Status Report 2020 Trends in the wellbeing of children and young people in Porirua - Porirua City Council
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
Status Report 2020 Trends in the wellbeing of children and young people in Porirua
2 Status Report 2020: Trends in the wellbeing of children and young people in Porirua
Contents
Executive summary 3
Indicator summary table 4
Key findings 6
Introduction 7
Satisfaction with living in Porirua 8
Education 10
Health 16
Employment and unemployment 21
Engagement 22
Active recreation 24
Housing 26
Safety 28
Executive summary
“Children and young people at the heart of our city”
Strategic priority in the Porirua Long-term Plan 2018–28.
As part of our commitment to putting children progress towards better outcomes and to identify
and young people at the heart of our city, Council areas of concern. It enables us to review the way
produces an annual report on their wellbeing. we support children and young people and make
changes if required. It also provides a platform for
Known as the Status Report, this report collates data
advocacy for issues outside the control or direct
on the wellbeing of children and young people aged
influence of local government.
0-24 years across a range of domains including
health, education, engagement, recreation, Data from this report was collated prior to the
satisfaction with living in Porirua, housing and safety. Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown.
The 2020 Status Report is our fourth annual report It provides pre-covid baseline data, meaning that
and examines trends over the last five years. The a number of indicators in this report can be used
report includes ethnic breakdowns and national to monitor the social and economic impact of the
comparisons for each indicator where available. pandemic on our young people particularly in the
areas of health, education and employment.
The Council uses the Status Report to monitor
3
Indicator summary table
Theme Indicator Status Comment
Satisfaction Positive perception of quality of life Good
with living in (Table 1)
Porirua Satisfaction with city events for children, Good
young people and their families (Table 2)
Satisfaction with Council facilities popular Good
with children, young people and families
(Table 3)
Overall satisfaction with Council services No change between 2018 and 2019.
provided for children and young people Room for improvement
(Table 4)
Education Prior participation in ECE by ethnicity of Good
children starting school in Porirua and NZ
(Table 5)
Attendance at school (Table 6) Rates declining for all ethnic groups.
National and local issue.
Transience (changing schools) (Table 7) Higher than national rates, with ethic
disparities particularly high rates for
Māori
School leavers with NCEA level 2 or above Little change over 5 years, disparities
(Table 8) persist, particularly for Māori
Enrolment in tertiary education (Table 9) Trending down
Access to telecommunications (Table 10) Overall access similar to national rates
Access to internet by suburb (Table 11) Disparities in access
Health Infant Immunisation at age one (Table 12) Overall rates good but decline in Māori
infant immunisation of concern
Child oral health (Table 13) Significant and persistent ethnic
disparities
ASH rate 0-4 years (Table 14) Significant and persistent ethnic
disparities
Childhood Obesity (Table 15) Higher than national rates with ethnic
disparities especially for Māori but rates
of concern for all ethnic groups
Self-harm (Table 16) Numbers relatively small but trending
upwards, particularly for young females
Suicide (Table 17) NA Insufficient youth data available.
Overall figures down in 2019 compared
with 12 months earlier
4 Status Report 2020: Trends in the wellbeing of children and young people in Porirua
Theme Indicator Status Comment
Youth Not in Education, Employment or training Porirua rates remain higher than
Unemployment (NEET) (Table 18) national rates
Youth and beneficiary receipt (Table 19) Static 2015-2019
Engagement Voter enrolment by young people Council Higher than national rate but room for
elections (Table 20) improvement
Voter turnout Council elections (Table 21) NA Youth data unavailable
Satisfaction with how well Council engages Trending down since 2017 but better
with children and young people (Table 22) than national rates.
Active Active transport to and from school1 Mixed, improving since 2015/16, CCDHB
Recreation (Table 23) higher than nationally
Frequency of physical exercise (5+ times Trending down for young people and
per week) (Table 24)* older ages, steep decline between 2016
and 2018
Housing Crowding by ethnicity (Table 25) Higher than national rates with ethnic
disparities, particularly for Pacific People
Homes that are damp (Census 2018) Local and national issue
(Table 26)
Homes that have mould (Census 2018) Local and national issue
(Table 27)
Waiting lists for social/public housing Trending upwards
(Table 28)
Safety Porirua a safe place to live (Table 29) Majority agreement but trending down
Porirua safe for children under 14 years to Good
play unsupervised (Table 30)
Unintentional injuries (Table 31) Static over last 5 years
Self-inflicted injuries (Table 32) Relatively small numbers but trending
upwards
Substantiated findings of abuse (Table 33) Mixed results
*Denotes findings from the two-yearly Quality of Life that also appeared in the previous report.
Key: Status
Good Moderate issue Mixed results or static or NA Of concern
(Not Applicable due to unclear data)
1 Data only available at DHB level.
5
Key findings
Good news Rate of transient students on the increase
Transient rates, that is, the rates at which students
Satisfaction with city events, facilities change schools, are increasing.
and services for children and young people
remains high There are persistent disparities between ethnic
groups in Porirua and compared with their national
Most young people rate their quality of life in
counterparts.
Porirua positively. Satisfaction with Council events
for children and young people remains high as does Child oral health is poor
satisfaction with Council facilities popular with
The number of five-year olds with tooth decay
children, young people and their families.
remains high.
Education – high NCEA participation rates There are significant and persistent ethnic disparities
We have high participation rates in early childhood in the number of children with tooth decay at age
education and these rates have been maintained five. This is both a local and national problem.
over the last five years. While there are some ethnic
disparities the differences are relatively small in Preventable hospitalisations – ASH2
Porirua and nationally. Too many children aged under five in Porirua are
being admitted to hospital for conditions that could
Health have been treated earlier through local primary
Most infants in Porirua are fully immunised at age health services. The are persistent ethnic disparities.
one for all ethnicities. Infant immunisation rates at
age one in Porirua are like national rates. Housing
Rates of crowding are higher in Porirua than
Of concern nationally, particularly for Pacific families.
