistics New Zealand

Suburban profile There are some suburbs in Palmerston North which have much higher numbers of children aged 0-14 years than others. Kelvin Grove, Roslyn, Milson, Hokowhitu East, and Takaro all have over 1,000 children, although the total population of these suburbs varies considerably.

Source: Statistics New Zealand

When we consider the percentage of children in the population of each suburb, the picture changes. Ashhurst, Kelvin Grove, and Cloverlea have the highest percentages of children in their populations. Conversely, West End, and Hokowhitu West, which both have over 600 children, have relatively low proportions of children overall.

Source: Statistics New Zealand

Family type Of the 27,510 households in Palmerston North around 70% are family households. The majority of Palmerston North people live in one family households. Of all the family households, only some contain dependent children.4 Figure 6 shows the main types of family household.

4 Dependent children in these figures are those aged 18 years and under who are not in full-time employment.

Source: Statistics New Zealand

Statistics New Zealand has provided projections for the growth of the City over the next twenty years. These show that families with children will change in nature, with the number of two parent families decreasing slightly, and the number of one parent families growing (see figure 7).

Source: Statistics New Zealand

4. Social Wellbeing There are many factors which influence the health and wellbeing of Palmerston North children. These include their family circumstances and the ability of their family to cope financially, and their experiences in the community and at school. There is increasing awareness of issues which can be of concern for children, such as bullying, drug misuse, and internet safety. There are a variety of initiatives to address these issues.5 This section will focus on income, care and protection, and issues for children with disabilities in Palmerston North.

Income The Ministry of Social Development (MSD) reports on a standardised household measure of ‘low income’. This measure reflects household income after the deduction of tax and housing costs, and after adjusting for household size and composition. Nationally, children are more likely to be in low income households than are other age groups, reflecting the higher housing costs for households with children.6 7 Since the benefit changes in 1991, around 70 - 80% of New Zealand children in families whose incomes are primarily from benefits have been identified as ‘poor’. The Working for Families income assistance package had little impact on poverty rates for children in beneficiary families but halved the child poverty rates for families where an adult was in employment (21% in 2004 to 11% in 2007, and close to the same since then). In 2010, around two in five poor children were from households where at least one adult was in full-time employment or was self-employed, down from around one in two before Working for Families was introduced (in 2004). At the 2006 Census, 11,388 (or 19.1%) of Palmerston North people were on low incomes. This is slightly higher than the national rate of 18.1% for New Zealand overall in that same year. Rates remain higher than they were in the 1980s because of the increase in the cost of housing (as a proportion of household income).8 It should be noted that these figures do not reflect more recent changes to the national economy, which include a rise in unemployment. At the 2006 Census, 2,856 Palmerston North children (22.5%) were living in low income households. The number of children living in low income households is important because low incomes are associated with lower educational attainment and poorer health.9

5 A variety of agencies are involved in initiatives to promote the health and wellbeing of children and young people. Nationally, these include (but is obviously not limited to) the Youth Law Project, DARE, Kidsline, Youthline, Netsafe, and Plunket.

6 Ministry of Social Development. (2011). Household incomes in New Zealand: Trends in indicators of inequality and hardship 1982 to 2010.

7 The Ministry of Social Development defines ‘low income households’ as those with a real gross income which is less than 60% of the median household equivalised national income benchmarked at 2001.

8 Ministry of Social Development. (2010). The Social Report 2010.

9 St John, S. & Wynd, D. (Eds.). (2010). Left behind: How social and income inequalities damage New Zealand children.

Source: Ministry of Social Development

Care and Protection New Zealand is generally acknowledged to have a serious child abuse problem. In 2010 Child, Youth and Family received over 125,000 reports from people concerned enough about a child’s safety to notify authorities. In over 21,000 of these cases, child abuse or neglect was confirmed.10 In the Manawatu region in 2010, 4,270 care and protection notifications were received by Child, Youth and Family. It should be noted that all the Child, Youth and Family figures are for children and young people aged 0-17 years. The Manawatu office of Child, Youth and Family says that working with members of the community and with key stakeholders creates the greatest gains for the most at-risk children. There are a number of non-governmental organisations and iwi social service providers who work closely with Child, Youth and Family in Palmerston North to support families and communities to find solutions to keep children safe. Child, Youth and Family notes that it is important for communities to be involved in looking out for children and making sure that they know where to go to for help.11

