Shared care arrangements and parental wellbeing in Aotearoa New Zealand

Across two households,

When support is thinly shared,

Stress settles at home

Shared care, shared burdens: in-kind support and parental wellbeing in Aotearoa New Zealand

When couples separate, shared care arrangements are typically measured by how parenting time is divided — but the sharing of resources, tasks, and informal support matters too.

This study examines how in-kind support within shared care arrangements shapes parental anxiety and depressive symptoms, drawing on nationally representative data from low-to-middle income families.

Citation

Prickett, Kate. 2026. Shared care arrangements and parental wellbeing in Aotearoa New Zealand. Motu Working Paper 26-06. Motu Economic and Public Policy Research. Wellington, New Zealand.