Problems with damp and/or mould persist. This is
School attendance is worsening
both a local and a national problem.
Student attendance at school in Porirua over the
last five years is declining with sharper declines Number of applicants for public housing are
experienced by Pacific and Māori students. continuing to increase in Porirua and in many other
areas throughout New Zealand.
This is also a national problem with the largest
declines experienced in the 2018 to 2019 period.
2 Ambulatory sensitive hospitalisations.
6 Status Report 2020: Trends in the wellbeing of children and young people in Porirua
Introduction
Porirua City Council has a strong commitment to Status reports help us to identify trends and
children and young people. ‘Children and young emerging issues.
people at the heart of our city’ is one of four
Considering the impact of Covid-19 on our economy
strategic priorities adopted in our Long-term Plan
and communities, additional work may be needed
2018-38.
on the specific impacts on the pandemic on our
With just under 40% of our population aged under young people, particularly in the areas of health,
25 years and a quarter aged 15 years or younger, we education and employment.
want our young people to grow up in a supportive
community where they have opportunities to learn, Notes on the data
grow and reach their full potential.
The Status Report brings together a selection of
In 2018 we adopted a three-year strategic indicators from official sources on the key subjects
framework for children and young people3 to guide identified by the Council. It is not an exhaustive
our work. The framework outlines our vision and selection of information.
priorities through to 2021.
In the absence of local data sets sometimes regional
The five focus areas in the strategic framework are: or District Health Board data is used.
• Environment and place This report relies less heavily on Quality of Life
• Safety and wellbeing Survey data than previous status reports because
the outbreak of Covid-19 and subsequent lockdown
• Opportunity and experiences delayed the 2020 Survey. Data from the 2018 survey
• Connection and belonging is only used when alternative data is unavailable.
• Engaged and involved. Where relevant, some Census data has been
included in the 2020 report (eg housing) but will not
The Council has multiple roles it can play in be repeated in the next report because of the
improving the wellbeing of children and young 5 yearly census cycle.
people which are included in the framework. These We are mindful that no single indicator can be used
include, but are not limited to: to fully measure an outcome, and that Councils role
• a provider – of facilities and services and impact is often shared with others.
• an advocate – championing of initiatives and
amplifying children’s voices
• a convener – bringing groups together to find
solutions and celebrate success
• partner – working alongside others including
business, community and government
• monitor – keeping a citywide overview on the
wellbeing of children and young people.
3 The Strategic Framework can be found at https://poriruacity.govt.nz/your-council/city-planning-and-reporting/our-strategic-
priorities/children-and-young-people/ (scroll down).
7
Satisfaction with living in Porirua
Table 1: Residents who rated quality of life in Porirua as extremely good/good 2010-20184
Quality of life 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018
18-24 year olds 93% 72% 84% 77% 75%
All ages 5 94% 81% 84% 84% 82%
Most young people rate their quality of life positively but satisfaction levels have trended down from a high of
93% in 2010 to 75% in 2018. Satisfaction levels for young people are consistently lower than the levels of older
age groups.
Table 2: Residents who rated city events for children, young people and families as good/excellent 2016-20196
Events 2016 2017 2018 2019
Children’s Day 90% 92% 95% 90%
Waitangi Day Celebration 83% 88% 93% 81%
Creekfest 87% 80% 82% -
Grand Traverse 92% 99% 99% -
City Centre Christmas Carnival - - - 89%
City Centre Night Markets - - - 75%
Note: The 2019 Resident survey did not specifically ask about satisfaction with Creekfest or the Grand
Traverse. These were replaced with questions about City Centre Christmas Carnival and Night Markets.
Most residents are very positive about Council events for children and young people. Satisfaction ratings have
remained high over the last four years.
Table 3: Residents who rated Council facilities popular with children, young people and families as
good/excellent 2015-20197
Facilities 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
Pātaka Art+Museum 92% 95% 96% 95% 90%
Libraries 95% 95% 95% 90% 88%
Te Rauparaha Arena 92% 94% 95% 93% 89%
Swimming pools 86% 87% 88% 87% 85%
Playgrounds 79% 87% 87% 83% 84%
Sportsfields 83% 91% 88% 85% 85%
Most residents are very positive about Council facilities popular with children and young people. Satisfaction
ratings have remained high over the last five years with a modest dip between 2018 and 2019 that is still
within the margin of error of plus or minus 3.1%.
4 Quality of Life Survey – two-yearly.
5 All ages is defined as those aged 18 years and over.
6 Annual Resident Survey.
7 Ibid.
8 Status Report 2020: Trends in the wellbeing of children and young people in PoriruaTable 4: Overall resident satisfaction with Council services provided for children and young people8
2017 2018 2019
78% 66% 65%
Overall satisfaction with services provided for children and young people remained stable in 2019 compared
to 2018 but has trended down 13% since 2017 when this question was introduced into the Annual Resident
Survey.
8 Annual Resident Survey.
9Education
Early Childhood Education (ECE) participation
Participation in high quality ECE has significant benefits for children and their future learning ability. ECE
can positively impact literacy, numeracy, and problem-solving skills well into the teenage years. ECE also
encourages the development of cognitive and attitudinal competencies and leads to higher levels of
achievement and better social outcomes.9
Table 5: Prior participation in ECE by ethnicity of children starting school 2015–201910
Porirua New Zealand ECE Participation Rate as at June.