Children with Disabilities The 2006 Census (Disability Survey) provides a range of information about children with disabilities. General conclusions can be drawn about Palmerston North from the national data. Adults are more likely to have disabilities than children, and in 2006 14% of people with disabilities were children aged 0-14 years. Of the 0-14 years age group in Palmerston North, around 1,570 (or 10%) of children have disabilities, and the most common of these is special education needs (785 or 5%). The next most common disability types for children were chronic conditions or health problems and psychiatric or psychological disabilities.12

10 Child, Youth and Family Service. (2011). Why you should care. 11 Child, Youth and Family Service. (September 2011). Personal communication.

12 Statistics New Zealand. (2007). 2006 Disability survey.

There are several organisations involved in the care and education of Palmerston North children with disabilities. There are also a number of agencies providing specialised recreational facilities and opportunities for children with disabilities in the City. This support occurs within a wider context of national policy and service provision, including education, health, and disability support.13 Some of the current issues for children with disabilities include the availability of appropriate after school care and respite care for carers of children with significant disabilities.14

5. Health This section considers the general picture of children’s health in Palmerston North, and provides some information about some specific indicators. This information is limited to areas where there is reliable data collection, and where possible, provides this information at the City level. The New Zealand Health Strategy (2000) provides the framework within which the District Health Boards (DHBs) and other organisations in the health sector operate. It establishes a series of goals and objectives against which progress can be measured. Several of these objectives are relevant to the achievement of health outcomes for children, including: Ensure adequate support for parents and young families Reduce the incidence and impact of violence in interpersonal relationships, families, schools and communities Reduce the incidence and impact of injuries … in children and youth Ensure access to appropriate child care services including well child and family health care and immunisation MidCentral Health has produced two reports in recent years which provide information about the health status of children in Palmerston North (as part of the wider DHB area) and the determinants of their health status.15 16 These provide detailed information about the causes of illness, injury and death for children in the district, as well as an overview of the various initiatives and measures which promote the health of children.

Infant and Child Mortality Infant mortality is considered to be a useful general indicator of child health, and more generally of national wellbeing. New Zealand’s infant mortality rates have declined during the past 40 years, with rates falling from 18.2 per 1,000 in 1968, to 5.3 per 1,000 in March 2008. In New Zealand during 2001-2005, the most frequent causes of neonatal mortality were congenital anomalies and extreme prematurity, which together accounted for 49.9% of neonatal deaths.

13 The Government established an Office for Disability Issues in 2002 to monitor and promote implementation of the New Zealand disability strategy, lead strategic disability policy work, and provide advice to other agencies. The New Zealand Government is a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. 14 Palmerston North Disabled Persons’ Assembly. August 2011. Personal communication. 15 New Zealand Child and Youth Epidemiology Service (2008). The health status of children and young people in MidCentral DHB.

16 New Zealand Child and Youth Epidemiological Service. (2009). The determinants of health for children and young people in MidCentral.

In the MidCentral region during this period, neonatal and postnatal mortality rates also declined overall, and were generally similar to, or lower than, the New Zealand averages. During 2001-2005, congenital anomalies were the leading cause of neonatal mortality, while SUDI (Sudden Unexpected Death of an Infant) was the leading cause of post-neonatal mortality, followed by congenital anomalies.

Housing There are clear links between overcrowded conditions and substandard housing and childhood illness, particularly for respiratory illnesses and infectious diseases. Overcrowded conditions also impact on children’s social wellbeing and ability to learn at school.17 18 The Palmerston North Housing Needs Assessment (2011) found that housing affordability is a significant issue for Palmerston North (and for New Zealand overall). The rate of housing ownership is declining, and so the availability of high quality rental accommodation is becoming even more important. Research suggests that rental housing may be maintained more poorly than that which is owner-occupied.19 This has implications for the health of Palmerston North people, and particularly for people on low incomes whose choices may be limited to lower quality housing. At the 2006 Census 10% of New Zealanders lived in crowded households. Children and young people were found to be more likely to live in crowded conditions than older people. Pacific people were far more likely to be living in crowded conditions than were members of other ethnic groups. The number of people living in crowded conditions in Palmerston North in 2006 was lower than the national percentage, although the ethnic make-up of the figures roughly mirrored that of the country overall. At the time of the 2006 Census, Palmerston North had around 4,542 people living in crowded conditions. Most of these people were European New Zealanders, however Pacific people had the highest percentage of crowding. Overall, around a third of the people living in crowded conditions were children.

