Research areas

The Roy McKenzie Centre studies the connection between family context and child inequality, as well as resilience in Māori whānau and Pacific families.

Family context and child inequality

Family wellbeing is considered integral for child wellbeing. This intergenerational pattern is consistent in the research. Children born to parents who are poor are more likely to be poor themselves compared to children whose parents are not poor. Several factors especially important in disrupting this pattern are:

• the parents’ work situations
• the child’s educational settings
• access to healthcare
• access to affordable housing, and
• income transfers from government policies.

Inheriting disadvantage

Despite the presence of government policies and institutions that families come in contact with, the passing on of inequality between generations remains. A better understanding of families’ contexts and the institutions they interact with will provide an important starting point for policies and programmes aimed at supporting families.

This area of research takes a nuanced approach to family and childhood inequality. Going beyond a singular focus on economic inequality, this research examines the structural patterns and causes of inequalities in family processes. We know that factors such as parenting behaviour and exposure to domestic violence affect children’s ability to live healthy and happy lives.

Resilience in Māori whānau and Pacific families

Tamariki Māori and Pacific children are overrepresented in poverty statistics, and these families are more likely to be involved with social services. Because of their overrepresentation, Māori whānau and Pacific families have traditionally been viewed from a deficit perspective when it comes to policy.

There has not been proper recognition of the broader structural and institutional factors that have shaped their experiences. Looking at broad patterns of inequality, however, misses opportunities to examine family processes that are forms of resilience against these structural and institutional barriers.

Towards a holistic notion of wellbeing

Traditional definitions of economic wellbeing, such as child poverty rates, fail to capture what wellbeing means to children. In the case of Māori tamariki and Pacific children, there has also been a lack of understanding of the unique aspects of their lived realities. Indeed, there has now been an ingrained call from the Māori community, academics, and policy practitioners for a more holistic conceptualisation of tamariki Māori wellbeing.

This holistic notion of wellbeing incorporates aspects of cultural connection and spiritual and emotional development. It views tamariki wellbeing as inextricable from the wellbeing of their whānau and their collective identity.

Research in this area continues to highlight the structural forces, institutions, and policies that may be reinforcing patterns of economic inequality. It also emphasises a resilience lens that can identify sources of support, which may be cultural, familial, environmental, or religious in nature. As well, our research examines a more holistic set of outcomes that can be bolstered by policy and programme interventions.