100 96 96.2 95.5 96.5 96.6 96.8 97.7 96.9 97 97
80
All 60
% 40
20
0
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
100 94 94 97 95 96 95 98 95.5 97.2 95.5
80
NZ Māori 60
% 40
20
0
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
100 92.5 91 93 93 94 92 97 93 94 93
80
Pacific 60
% 40
20
0
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
99.5 98 99 98 100 98 99 98 99.3 98.3
100
80
European/
Pākehā 60
40
%
20
0
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
Participation rates have remained high for all (compared with their European/Pākehā counterparts)
children starting school in Porirua and throughout the size of the disparity is relatively small.
New Zealand between 2015 and 2019.
Participation of Pacific children in ECE declined by
Nationally European/Pākehā participation rates are 2.6% between 2018 and 2019 to 94%, but remains
the highest and have remained steady at 98-99% 1% higher that national rate for Pacific children.
over the last five years.
Note that participation data is a combination of
While ethnic disparities have persisted between 2015 enrolment, attendance, and average hours. Further
and 2019 for both Māori and Pacific children investigation into ECE attendance rates is advised.
9 https://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/know-your-region/territorial-authority/ece-prior-participation?district=044®ion=9
10 https://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/statistics/early-childhood-education/participation
10 Status Report 2020: Trends in the wellbeing of children and young people in PoriruaAttendance
The Ministry of Education carries out a Term 2 Attendance Survey annually (between the end of April and the
beginning of July), run across primary and secondary schools. The 2019 survey includes data from over 96%
of enrolled students in New Zealand.
The Ministry of Education defines regular attendance as students attending school for more than 90% of
available half-days.
Students who regularly attend school are much more likely to achieve academically. Recent research shows
that even relatively small declines in attendance (being absent 5-10% of the time) will obtain fewer NCEA
credits.11
Table 6: Students attending school regularly by ethnicity 2015-2019 (attended more than 90% of Term 2)
Porirua New Zealand
100
80 69
64 64 67 63 63 61.8 63.8
All 60 54 57.7
% 40
20
0
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
100
80
NZ Māori 60 57 57 58 55 55 53.8 50.4
50 43.6 43.8
% 40
20
0
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
100
80
Pacific 57 60.5 58 57 56
60 52 53.8 50.4
43.6 44.7
% 40
20
0
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
100
80 74 73 70 70 69 66.5 69.8 67.1
European/ 62.4 61.3
60
Pākehā
40
%
20
0
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
Attendance rates have been trending downwards Nationally Pacific student attendance rates were
between 2015 and 2019 both in Porirua and 15.8% lower in 2019 compared to 2015; the largest
nationally, with the largest declines experienced in decrease. The rates for and Māori and European/
the 2018 to 2019 period. Pākehā students also decreased by 13.2% and 11.7%
respectively.
Student attendance in Porirua declined overall by
10% comparing 2015 with 2019 with sharper declines
experienced by Pacific students (13.4%) and Māori
students (13.4%).
11 https://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/publications/schooling/new-zealand-schools-attendance-survey-term-2,-2019.
11Transience (changing schools)
Student transient rates are defined at the rate of students who move school twice or more over the period
from 1 March to 31 November. The transient rate is important because students have better academic
outcomes if they do not move school regularly. Transience can also have additional negative impacts on
student behaviour and social and health experiences.12
Table 7: Rate of transient students (per 1000) by ethnicity 2014-2018
Porirua New Zealand
Rate of students who moved school twice or more (per 1000 students) 1 March to 31 November.
25
20
All 15 13
11.7 11.1
Rate 10 9.2 9.9
4.9 4.9 5 4.7 4.5
5
0
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
25 23.9
19.0 19.9 20.1
20 18.2
15 12.1
NZ Māori 12 11.8 11.2 10.4
10
Rate
5
0
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
25
20 17.9
16.1
Pacific 15 12.8
Rate 10.6
10
6.3 6.2 6.2 6.1 5.9 5.8
5
0
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
25
20
European/
15
Pākehā
10
Rate 5.4 6.6
5 4.3 3 4.3 3.2 3.8 3.2 3.1 2.9
0
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
The overall rate of transient students in Porirua The transient rate for Pacific students in Porirua
is higher in 2018 than five years ago (2014); in increased significantly between 2017 and 2018 to
contrast to the national picture which shows modest 16.1 and is more than twice the rate for European/
decreases overall and for each ethnic group during Pākehā students in Porirua (6.6) and more than twice
this period. the rate for Pacific students nationally.
Ethnic disparities persist, between different ethnic While the transient rate for European/Pākehā
groups in Porirua and when comparing an ethnic students in 2018 is lower than the rate for Māori
group with their national counterparts. For example, and Pacific students locally it is still twice the rate
the transient rate for Māori students in Porirua is of transient compared to European/Pākehā students
23.9, over three times the rate for European/Pākehā nationally.
students in Porirua (6.6) and over twice the rate for
Māori students nationally (10.4).
12 https://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/statistics/indicators/main/student-engagement-participation/transient-students
12 Status Report 2020: Trends in the wellbeing of children and young people in PoriruaNCEA Qualifications
A formal school qualification is a measure of the extent to which young adults have completed a basic
prerequisite for higher education and training and many entry-level jobs. The main qualification available to
secondary school students is the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA). Future education
and job prospects (and good incomes) are limited for young people who leave school without level 2 NCEA.13
Table 8: Percentage of school leavers with NCEA Level 2 or above by ethnicity 2014–2018
Porirua New Zealand
School leavers with NCEA Level 2 or above.
100
78 79 80 79 81 77 81 79
80 71 73
All 60
% 40
20
0
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
100
80 74 73 72
61 64 67 68 63 66
60
NZ Māori 60
% 40
20
0
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
100
80 73 73 75 74 79 75 77 76 72 75
Pacific 60
% 40
20
0
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
100
79 82 84 84 80 84 80 84 80 82
80
European/
60
Pākehā
40
%
20
0
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
The proportion of school leavers in Porirua with The greatest decrease in NCEA level 2 achievement
NCEA level 2 or above is slightly lower in Porirua than in Porirua was experienced by Māori school leavers
nationally overall and for all ethnic groups. Ethnic between 2017 and 2018 (9%), followed by a 5%
disparities persist in Porirua and nationally. decrease for Pacific school leavers.