17 St John, S. & Wynd, D. (Eds.). (2010). Left behind: How social and income inequalities damage New Zealand children. 18 The availability of adequate housing space is an important indicator of household and community health. The Ministry of Social Development defines household crowding as homes requiring one or more additional bedrooms. It should be noted that this measurement does not provide any information about other aspects of a living situation. Furthermore, it does not reflect the perceptions people may have about their own circumstances, or necessarily lead to negative social outcomes. 19 BRANZ. (2011). Study Report No. 240. Preliminary BRANZ New Zealand 2010 Housing Condition Survey Report. 16

Source: Ministry of Social Development20

Immunisation New Zealand has a comprehensive schedule of immunisations which are considered necessary to protect people against harmful infections. Diseases on the immunisation schedule in New Zealand can cause serious complications, and death. Immunisation is one of the most effective, and cost-effective medical interventions to prevent disease.21 The National Immunisation Register (NIR) is a computerised information system that has been developed to hold the immunisation details of New Zealand children. The purpose of the NIR is to assist New Zealand to improve its immunisation rates, and provides an accurate source of data. In 2011 recommendations about how to improve New Zealand’s completion rates of childhood immunisation were made by the Health Committee of Inquiry. The Ministry of Health’s current focus is to achieve the Immunisation Health Target of 95% of two-year- old children fully immunised by 30 June 2012. Once this is achieved, the Ministry will focus on improving immunisation coverage rates in other age groups. In Palmerston North, the current rate of immunisations at two years is 92%, compared with 89% nationally.

20 Note that the age groupings reporting here by the Ministry of Social Development are not of equal size. 21 Ministry of Health. (2011). 17

Source: Ministy of Health

Hospital admissions with a social gradient MidCentral Health reports that many child health outcomes reflect a social gradient, with “hospital admissions and mortality from socioeconomically sensitive conditions being several times higher for Maori and Pacific children, and those living in the most deprived areas".22 The illnesses associated with poor housing, poverty, poor nutrition, and poor access to health care include respiratory diseases such as whooping cough, pneumonia, and bronchiolitis. In the MidCentral district, 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.23 The MidCentral Health Report also notes potential solutions, such as improved insulation, for the large proportion of Palmerston North homes which remain poorly insulated and colder than is recommended for healthy outcomes.24

Hospitalisations 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 (see Figure 11). Some of this appears to be due to higher rates of hospitalisations due to both respiratory disease and injury/ poisoning/ other external causes.

22 New Zealand Child and Youth Epidemiological Service. (2009). The determinants of health for children and young people in MidCentral.

23 New Zealand Child and Youth Epidemiological Service. (2009). The determinants of health for children and young people in MidCentral.

24 Palmerston North City Council. (2011). Palmerston North housing needs assessment.

Source: Ministry of Health

Figure 11 also shows that the hospital discharge rates for the 0-5 years age group overall (in Palmerston North and New Zealand) are much higher than for children in the older age groups.

Exposure to second-hand smoke in the home Exposure to second-hand smoke is associated with negative health outcomes such as chest infections, asthma and respiratory problems, meningococcal disease, and the need for operations for glue ear. Even in households where smokers try to limit the exposure of children to second-hand smoke by smoking outside, the levels of exposure are still higher than for those from non-smoking households.25 Data from the 2006 Census indicates that of the households where there is at least one child aged 0-14 years, 35.7% contain at least one regular smoker. Maori children are the most likely to live with a smoker, followed by Pacific, European and Asian children. Nationally, the figures range from 22% for Wellington City to 61.7% for Kawerau District. In Palmerston North, there is at least one smoker living in 34.4% of households with children, a considerably lower number than in the wider Manawatu District (41.3%).26

Nutrition The National Children’s Nutrition Survey, called NZ Food NZ Children, was carried out in 2002. Although this study does not provide specific local data, the findings provided are generally applicable to Palmerston North.27 The data relates to children aged 5-14 years. The study found that younger children had better food and nutrient intakes than older children and were less likely to be overweight or obese. During the school day, younger

25 Woodward, A. & Fraser, T. (1997). Passive smoking in New Zealand: Health risks and control measures. 26 There have been significant campaigns publicising the effects of smoking on children in the past five years, and 2013 Census data may show changes to the measurement of this indicator. 27 Parnell, .W, Scragg, R., Wilson, N., Schaaf, D., & Fitzgerald, E. (2002). NZ food NZ children. Key results of the National children’s nutrition survey. 19 children were more likely to eat food at home before school, and also more likely to bring most of the food they consumed at school from home. The survey considered the ethnicity of survey respondents and found that New Zealand European and Other (NZEO) children had the lowest levels of prevalence of inadequate nutritional intake in comparison with Maori and Pacific children. Around 20% of New Zealand children were found to be overweight and around 10% were considered obese. Pacific children were the most likely to be overweight or obese, followed by Maori and NZEO children. This finding is therefore a significant public health concern. The study considered the food security of children, which is defined as having access to sufficient acceptable and safe food for an active and healthy life. Households with NZEO children were the most food secure, followed by households with Maori and then Pacific children. Overall, about 78% of households said they could always afford to eat properly, but 20% responded that they could only sometimes afford to do so.

Health promotion initiatives All schools have access to a public health nurse who is able to assess children and refer them to appropriate health professionals and other community agencies. This advice is also available to Early Childhood Education services. Palmerston North children are targeted in a variety of public health initiatives. These include: B4 School Checks - The B4 School Check is a nationwide programme offering a free health and development check for four year olds. The B4 School Check aims to identify and address any health, behavioural, social, or developmental concerns which could affect a child's ability to get the most benefit from school, such as a hearing problem or communication difficulty. Plunket is the lead agency for this programme in Palmerston North. Health Promoting Schools – this international initiative recognises the importance of schools in promoting health, and is promoted in the Manawatu by MidCentral Health. Schools who become involved have the opportunity to identify the initiatives of most importance to them. These may include nutrition, road safety, physical activity, recycling, gardening, peer support, and mentoring. Currently there are three schools in Palmerston North who have become part of the Health Promoting Schools initiative. Public Health (part of MidCentral Health) work with Early Childhood Education services to reduce the spread of illness where outbreaks occur. There are a range of other initiatives broadly promoting the health and wellbeing of children, including those run by the New Zealand Police and a variety of community organisations. Some of these initiatives have been developed locally in response to needs identified in Palmerston North. One such initiative is Plant to Plate, a community organisation working with schools to encourage sustainability and the growing and cooking of seasonal food.

6. Education

Pre-school education Research shows that children, their families, and the wider community all benefit from children’s participation in quality early childhood education (ECE). The New Zealand Childcare Association states that “quality early education means qualified teachers, good teacher-child ratios and small group sizes.”28 There are two types of early childhood education; parent-led services (such as Playcentre and Kohanga Reo) and teacher-led services (such as Kindergarten, and Education and Care Services). There is a national curriculum framework for the ECE sector called Te Whariki, which sets out ‘learning strands’ to support children to build strong learning foundations. This curriculum framework clearly identifies ECE as the first part of the education system. There are a variety of types of early childhood education offered in Palmerston North. Roughly half (53%) are community based and half (47%) are private services. Figure 12 shows the number and types of ECE services in Palmerston North.29

Source: Ministry of Education

Map 1 in Appendix One shows the location of the various types of ECE service in Palmerston North. The number of ECE services in Palmerston North has increased considerably from 67 in 2000 to 88 in 2010 (see Table 2).

28 New Zealand Childcare Association. (2011). http://www.nzca.ac.nz/news/advocacy

29 It should be noted that where an organisation divides its service into separate ‘centres’ (for example a section for over two year olds and one for under two year olds) then these are licenced separately and listed here as two services.

