Family wellbeing in an era of reform: monitoring changes in family wellbeing for different family types in New Zealand between 1981 and 2001
Andrew Sporle
University of Auckland
Contact Email:   a.sporleauckland.ac.nz

It is well documented that New Zealand’s economic reforms over the past two decades have had significant social impacts. However, while the economic outcomes of the reforms have been well documented the social impact of the reforms, especially on different family types has been less well monitored.

This paper uses information collected from the five-yearly Census conducted by Statistics New Zealand to develop indicators of family wellbeing. Twelve indicators grouped in the domains of income, education, work and housing are then used to track changes in wellbeing for different family types overt the period 1981 to 2001.

While there are limitations to the range of indicators that can be constructed from Census data due to the restricted scope of the information gathered, the indicators developed for this project do allow an assessment of changes in wellbeing for different family types to be made. Evidence shows that on most counts single parent families fared worst during this period.

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