Growing Up in New Zealand is excited to be connecting with you and your whānau again when your child or children in the study is around the age of 12.

We're connecting with you and more than 6,000 other families when the children are this age because it's such an important time in a child's development when they are on the verge of becoming a teenager.

This time around we will be asking questions of mums or primary caregivers; the mum's partner if they live with the child (either Dads or the mother's partner); and the children themselves. We're also hoping to catch up with the children's teachers about their experiences at school.

This time around due to Covid-19, we're doing all our questionnaires online.   We'll arrange a time to do a video call with your child so that we can support them through their questionnaire.  

Every time we connect with you and your child, we're building a more detailed picture of what life is like for children in New Zealand today.  This helps us to learn about what enables children to have a happy, healthy and fulfilling life and we can feed this back to decision makers who use this information to improve policies and services to help New Zealand families and children.

Our 12 Year Kōrero or 12 Year Interviews will focus on learning more about children's:

• Health and wellbeing
• Family and whānau
• Education
• Psychological development
• Neighbourhoods and environment
• Culture and identity.

The 12 year Kōrero / 12 Year Interviews will include the following components:

• An online questionnaire for children
• An online activities questionnaire for children
• An online questionnaire for mothers or primary caregivers
• An online questionnaire for the mother's partner
• An online questionnaire for the child's teacher
• An at-home swab kit to collect skin, nose and throat swabs from children.

As with any part of Growing Up in New Zealand, your involvement is completely optional.  You can choose whether to take part in any or all of the 12 year Kōrero /12 Year Interviews.

We'll be in touch closer to the time your child is 12 to set up a time to come and see you.  In the meantime, if you have any questions please get in touch: call us on 0508 476 946 (0508 GROWINGUP) or email us contact@growingup.co.nz.