Table 2: Number and type of ECE services in Palmerston North 2000 - 2010 Type of service 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 Casual Education & Care 2 1 1 - - - Kindergarten 15 15 15 15 15 15 Playcentre 5 5 4 4 4 4 Education and Care service 31 37 41 46 50 54 Home-based service 5 3 3 3 4 8 Te Kohanga Reo 9 9 9 8 8 7 Total 67 70 73 76 81 88

Figure 13 shows the distribution of enrolments across the range of services for all age groups enrolled in ECE. The majority of ECE enrolments in Palmerston North in 2010 were in Education and Care services. The Ministry of Education notes that, nationally, the largest increase in enrolments in ECE in the past few years has been for children under one year of age (this has increased to 5.6% of enrolments).

Source: Ministry of Education

Over the last decade there have been considerable changes in the types of services most children have been enrolled in, with a significant decrease in the percentage of ECE enrolments in Kindergarten, and an increase in both Education and Care services and Home-based services (see figure 14). Given that the average hours of ECE have increased per child, it seems likely that families are choosing ECE options that are more able to cater for longer and more flexible hours.

Source: Ministry of Education

The Ministry of Education reports that children enrolled in low decile schools30 (those that draw their students from communities with the highest degree of socio-economic disadvantage) are much less likely to have attended an early childhood education service than are children in high decile schools. However, nationally, ECE participation rates are high in the context of other OECD countries.31 Nationally, New Zealand European children are the most likely to attend an ECE service, although in the 2000s the rates of participation increased at a greater than average rate for both Maori and Pacific children. The local participation rates in ECE are very high (see Figure 15), although it should be noted that neither the national nor local figures indicate the extent of engagement with ECE (that is, a child who was only enrolled in ECE for one hour per week would be recorded as having participated just as would a child who received 20 hours of ECE). On average, Palmerston North children enrolled in licensed early childhood education services attended for 20.1 hours per week, up from 16.9 hours in 2006.

30 Schools are assigned a socio-economic score based on five census derived socio-economic factors. Schools are then ranked in order of this score and divided into ten even groups called deciles. The ten percent of schools with the lowest scores are considered decile 1 schools, the next 10 percent of schools are considered decile 2 schools, etc. Decile 1 schools have the highest proportion of low SES students, decile 10 schools have the least (Note: this does not mean students from decile 10 schools are ‘rich’). A school’s decile does not indicate the overall socio-economic mix of the school. Ministry of Education (2011). http://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/data-services/glossary#socioecodecile 31 Ministry of Education. (2010). What our early childhood education indicators are telling us. http://www.minedu.govt.nz/theMinistry/PublicationsAndResources/AnnualReport

Source: Ministry of Education

In July 2007 the Government launched the 20 Hours ECE scheme, where three and four year-old children in participating Kohanga Reo and teacher-led ECE services (Kindergartens, centre-based and home-based services) can receive up to 20 hours free early childhood education per week. The large majority of services eligible to offer the scheme do so. Prior to the 2010 budget there was a sector target for 100% trained teachers in every ECE service (by 2012). In 2010 the Government removed that target, and also removed the funding incentive for centres to achieve either the 80%+ or 100% trained-teacher targets. According to ECE sector organisations, the likely impacts of the changes are a reduction in the quality of education services, and decreased access to ECE due to fee increases and other changes to services provided.32 The report of the ECE Taskforce, An Agenda for Amazing Children, was released in June 2011. The recommendations include the Government’s investment in ECE, quality of services, prioritising children with low rates of participation, improving accountability, and building a research base. The Government has stated it is concerned “about the variability across services, the lack of accountability, poor access for many children, and the need for a more targeted funding system” and notes that the Taskforce has addressed these issues.33.