Achievement rates were trending up locally and Acheivement rates nationally also decreased
nationally between 2014 and 2016. between 2017 and 2018 with modest decreases
between 1% and 2%.
13 https://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/statistics/indicators/main/education-and-learning-outcomes/1781
13Tertiary participation
Tertiary education is important to the wellbeing of our young people. It is a passport to success for individuals
and supports wider economic growth and prosperity. Skilled people are essential to the success of businesses
and other organisations.14
Table 9: Numbers of Porirua students enrolled in tertiary education by ethnicity 2014-1815
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
European/Pākehā 270 265 270 240 205
Māori 200 200 190 180 135
Pacific 155 160 165 140 130
Other 50 50 60 45 60
Total 560 550 550 480 425
Overall, rates of enrolment in tertiary education has trended down between 2014 and 2018. The decline
is seen in enrolment rates for European/Pākehā, Māori and Pacific students with the steepest decline
experienced by Māori students between 2017 and 2018.
14 https://education.govt.nz/further-education/policies-and-strategies/tertiary-education-strategy/
15 Data provided by Ministry of Education (Education Counts) on 5 May 2020 on request.
14 Status Report 2020: Trends in the wellbeing of children and young people in PoriruaTelecommunications
It is widely accepted that high speed internet access is an essential requirement to participate in society and
the economy. Subsequently young people in households without internet service are increasingly being left
behind in the information age, as both government and the private sector are increasingly conducting their
business, or aspects of it, on-line.16
Table 10: Access to telecommunications Porirua and New Zealand (Census 2018)17
Internet Mobile/cellphone Telephone None
Porirua 81.3% 86.6% 57.7% 1%
New Zealand 79.4% 84.8% 57.7% 1%
Access to telecommunications (internet, mobile/cellphone and telephone) in Porirua is similar to national
access rates. Access to telecommunications is not evenly spread with higher rates of access in wealthier areas
compared with lower socio-economic communities. This is particularly evident when looking at access to the
internet by suburb. Using the Social Deprivation Index18 Waitangirua has the highest deprivation score and
60% access to the internet. By contrast, 97% of residents in Endeavour have access to the index and have the
lowest deprivation score of all the suburbs in Porirua.
Table 11: Access to the internet by suburb (Census 2018)19
Suburb Percentage
Aotea 93%
Ascot Park 81%
Camborne 94%
Cannons Creek East 60%
Cannons Creek North 60%
Cannons Creek South 64%
Elsdon-Takapūwāhia 71%
Endeavour 97%
Onepoto 83%
Paekakariki Hill & Pāuatahanui 89%
Papakowhai 92%
Paremata 88%
Plimmerton 89%
Porirua Central & Ranui Heights 79%
Porirua East 69%
Postgate 93%
Pukerua Bay 91%
Titahi Bay North 76%
Titahi Bay South 73%
Waitangirua 60%
Whitby 95%
16 https://profile.idnz.co.nz/porirua/telecommunications
17 https://profile.idnz.co.nz/porirua/telecommunications Note the ID Community Profile for Porirua has different figures from
those provided by Stats NZ because it uses a different denominator in its calculations than Stats NZ in its Place Summary (total
households rather total number of responding households.
18 https://profile.idnz.co.nz/porirua/deprivation-index
19 https://profile.idnz.co.nz/porirua/telecommunications?WebID=10
15Health
Infant immunisation
Immunisation is important because it protects against serious and preventable diseases.
Table 12: Infant immunisation at age one by ethnicity Porirua and New Zealand 2015-1920
Porirua New Zealand
The percentage of infants aged one who have completed their primary course of immunisations
for the 12 months ending 30 September
100 93 94.5 94 94 94 93.5 96 93 92 92
80
All 60
% 40
20
0
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
100 94 94 95 94 94 91 96 92
90 88
80
NZ Māori 60
% 40
20
0
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
100 93 98 92 97 91 96 95 95 94 94
80
Pacific 60
% 40
20
0
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
100 95 94 95 94 96 94 96 93 95 93
80
European/
60
Pākehā
40
%
20
0
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
In 2019, the vast majority of infants in Porirua and nationally completed their immunisations at age one
although the rate for Māori infants decreased by 8% on the previous year. Immunisation rates by ethnic
group in Porirua are similar to national rates.
20 Data supplied by the CCDHB 23 April 2020. Note percentages are based on the number of children registered in the National
Immunisation Register.
16 Status Report 2020: Trends in the wellbeing of children and young people in PoriruaChild oral health
Tooth decay is the most common disease of childhood, and one of the three leading causes of potentially
avoidable hospitalisations among children in New Zealand.
Good oral health for children is important because a child’s first teeth will help them to eat and speak well.
Healthy baby teeth usually mean healthy adult teeth. Tooth decay impacts on children’s health, causes pain
and suffering and often requires surgical extraction. The early removal of baby teeth can also impact on the
position of adult teeth leading to the need for complicated orthodontic intervention later.
Table 13: Percentage of children with no tooth decay at age 5 Porirua and New Zealand 2014-201821
Porirua 22
New Zealand
The percentage of children with no decay in baby teeth at age 5 (caries free)
100
80
NZ Māori 60 59 59.5 60 60.5
46 49 45 44 41
% 40 40
20
0
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
100
80
Pacific 60
% 40 35 39 33 37 34 38 26 36
31 31
20
0
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
100
80 77 75 77 79
68 69 71 67 69.5 69
Other 23
60
%
40
20
0
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
There are significant and persistent ethnic disparities locally and nationally with the number of five-year olds
who have tooth decay.
