Minister's foreword
As the Minister for Child Poverty Reduction, I am pleased to introduce the Government’s Child and Youth Strategy.
This Strategy sets out our Government’s plan to improve the lives of children and young people in New Zealand. It identifies a vision, outcomes and three key priorities that will drive cross-government work, inform investment decisions and support us to measure progress. Work to deliver on these priorities will be informed by our social investment approach. There is a deliberate focus on reducing material hardship and intervening early to improve a wide range of outcomes across the life course.
This Government has inherited some major challenges, and a new approach is needed. We are committed to giving New Zealanders more opportunities to get ahead, including investing in children and young people to ensure they experience a good life. We need to focus our investment where it can make the biggest difference for our children and young people’s lives both now and in the future.
New Zealand is stronger when its people are skilled and educated, healthy and resilient, and our families and communities are thriving. Childhood represents a huge opportunity to set people on a positive path so that they lead healthy, productive and fulfilling lives, contribute to their communities and the economy, and achieve their full potential.
We undertook targeted consultation with key stakeholders, including children and young people, to help inform the development of this Strategy. While the priorities outlined are the Government’s, we will continue to work with and support others who make a difference, including backing our communities to continue their efforts in delivering better outcomes for children.
The priorities contained in this Strategy are a starting point for how our Government is taking action to improve the lives of young Kiwis and create economic and social prosperity for current and future generations. This Strategy outlines what we will do to lift outcomes, and ultimately to achieve our vision that New Zealand is the best place in the world for children and young people.
Hon Louise Upston
Minister for Child Poverty Reduction