32 New Zealand Educational Institute. (2011). http://www.nzei.org.nz/Early+Childhood+Education/ECE+Campaign.html 33 http://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/minister-welcomes-release-ece-taskforce-report 24

Primary, intermediate and secondary education New Zealand schools are governed by Boards of Trustees elected by the school community. All English-medium state schools (including integrated schools) must follow the New Zealand Curriculum. Its vision is that young people will be confident, connected, actively involved, lifelong learners, and it sets out values, key competencies and learning areas. Teaching in Maori-medium settings must adhere to Te Marautanga o Aotearoa (the New Zealand Curriculum’s partner document). This curriculum statement sets out the goal of developing successful, competent, and confident learners, who are effective communicators in the Maori world, healthy of mind, body and soul and secure in their identity, and sense of belonging. It aims for them to have the skills and knowledge to participate in and contribute to Maori society and the wider world.34 The Education Review Office regularly reviews the performance of schools and provides comprehensive reports which are available to parents and the wider community. 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, such as Carncot School and St Peter’s College, provide education at more than one of these levels. Map 2 in Appendix One shows the type and location of Palmerston North schools. The Ministry of Education records the ethnicity of the elected Boards of Trustee members and Figure 16 shows the change that has occurred in the last decade. Although the increasing number of ‘other/unknown’ responses recorded in this graph clouds the picture somewhat, it does appear that there has been a steady increase in Maori participation in school governance (to one more proportionate to the Palmerston North population more generally). Members of the Asian and Pacific communities however, which were 4% and 8% of the Palmerston North population respectively at the 2006 Census, are significantly under-represented.

34 Ministry of Education. (2011). http://www.minedu.govt.nz/Parents/YourChild/WhatTheyLearn.aspx

Source: Ministry of Education

From 2010, schools with children in Years 1-8 are implementing National Standards in reading, writing and mathematics. Schools are now required to report to parents, families and whanau in writing at least twice a year on their child's progress and achievement in these areas, in relation to the National Standards.35 The New Zealand Educational Institute Te Riu Roa (NZEI), New Zealand's largest education union, and the New Zealand Principal’s Federation have both voiced concerns about the National Standards policy, and continue to oppose their implementation.36 37

Out of school care There are a variety of out of school care programmes and services run in conjunction with schools, by private providers, and by community and public organisations. National research undertaken by the Families’ Commission provides a general picture of the level of use of these services in Palmerston North. 38 The research found that 9% of children aged 5-13 years attended formal out of school services during the term, and that four out of five of these children attended after school care. Thirty eight percent of the children

35 http://www.minedu.govt.nz/Parents/YourChild/ProgressAndAchievement/NationalStandards.aspx The purpose of the National Standards is to “lift achievement in literacy and numeracy (reading, writing, and mathematics) by being clear about what students should achieve and by when.” 36 http://www.nzpf.ac.nz/national-standards 37 http://www.nzei.org.nz/National+Standards.html 38 Families Commission. (May 2011). Caring for kids: Parents views on out-of-school services and care. 26 attending out of school care did so for three hours or less per week. During the term 40% of children received some informal out of school care from someone other than their parent or guardian. This care was usually provided by grandparents or other family members. The research also found that in the school holidays 9% of children aged 5-13 years attended formal holiday programmes, and 37% of children had informal out of school care arrangements involving someone other than the parent or guardian they lived with. Again, this care was usually provided by grandparents or other family members. The Families Commission research found that formal out of school care is a crucial resource for a small group of parents who have few other realistic options. Parents take into account quality and convenience when considering out of school care options, and the research concluded that demand would increase if services were better targeted towards low income families and were perceived as more affordable and accessible.

7. Recreation and Leisure Palmerston North children have access to a wide range of sport and recreation opportunities. Some of these are through organised sport and recreation provided by clubs and schools, and others are more informal opportunities provided by access to parks, playgrounds, and other facilities. This section will discuss some of the key areas of activity and service provision.

Participation in organised sport and recreation At present there is little information available about the level of participation of New Zealand children in sport and recreation. To help address this, Sport and Recreation New Zealand (SPARC) is undertaking a national survey to help monitor its target of “80% of school-aged children participating in organised sport and recreation for at least three hours a week - delivered through schools, after-school programmes, clubs and organised activities”.39 Schools from throughout New Zealand have been invited to participate in this survey and the results are expected to be released in 2012. In Palmerston North, one of the roles of Sport Manawatu is to promote active lifestyles for children by working with schools, and early childhood centres. Sport Manawatu has a Primary Schools Sports Adviser and runs a variety of programmes to promote children becoming more active. In addition, Palmerston North has a large number of organised sport and recreation opportunities, with football (over 1,800 children), rugby (around 1,500 children), and netball (around 1,600 children) the largest codes in the City. Children participate in a wide variety of formal and informal opportunities, including gymnastics, swimming, athletics, drama, dance, cricket, and music.