In 2018 approximately eight out of ten ‘Other’ children (which includes European/Pākehā and other non-
Pacific and non-Māori children) had no tooth decay. This drops to four out of ten for Māori children and just
over three out of ten for Pacific children.
Nationally, Pacific and Māori children aged five also experience high rates of tooth decay.
21 Data supplied by Kathy Fuge, HVDHB, April 2020.
22 Five-year olds that attend a school whose local Bee Healthy dental hub is Brandon Hub Dental Clinic or Titahi Bay Dental Hub
clinic.
23 The CCDHB defines other to include European/Pākehā, non-Māori and non-Pacific.
17Ambulatory Sensitive Hospital admissions
Ambulatory sensitive hospital (ASH) admissions are admissions that could have been avoided with earlier
access to primary health care. If the ASH rate is high this may indicate difficulties in accessing care in
a timely way.24
Table 14: ASH rates for 0-4 years by ethnicity25 Porirua and New Zealand 2014-201826
Porirua New Zealand
ASH – rate per 100,000 for 0-4-year olds
15000
10,775
10000 9,370 9,659 8,930
NZ Māori 7,791 7,691 7,890 7,290 8,503
7,292
Rate 5000
0
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
15000
13,157 12,737 12,175 11,213 11,213
10000 10,030 9,221
Pacific 8,487
7,427
7,011
Rate
5000
0
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
15000
Other 27 10000
Rate 5,966 5,487 5,735 5,582 5,519
5000 3,486 3,448 3,133 3,869 3,462
0
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
In 2018 Māori children aged under five in Porirua In 2018 the three most common reasons for
are the most likely to be admitted to hospital for admission for ASH events for under-fives were
preventable conditions while nationally the ASH rate asthma, dental conditions and respiratory
is highest for Pacific infants and children aged under infections.28 In 2017 it was dental, respiratory and
five years. skin conditions.
ASH rates for ‘other’ are much lower in Porirua Respiratory illnesses and asthma also feature as the
and nationally. Māori and Pacific ASH rate have top two reasons for hospital admissions for under
increased between 2017 and 2018. fives nationally, with the third most common reason
being gastroenteritis/dehydration.
In 2018 there were 397 admissions of Porirua children
aged under five years for ASH conditions, up 7% on
the 370 admissions in 2017.
24 https://www.hqsc.govt.nz/our-programmes/health-quality-evaluation/projects/atlas-of-healthcare-variation/childhood-
ambulatory-sensitive-hospitalisations/
25 The CCDHB defines ‘other ‘ to include European/Pākehā, non-Māori and non-Pacific.
26 Data supplied by the CCDHB 23 April 2020.
27 Ibid.
28 Upper and ENT respiratory infections.
18 Status Report 2020: Trends in the wellbeing of children and young people in PoriruaChildhood obesity
Maintaining a healthy weight in childhood and adolescence through to adulthood is important to health
and wellbeing.
Obesity is particularly concerning in children as it is associated with a wide range of health conditions and
increased risk of premature onset of illness such as Type 2 diabetes. It can also affect a child’s immediate
health, educational attainment and quality of life.29
In New Zealand health practitioners use the BMI (Body Mass Index) alongside other tools to calculate
whether a person’s body weight is in a healthy range.
The B4 School Check is a free health and development check for all 4-year-olds in New Zealand. As part of this
health check rates of obesity are calculated. Data from the B4 School Check is provided in Table 15 below.
Table 15: Obesity rates in 4 year olds by ethnicity in Porirua, CCDHB and New Zealand 2014/15–2018/1930
Porirua CCDHB New Zealand
100
80
All 60
% 40
20 14 8 9 15 8 9 12 8 11 12
6 6 7 7 7
0
2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19
100
80
NZ Māori 60
% 40
22
20 15 14 12 15 12 16 11 12 14 11 10 13 13 11
0
2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19
100
80
Pacific 60
% 40 29 24 26 23
22 23 24 22 20 22 21 17 24 21 17
20
0
2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19
100
80
Other 60
% 40
20
5 4 5 5 4 5 2 3 5 4 3 4 6 4 4
0
2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19
In 2018/19, 12% of four-year olds in Porirua were ethnicities rate although to a less degree than the
obese, and with Pacific children experience twice Pacific rate.
the overall rate (24%).
Rates have slowly decreased over the last five years
Pacific children are also over represented in the with decreases ranging between 1%-5%. The largest
Capital and Coast DHB area and nationally. decrease was experienced by Porirua Pacific four-
year olds, decreasing from a high of 29% in 2014-15 to
Rates are also higher for Māori four-year olds locally,
24% in 2018-19.
regionally and nationally, compared with the all
29 https://www.health.govt.nz/new-zealand-health-system/health-targets/about-health-targets/health-targets-raising-
healthy-kids
30 Data supplied by CCDHB 20 December 2019 based on Ministry of Health B4SC data.
19Self-harm
Self-harm is the direct, deliberate act of hurting or injuring your body, but without necessarily wanting to
die. It’s a way some people cope with intense or very difficult emotions, or overwhelming situations and life
events.31
Table 16: Number of hospital discharges for self-inflicted injuries in 15-24-year olds by gender in Porirua
2014–201832
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Male 6 5 8 8 8
Female 13 13 20 14 21
Total 19 18 28 22 29
While self-inflicted injury rates are relatively low (compared with other injuries) that rate for young women in
Porirua is trending upwards and remains 2–3 times higher than the rate for young males in Porirua. Nationally
the female rate is also three time as high as the rate for males in the 15–24-year age group.
