The Growing Up in New Zealand study gets funding lifeline

The country's largest longitudinal study of child wellbeing has been thrown a lifeline with the government committing $16.8 million over the next four years to keep it running.

However, the funding for the Growing Up in New Zealand project is only about half of what the former Labour government had put aside in last year's budget.

In a statement, Social Development Minister Louise Upston said Auckland University would also seek money elsewhere to ensure the study's long-term sustainability.

"I'm pleased the University of Auckland has committed to broadening its funding base for GUiNZ so the government does not remain the sole funder."

The study has followed the lives of more than six thousand children born in 2009 and 2010 and their families. They are now transitioning into adulthood.

Upston said the information collected would be linked with other research databases to help the government to design services and policies, particularly around employment and poverty.

"I expect the data they produce will be of great interest to the new Social Investment Agency."

GUiNZ research director Sarah-Jane Paine said the announcement came at a critical juncture in the study's lifetime.

"This funding is not just about the future of our 15-year research programme; it's an investment in the future of Aotearoa and will cement the vision for New Zealand to be the best place in the world to be a child," she said.

The researchers are due to collect more data soon as the young children turn 15 and again in two years' time.

The GUiNZ project describes itself as the country's "largest contemporary longitudinal study of child development".

It monitors the participating families every two to three years and started gathering information before the children were even born.

The project has reported on subjects including disadvantage for Māori children, the effect of disability, depression and anxiety, puberty, housing and homelessness, food insecurity.