Provision of Palmerston North facilities Palmerston North has a variety of facilities which promote children’s opportunities for recreation:

The Palmerston North City Council owns two swimming pools, the Lido and Freyberg Pool. The latter was developed in partnership with Freyberg High School. There are four other privately owned pools in Palmerston North. There

39 http://www.sparc.org.nz/en-nz/young-people/SPARC-Young-Peoples-Survey-2011/ 27

are a range of leisure swimming opportunities available at these venues, as well as formal swimming lessons for children. There are 116.7 hectares40 of parks and reserve land in Palmerston North, including four city reserves. There are also numerous neighbourhood reserves around the City. Many of these reserves have playgrounds (see below). There are a variety of nature-based recreation opportunities enabled by significant areas of walkway and nature reserves (such as the Victoria Esplanade, river access areas, Turitea Stream including Bledisloe Park, and Arapuke Forest Park (formerly known as the Woodpecker Forest)). Palmerston North has 79 playing fields, 10 dedicated training fields, 35 netball courts, 11 indoor courts at Arena, and 38 tennis courts. The provision of sport field space relative to other similar sized cities is very high.41

Playgrounds Palmerston North has 54 playgrounds, which vary in size and purpose. The Council’s Recreation Strategy identifies that there is reasonably comprehensive coverage of the City in terms of playground provision (for younger children). The majority of the City’s households are within 500 metres’ walk of a children’s playground, and this level of access is an agreed target for future city development. Map 3 in Appendix One shows the locations of the playgrounds and parks in Palmerston North. The Council’s provision of playground opportunities focuses on the different interests and developmental needs of the younger and older age groups. Younger children tend to use play equipment and older children (11-14 years) are more interested in activities involving bikes, skateboards, basketball hoops, and climbing. The aim for the provision and location of youth playgrounds is for most households to be within a one kilometre walk. Some youth playgrounds have been developed already, and a further three are planned. These are in Kelvin Grove, Aokautere and the Victoria Esplanade. It should also be noted that there are a variety of other playgrounds and opportunities for recreation and learning activities which cater for children. These include playgrounds in shops, privately run businesses offering play experiences, and the younger children’s area in Te Manawa (Kids TM). Many schools also have playgrounds which are accessible to the public during the weekend and after school.

Library Services Palmerston North has a Central Library in the square, one Mobile Library and four branch libraries; Ashhurst, Awapuni, Roslyn, and Te Patikitiki (in Highbury). The average number of visits to the City Library by Palmerston North people each year is 11, which compares favourably with the national average of seven.42 The City Library provides several programmes and services specifically for children. These include:

40 This excludes non-publicly available reserves and sports fields and outdoor courts. 41 Palmerston North City Council Recreation Strategy. Volume 2. (2009). 42 LIANZA (2010). Public Library Statistics 2009/2010. 28

Dedicated children’s library section and library staff Library Bus visits to schools and other community venues Weekly Baby Bop song, movement and story sessions for children aged 0-2 years Jumping Jellybeans (twice a week) stories, music and craft sessions for pre- schoolers Stories at 6 for children five years and older (held monthly during the winter months) Customised Children’s Get Well Bags Free Holiday programmes. Of the 338 events put on by the City Library in the 2010/11 year, around 250 of them were specifically for children. The children’s events had over 18,000 attendees, with an average of 72 children at each event.