Suicide
Suicide is a serious concern for New Zealand communities. Every year, around 500 New Zealanders die by
suicide, with many more attempting suicide. This has a tragic impact on the lives of many others – families,
whānau, friends and workmates, communities and society as a whole.33
New Zealand has the highest youth suicide rate of teenagers aged between 15 and 19 years of 41 OECD
countries at 15.6 suicides per 100,000 people.34
Table 17: Provisional suicide deaths in Porirua all ages 2014–1935
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Total
Porirua 3 5 9 6 9 3 35
Figures provided in Table 17 are provisional until an investigation into the circumstances of each death is
completed by the Chief Coroner for the Ministry of Justice. The data is not broken down by age or ethnicity.
The number of (provisional) deaths by suicide in Porirua has fluctuated over the last five years with a low of
three in 2014 and 2019 and two peaks of nine suicides in 2016 and 2018.
Nationally, for the year ending June 2018, 685 people died by suicide, an increase of 17 from the previous
year. In New Zealand there were increases in deaths by suicide for youth aged 15-19 years (53-73) and
s20-24 years.36
Thirty-five more young people nationally died by suicide in the year to June 2018 compared to the previous
year. There were also increases for Māori (all ages) (142-169) and Pacific people (all ages) (23-34) over this
period.37
Further information: coronialservices.justice.govt.nz/assets/Documents/Publications/Provisional-Figures-
August-2019.pdf
31 Definition provided by Mental Health NZ https://www.mentalhealth.org.nz/get-help/a-z/resource/49/selfharm
32 NZ Injury Query System, Injury Prevention Research Unit, Te Huka Rakahau Ārai Whara, University of Otago.
33 https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/mental-health-and-addictions/working-prevent-suicide
34 Unicef Innocenti Report Card 14, 2017:20.
35 Data provided by CCDHB 23 April 2020.
36 https://coronialservices.justice.govt.nz/assets/Documents/Publications/Media-Release-August-2020.pdf
37 Ibid.
20 Status Report 2020: Trends in the wellbeing of children and young people in PoriruaEmployment and unemployment
Not in Employment Training or Education (NEET)
The NEET rate measure the number of young people aged 15-24 years who are not in employment,
education or training as a percentage of the total youth working age population.
Education and skills training for young adults is critical to help set them up for working life. The NEET rate is
important because it shows decision makers how many young people may be left behind on the path to a
better job and a better life.38
It is important to monitor the unemployment rate of young people as they are more vulnerable than older
workers. The youth unemployment rate is always higher than the general unemployment rate because young
people have relatively less work experience and skills, and tend to occupy insecure positions within the labour
market.
Table 18: NEET rates for 15–24 year olds Porirua and New Zealand 2015-201939
Porirua New Zealand
As at September 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
Porirua 14.0% 15.1% 20.7% 17.2% 16.2%
New Zealand 11.4% 11.5% 12.1% 11.7% 12.1%
The NEET rate for young people in Porirua has fluctuated between 2015 and 2019, peaking at nearly 21% in
2017, falling by 4.5% to just over 16% in 2019.
The NEET rate for Porirua young people has been higher than the national rate over the last five years. The
disparity ranges between 2.6% in 2015 to 8.6% in 2017.
The national rate has been relatively static over the last five years at 11-12%.
Note: No data on ethnicity at a territorial authority level is available for NEET statistics.
38 https://www.stats.govt.nz/news/rates-of-young-men-and-women-not-earning-or-learning-converge
39 Porirua Economic Profile 2019, Infometrics – Employment/Unemployment.
21Youth and benefit reciept
It is important to reduce the number of young people in receipt of a benefit as much as possible, because life
options and outcomes are substantively worse the longer a young person recieves the benefit.
Table 19: Percentage and number of 18-24 year olds in receipt of a benefit 2015-2019
As at September 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
Per cent 19% 20% 18% 16% 17%
Number 811 888 744 706 738
There were 4,401 beneficaries in Porirua in September 2019 of which 17% were aged 18-24 years, slighly
higher than the national rate for young people at 15.5%. Overall beneficary numbers in Porirua were relatively
static over the last five years.
Note that beneficary numbers, particularly for the Jobseeker Support benefit are rising dramatically as a
result of the recessionary impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
As at May 2020 44,660 young people aged 18-24 years were recieving Jobseeker Support, an increase of
71% from May 2019 and an increase of 49% since February 202040.
Note: Jobseeker Support data for young people in Porirua was not available.
Engagement
Sharing your views to influence the decisions that will impact on you is important. One of the first formal
opportunities to do this is through local body and central government elections. Young people who are
registered at 18 years and vote in their first election are likely to stay voters throughout their lives. Voting is
one way that young people can stay connected and carve out a place for themselves in their communities
and nationally.
Voter enrolment
Table 20: Voter enrolment by young people Porirua and New Zealand41
Est. eligible Number % enrolled of eligible
18-24 years population enrolled population
Porirua 5,250 3,452 66%
New Zealand 464,730 277,939 60%
An estimated 5,250 young people are eligible to enroll to vote in local and national government elections
in Porirua. As at February 2020, 66% were enrolled to vote – 6% higher than their counterparts nationally.
However, the youth enrolment rate is relatively low with an overall rate of 89% for all ages.
40 https://www.msd.govt.nz/documents/about-msd-and-our-work/publications-resources/statistics/benefit/2020/monthly-
public-update/monthly-benefits-update-may-2020.pdf
41 https://elections.nz/stats-and-research/enrolment-statistics/enrolment-by-local-council/?name=all
22 Status Report 2020: Trends in the wellbeing of children and young people in PoriruaTable 21: Voter turnout local body elections 2013-2019 Porirua and New Zealand42
Voter turnout 2013 2016 2019
Porirua (all voters) 36.6% 38% 41.0%
NZ (all voters) 41.3% 42% 41.7%
Most people eligible to vote in local body elections do not actually vote. While rates have improved slightly
over the last three election cycles improvement is needed both locally and nationally.
