This Government, like those before it, has once again failed to protect our most vulnerable. And in doing so, it has laid bare a truth we cannot ignore — Aotearoa is a nation that does not prioritise the wellbeing of Māori children.

Youth crime is a constant issue in New Zealand – and in the last few years, stories of ram raids, violent attacks and spree offending have dominated the headlines.

A researcher has partnered with a South Auckland marae to grow an urban "food forest" with the goal of using it as a seed for future change.

Principals from schools in the country's poorest communities have united to call for an end to new NCEA reading, writing and maths tests.

When award-winning journalist and author Rebecca Macfie began a new project to explore poverty in Aotearoa, she first had to ask herself some hard questions.

The same week the Government revealed its new child and youth strategy, experts gathered across the road to discuss the economic, developmental and moral cost of child poverty.

One in four Kiwi children live in households where food runs out often or sometimes.

98,900 children in Aotearoa New Zealand are living in persistent poverty. This is according to the newly released official Statistics NZ definition for persistent child poverty - released on Friday.

The new school lunches menu has been revealed - with Associate Education Minister David Seymour saying the new programme will cost $3 a lunch and save $130 million. Becky Erwood is the co-founder and director of FED. She writes about how hard a $3 lunch would be.

The Act leader’s scheme to cut spending on the free school lunch programme not only subtly shift costs from central government to schools, it also risks damaging the very thing that makes the programme work, writes Max Rashbrooke.

A University of Auckland researcher says she cannot blame parents for choosing to buy junk food over fruits and vegetables, but notes the negative impact poor nutrition can have on children.

For a household with two adults and two children, food prices have risen 35% between 2018 and 2023.

Treating failing eyesight and high cholesterol are two new ways to lower the risk of dementia developing, a major report suggests.

As industrialised social support structures are cut back and social problems deepen, we must deal with the causes and not just ease the symptoms.

The hearing and vision of Clevedon School students was checked last week, thanks to support from charity Painga Project.

Public health researchers are arguing against cuts to the free school lunch programme, saying there's even room to extend it to help more hungry children.

A dozen school and early childhood sector groups have united to ask Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to retain funding for the free school lunch scheme, Ka Ora Ka Ako.

As International Women's Day rolls around again, women can sit back, relax and reflect on all the amazing progress that's been made in the past year. Kidding!

The Hearing House is an Auckland-based charity which provides health and counselling services for people with cochlear implants. This year, the charity is launching a mobile hearing clinic, which will bring services closer to the communities which need them.

Are we now entering a post-kindness era? We haven’t heard much talk of kindness from the Government, except maybe for Nicola Willis’ defence of the Government taking a tough stance on welfare dependency. “It is not a kind thing to let someone linger on welfare for many years.” (Or, as Luxon said, “The free ride is over”.)