8. Participation in Democracy In 2009 the Office of the Children’s Commissioner and UNICEF published research which considered ways to undertake child impact assessments at a local government level.43 The purpose of such assessments is to ascertain how children will be affected by various policy and planning decisions. This document notes that children are often largely excluded from public decision-making processes. It also notes that there are some factors which may contribute to successful child impact assessments. These include: Identify issues for local government to consider when assessing the impact of a policy, decision or activity on children and people aged 18 and under Suggest effective ways for councils to determine their impacts on children and young people and to maximise positive effects Increase the understanding of issues that arise in implementing child impact assessment in councils There have been various initiatives around New Zealand where the views of children have been taken into account in planning and development of facilities and programmes. Palmerston North City Council has no special provision to include children in decision making, although there have been times when specific consultation has been undertaken to ascertain children’s views about things which directly affect them. For example, when new reserves are developed, children and their parents are involved in the consultation process. The outcomes of this consultation helps shape the type of reserve developed (for example, the mix of play equipment and landscaped areas). Similarly, youth park developments involve local schools during the design phase. Similarly, in planning the children’s library services, library staff constantly monitor feedback from children and parents. The library also has a ‘suggestion for purchase’

43 Mason, N. & Hanna, K. (2009). Undertaking Child Impact Assessments in Aotearoa New Zealand Local Authorities: Evidence, practice, ideas. Office of the Children’s Commissioner.

29 feedback system, and receives a large number of emails and personal approaches to discuss various aspects of the children’s library service. Palmerston North schools have had some limited involvement in the national Kids Voting project run by the Electoral Commission. Kids Voting gives year nine school students the opportunity to participate in an authentic voting experience by using a real ballot paper and having the ability to consider the election results. This year students will be able to take part in the 2011 general election and referendum on the voting system.

9. Conclusion This Palmerston North Children’s Profile summarises some of the key demographic information and issues for children aged 0-14 in the City. This Profile will inform future policy development, and be used by those providing programmes and services for Palmerston North children. The findings which could be of most importance for planning

National policy development Policy for children has gained renewed prominence in 2011, with the release of a Government Green Paper entitled Every child thrives, belongs, achieves. This paper provides a framework for community discussion about the issues for vulnerable children, including strategies to increase the reporting of child abuse, possible reprioritisation of current spending, and new leadership roles for the Government. Responses to this process by any new Government would not be implemented until well into 2012 (or later).

Changing nature of the children’s population The Palmerston North population has a declining proportion of children aged 0-14 years. In 2006 20% of the City’s population was aged 0-14 years, and current projections suggest that this will decline to 17% by 2031. The ethnic make-up of the children’s population is also projected to change significantly. By 2021 around a third of Palmerston North children will identify as Maori, and 11% will identify with Pacific and Asian ethnic identities. Due to the fact that such measures record one or more ethnic identities, there will still be a significant majority of children who identify as European New Zealanders (78%). However, the increase in the other ethnic groups suggests that Palmerston North children will be a more ethnically diverse population in future years. This has implications for the planning and service provision across all aspects of the City.

Poverty New Zealand children are more likely to be living in poverty than any other population group, and this is also the case in Palmerston North, with 22.5% of Palmerston North children living in low income households at the 2006 Census. Research suggests that this rate is unlikely to have improved, and the figure for children in beneficiary households is currently much higher (over 70%).44 This is a significant emerging issue for the City as low incomes are associated with poor health and educational outcomes.45

44 Ministry of Social Development. (2011). Household incomes in New Zealand: Trends in indicators of inequality and hardship 1982 to 2010.

45 St John, S. & Wynd, D. (Eds.). (2010). Left behind: How social and income inequalities damage New Zealand children.

Health The health status and issues for Palmerston North children are reflective of those identified for New Zealand children overall, and so the local concerns are the same ones highlighted in national discussions and policies. Of concern is the incidence of illness and hospitalisation associated with poor housing, poverty, poor nutrition, and poor access to health care.46

Care and Protection In Palmerston North, as in New Zealand overall, there are significant concerns about the levels of child abuse and neglect. In the Manawatu region in 2010, 4,270 care and protection notifications were received by Child, Youth and Family (for children and young people aged 0-17 years). There are a number of non-governmental organisations and iwi social service providers who work closely with Child, Youth and Family in Palmerston North to support families and communities to find solutions to keep children safe.

46 New Zealand Child and Youth Epidemiological Service. (2009). The Determinants of Health for Children and Young People in MidCentral.

Appendix One: Maps

Map 1

Map 2

Map 3