Note: Neither the Electoral Commission or Porirua City Council were able to provide voter turnout data by age.
Engagement with children and young people
Table 22: Overall satisfaction with how well Council engages with children and young people43
2018 2019
58% 56%
In 2018 residents were asked for the first time about how well they think the Council engages with children
and young people with 58% satisfied.
Results were similar in 2019 with 56% of residents with an opinion rating their satisfaction as either good
(37%) or excellent (18%). Just over half of residents 53% felt they had sufficient knowledge to comment
signalling a need for greater promotion of Council’s youth engagement practices.
42 https://www.lgnz.co.nz/vote2019/voters/final-voter-turnout-2019/
43 Annual Resident Survey.
23Active recreation
Developing a love of play, active recreation and sport at an early age helps encourage life-long participation
and contributes to physical and mental health and general wellbeing.
Active transport to and from school
Active transport for children means the number of children aged between 5 and 14 years who walk, cycle or
use other non-motorised methods to get to school (such as scooters or skates).
For children, using active transport to and from school is an important way to get some physical activity each
day. With the high child obesity rate in New Zealand, this is a relatively easy way to increase physical activity
in children.44
Table 23: Children and active transport to and from school CCDHB and New Zealand 2013/14 – 2017/1845
Active Transport to and from school 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16 2016/17 2017/18
CCDHB 48.9% 51.4% 57.8% 65.5% 58.5%
New Zealand 44.6% 40.6% 45.8% 44.5% 43.8%
Greater numbers of children walk, bike or skate to school in the CCDHB area compared with children nationally.
While this decreased 7% between 2016/17 and 2017/18 it remains nearly 15% than the national rate.
Frequency of physical exercise
Table 24: Frequency of doing physical exercise 5+ times a week young people and all ages 2010–201846
Frequency of doing physical exercise
5+ times in the last week 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018
18-24 year olds 52% 40% 42% 49% 21%
All ages 52% 48% 47% 50% 35%
There has been a marked decline in the numbers of people exercising five or more times per week between
2010 and 2018, for all ages but particularly for young people.47 Only 21% of young people in 2018 were doing
enough physical activity to meet Ministry of Health guidelines.
The Active NZ Survey by Sport NZ in 2018 found that ‘fun’ is the primary motivation for participation in sport/
active recreation for young people aged 5-17 years and two-thirds wanted to increase their participation.
The primary motivation for adults is to improve physical wellbeing. Common barriers to sports participation
for young people included being too busy/other commitments and struggling with self-motivation. The latter
being the primary hurdle identified by Pacific young people.48
44 https://www.ehinz.ac.nz/indicators/transport/active-transport-to-and-from-school/
45 NZ Health Survey – 2017/18 data from https://www.ehinz.ac.nz/indicators/transport/active-transport-to-and-from-school/
and earlier data from https://minhealthnz.shinyapps.io/nz-health-survey-2014-17-regional-update/_w_926ee74c/#!/
compare-regions
46 Quality of Life Survey – two-yearly.
47 To be updated in the Quality of Life Survey 2021.
48 https://sportnz.org.nz/managing-sport/research-and-insights/active-nz/active-nz-survey-2018/
24 Status Report 2020: Trends in the wellbeing of children and young people in Porirua25
Housing
Living in a warm dry home that is not crowded is a key determinant of good health, especially for younger
and older people. Living in a home that is damp and cold can lead to respiratory illnesses. Asthma and
respiratory infections are the leading cause of hospital admissions for children aged under five years in
Porirua.49
Quality of Life survey questions related to housing were introduced in 2016, so trends data prior to 2016 is
unavailable.
Crowding
Crowding at home happens when there are too many people living in the home. When crowding occurs this
increases the risk of infectious diseases spreading and makes everyday life more challenging. Rental homes
are more likely to be crowded than private homes as they tend to be smaller. People in crowded homes have
lower incomes. Many households that are crowded are multigeneration with high numbers of young people.50
Statistics New Zealand uses the Canadian National Occupancy Standard which measures the number
of bedrooms based on the demographic composition of the household. A home is considered ‘severely
overcrowded’ if the people living there need at least two more bedrooms.
Table 25: Crowding by ethnicity Porirua and New Zealand (2018 Census)
Crowding Pākehā/European Māori Pacific All
Porirua 8.3% 23% 37% 15.4
New Zealand 5.7% 21% 38.5% 10.8
Homes in Porirua are more likely to be crowded than homes nationally. Pacific people are much more likely
to live in crowded homes than other ethnicities in Porirua and nationally – nearly 1 in 4 (Porirua) compared
with 1 in 9 in New Zealand. Over one fifth of Māori live in crowded homes in Porirua and nationally.
Problems with damp or mould
The 2018 Census introduced two new questions on dampness and mould in homes which enable us to
compare Porirua responses with national responses.
Table 26: Proportion of homes that are damp, Porirua and New Zealand (2018 Census)
Percentage of homes that are damp Always Sometimes Not damp
Porirua 4.7% 20.4% 74.9%
New Zealand 3.0% 18.5% 78.5%
Table 27: Proportion of homes that have mould, Porirua and New Zealand (2018 Census)
Percentage of homes where mould bigger
in total and A4 sheet of paper was visible Always Sometimes Not damp
Porirua 6.1% 14.5% 79.3%
New Zealand 4.3% 12.6% 83.1%
A quarter of Porirua homes (25%) are damp always or sometimes compared to 21.5% of homes nationally.
