Using Growing Up in New Zealand data

Growing Up in New Zealand provides important information about what it’s like to be a child growing up in the complex world of 21st Century New Zealand.

The data gathered from more than 6,000 young people and their whānau as part of this longitudinal study offers insights into the lives of children, young people and their families in the following areas:

  • Health and wellbeing
  • Psychosocial and cognitive development
  • Education
  • Family/whānau
  • Culture and identity
  • Societal context and neighbourhood environment

The data is valuable because of the study's diverse cohort, its longitudinal nature, its linkage with routinely collected Government data, and the strengths-based focus.

Ways to access the data

We’re keen to see the Growing Up in New Zealand data sets used as widely as possible for research providing evidence which can improve the wellbeing of New Zealand children.

If you work in research, policy development, service delivery, with a Government department, NGO or community group, the Growing Up in New Zealand data sets could provide valuable insights to benefit your work.

You can access the data in any of the following ways:

  • Commission a tailored or bespoke report

Use the expertise of the Growing Up in New Zealand team at the University of Auckland. This is suitable for organisations who want to explore a specific topic or area of research.

The team provides guidance on which data will best meet your specific goal and provides a full-service data analysis; and co-authoring of the report along with optional layout and printing services.

Contact our Data Access Coordinator if you’re interested in commissioning a research project with the Growing Up in New Zealand team.

  • Request access to the anonymised data set for independent research

Researchers from all over the world can access the anonymised data sets to answer a raft of research questions. Growing Up in New Zealand provides support to use the data via videos, data dictionaries and user guides.

Find out more about applying to access Growing Up in New Zealand data here.

All access to Growing Up in New Zealand data is controlled by a Data Access Protocol and all requests are reviewed by a Data Access Committee.

Find out more: