Cabinet paper, January 2018.

Note: In 2024 the work of the Child Unit was moved from the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC) to a work programme within the Ministry of Social Development. The Child and Youth Wellbeing Strategy webpages have been archived by National Library. Links were updated in this record on 6/6/2024. External links from archived pages may no longer work. Please contact us if you are unable to find any items of interest.


This paper discusses the process for developing first child wellbeing strategy which will enhance and promote the wellbeing of children and young people in New Zealand.

The Prime Minister, Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern, in her role as the Minister for Child Poverty Reduction, and the Minister for Children, Hon Tracey Martin, are jointly leading the development of the Government’s first Child Wellbeing Strategy.

The Strategy is an opportunity to significantly improve the lives of New Zealand’s children. It will set out the actions the Government intends to take to improve the wellbeing of all New Zealand children.

The Child Wellbeing Unit (CWU) has been established in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC) to support Ministers in this work.

The CWU’s role includes:

- supporting the development of the Government Strategy to improve the wellbeing of all children in New Zealand;
- working with others to identify actions and policies for improving child wellbeing, including the particular groups of children identified in the proposed legislation;
- providing advice on other relevant matters. A subsequent paper outlining the scope and public engagement process was prepared in May 2018. These cabinet papers further information are available on the Child Wellbeing Unit website. See the NZFVC news item (May 2018) for further information. Record #5907