Putting children at the centre: Using our knowledge of child development to give kiwi kids the best start to life

May 28, 2025

This seminar had Motu Fellow Jaimie Monk present findings from her latest report, drawing on data from the Growing Up in New Zealand study to examine children’s behavioural development. Her presentation explored:

• how family income affects children at different stages of development,
• the impact of technology use on New Zealand children’s behavioural development,
• the role of housing in shaping developmental outcomes.

The presentation was followed by a panel discussion and audience questions. The panel was chaired by Motu Senior Fellow Arthur Grimes, and featured:

• Dr Jin Russell, Clinical Chief Advisor: Child and Youth, Manatū Hauora - Ministry of Health
• Hannah Kerr, Director, Child Wellbeing and Poverty Reduction Group, Ministry of Social Development
• Jacqui Southey, Research Director, Save the Children New Zealand

Here are the slides presented by Jaimie at the seminar.

Here is the recording of the seminar.

About the speakers

Dr Jaimie Monk
Jaimie is a Fellow at Motu Research where her work focuses on family wellbeing, housing, child poverty, and children’s technology use in Aotearoa. Jaimie is passionate about developing high-quality quantitative evidence that is valuable for policy design. Her work is guided by an ecological approach which recognises children as anchored in their families and their wider communities. She is based in Ōtautahi Christchurch and is a mum of three.

Dr Jin Russell
Dr Jin Russell MBChB DipPaed FRACP PhD is a Developmental Paediatrician at Starship Child Health, the Clinical Chief Advisor for Child and Youth Health at the Ministry of Health and a regular contributor in the media on children’s health and development issues. Jin’s PhD research investigated developmental health trajectories and their socioeconomic predictors within the Growing Up in NZ study. Jin lives in Tamaki Makaurau with her husband and two sons.

Hannah Kerr
Hannah is the Director of the Child Wellbeing and Poverty Reduction Group at the Ministry of Social Development. She has twenty years’ experience in public policy in both New Zealand and the United Kingdom, spanning the disability, health, education, environment and justice sectors. The Child Wellbeing and Poverty Reduction Group is responsible for providing advice, monitoring and reporting on child poverty reduction, as well as for the development and implementation of the Child and Youth Strategy.

Jacqui Southey
Jacqui is the advocacy and research director at Save the Children New Zealand where she is working towards driving systemic change where children will realise their rights in Aotearoa New Zealand. She has authored significant research on the positive discipline practices of parents of children under five years of age, and has extensive experience working in children’s rights. Jacqui is particularly interested in children’s participation and empowering children’s agency, child rights education, speaking up with and for children on issues important to children now and in the future, and education.

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Thanks to The Treasury, Stats NZ and EECA for their generous support.