49 Includes asthma and wheezing, uppder and ENT respiratory infections.
50 Ethnicity and Crowding: a detailed examination of crowding among ethnic groups in NZ 1986-2006, Statistics NZ.
26 Status Report 2020: Trends in the wellbeing of children and young people in PoriruaOne fifth of Porirua homes (20.6%) have mould always or sometimes compared to 16.9% of homes nationally.
Census findings on mould and damp are similar to 2018 Quality of Life Survey findings. While most homes in
Porirua and New Zealand are free from damp and mould, mould and damp are issues for 20-25% of homes
and will be a contributory factor to poor health.
Waiting lists for social/public housing
The Ministry of Social Development (MSD) manages the Housing Register. The Housing Register records
the number of applicants assessed as eligible for social/public housing who are ready to be matched to a
suitable property. Numbers in Table 32 include Priority A – people considered at risk, that is, with a severe and
persistent housing need and Priority B – people who have a serious housing need.
Table 28: Waiting lists for social/public housing Porirua and New Zealand 2015-201951
Social Housing Register
as at 31 December 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
Porirua 68 79 165 221 277
New Zealand 3,476 4,771 6,182 10,712 14,869
Numbers of people waiting for social/public housing has increased substantially between 2015 and 2019
in Porirua and throughout New Zealand. Waiting lists have increased by 25% in Porirua and 39% nationally
between 2018 and 2019.
The greatest demand in Porirua as at December 2019 is for one or two-bedroom houses (228 out of 277
applicants). In Porirua 90% of applicants on the Housing Register are assessed as Priority A (the highest
priority), like the 86.5% nationally.52
More recent figures show 304 applicants from Porirua on the Housing Register as at March 2020; an increase
of 23% on the 247 applicants in March 2019.53
Note: Young people’s perceptions of the affordability of home heating and housing costs has been excluded
from the Housing section of this survey due to the deferment of the Quality of Life Survey to 2021.
51 https://www.msd.govt.nz/about-msd-and-our-work/publications-resources/statistics/housing/index.
html#DownloadthelatestnumbersfortheHousingRegister3
52 https://www.msd.govt.nz/about-msd-and-our-work/publications-resources/statistics/housing/index.
html#LatestresultsndashDecember20191
53 Housing Register, MSD
27Safety
Feeling safe is important for health and wellbeing. In our various consultations with children and young
people safety is an issue that is often cited as a priority for them. We ask residents about their perceptions
of safety through our annual resident survey.
City safety and children
Table 29: Perceptions of Porirua safe place to live 2015–201954
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
Porirua a safe place to live mostly/definitely 96% 91% 89% 89% 83%
While nearly eight out of ten residents perceive Porirua to be a safe place to live, this proportion has been
trending down over the last five years.
Table 30: Perceptions of Porirua as a safe place for children 2016-1955
2016 2017 2018 2019
Porirua is a safe place for children aged 80% 79% 74% 74%
under 14 years to play unsupervised
Nearly three quarters of residents agree that Porirua is a safe place for children aged under 14 years. This
figure remained unchanged between 2018 and 2019 although has declined from a peak of 80% in 2016
when the question was first introduced.
Injuries – unintentional and intentional
Table 31: Children and young people discharged from hospital with unintentional non-fatal injuries
2014-201856
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
0-9 years 92 84 104 110 99
10-19 years 98 86 88 91 99
20-24 years 55 46 55 52 53
Total under 25 years 245 216 247 253 251
Numbers of children and young people discharged from hospital for unintentional injuries in Porirua have
fluctuated modestly over the last five years and are evenly spread across age groups.
54 Annual Resident Survey, 2019.
55 Annual Resident Survey.
56 NZ Injury Query System, Injury Prevention Research Unit, University of Otago https://psm-dm.otago.ac.nz/niqs/
28 Status Report 2020: Trends in the wellbeing of children and young people in PoriruaTable 32: Children and young people discharged from hospital with self-inflicted non-fatal injuries
2014-201857
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
0-9 years 0 0 0 0 1
10-19 years 9 14 17 18 20
20-24 years 11 7 12 11 15
Total under 25 years 20 21 29 29 35
Young people aged 10-19 years are more likely to be hospitalised for self-inflicted injuries than their younger
or older counterparts.
Numbers have been trending upwards for both 10-19-year olds and for those aged 20-24 years.
Numbers of hospitalisations of 10-19-year olds, while relatively small, have doubled between 2014 and 2018
with the older group experiencing a smaller increase.
Substantiated findings of abuse
A finding of abuse or neglect is made after an investigation or assessment is completed by Oranga Tamariki
(formerly known as Child, Youth and Family) and abuse or neglect is substantiated. Abuse includes emotional,
physical and sexual abuse as well as neglect.
Table 33: Number of children with a finding of substantiated abuse – Porirua Site Office Oranga Tamariki58
(counted once in the period) 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
Porirua 167 178 213 249 203
New Zealand 13,833 13,598 12,117 11,662 13,018
The number of children with substantiated findings of abuse by Oranga Tamariki in Porirua has increased by
21.5% in the five years ending June 2019. Nationally findings of abuse reduced by 6% during the same period.
In Porirua findings of substantiated abuse by Oranga Tamariki peaked at 249 in 2018 decreasing to 203
in 2019.
Notes: Table 33 provides data for the five years for the year ending 30 June 2019. This data differs from
the data provided in the 2019 status report as it excludes data from the Kāpiti subset.
57 Ibid.
58 Provided by Oranga Tamariki via OIA request 11 May 2020.
2930 Status Report 2020: Trends in the wellbeing of children and young people in Porirua
31
COPYRIGHT © You are free to copy, distribute and adapt the work, as long as you attribute the work to Porirua City Council. Published in July 2020. Porirua City Council 16 Cobham Court PO Box 50218 Porirua 5240 This document is available on our website poriruacity.govt.nz
You can also read
