The Families and Whānau Status Report is a series that aims to enrich our understanding of family and whānau wellbeing. Measuring family wellbeing is complicated, not just because there is no universally agreed definition of what we mean by family or wellbeing, but also because multiple and inter-related factors impact on the daily activities, functions and living arrangements of families.
The structure of families and whānau in New Zealand is changing. Current demographic trends such as smaller family sizes, increased longevity, relatively high fertility levels, higher rates of household formation and dissolution, are all part of the shifting demographic context. A rapidly changing society is also putting new pressures on families and whānau, making it important to review how well they are standing up to new economic and social circumstances, expectations and values.
Purpose
Being part of a family is a universal experience that is the most significant socialising influence in a person’s life. The wellbeing of families is fundamental to the wellbeing of individuals and of the societies in which they live.
The 2016 Families and Whānau Status Report is the fourth in a series of annual reports on the wellbeing of families and whānau in New Zealand. In 2016, we focused on ethnic differences in how our families are faring, a greater understanding of what Māori describe as ‘whānau’ and how different cultures define ‘family’.
The Research Summary is a high-level overview of the full Status Report, and the At A Glance shows how our families are faring using infographics.
For the detail and analysis that sit behind these reports, see the Technical Companion Report.
The supplementary data sheets – Family wellbeing indicators by region and ethnicity – support the tables in the Families and Whānau Status Report 2016 and the Families and Whānau Status Report Technical Companion 2016. We encourage you to consult the reports before exploring these data sheets for context to help in understanding the table numbers.