Youth
Meet the Rotorua teenager squashing the competition
Animaia Payne has won major squash titles including the Oceania Junior Championships, the New Zealand Juniors, and a gold medal at the Aims Games. Audio
Puppet master: how do you make a fake shark realistic?
Across the March and April school holidays, a theatre production called 'Swimming with Sharks' will be running at the Auckland War Memorial Museum. The show is a collaboration with renowned puppet… Audio
Oldest student magazine sliced down to size
Former Critic editor and current senior writer for The Spinoff Joel MacManus joins Emile Donovan to discuss. Audio
Amnesty backs select committee on social media rules for U16s
A select committee has released its report after an inquiry into social media harm for young people. Audio
Second OT boot camp will see teens stay longer
Oranga Tamariki's second boot camp, which starts next week, will be longer in the lock-up phase and have more staff.
Survivor 'angry and saddened' as number of young people abused in care increases
A man who was abused in state care himself says he's "angry and saddened" that the number of victims continues to increase, despite a royal comission inquiry.
Auckland community leader tired of telling govt how to combat youth offending
A new Ministry of Justice report has shown that Pacific youngsters before the Youth Court are more likely to be remanded into custody than others.
Youth offending down, according to justice ministry report
Police have taken action against fewer youth, including fewer cases involving young people and serious offending, but more involving children and serious offending, new figures show.
Children living in material hardship reaches 10 year high
Child poverty groups are frustrated the number of children living in material hardship has reached a 10 year high. Isaac Gunson, Campaign and Communications Manager for the Child Poverty Action Group… Audio
Teaching Council's penalties for dodgy teachers too light, review finds
The review also recommended the council investigate whether schools are failing to report incompetent teachers.
Coroner calls response to child abuse a ‘national disgrace’
A coroner's report into the death of five-year-old Malachi Subecz describes New Zealand's response to child abuse "a national disgrace". Paediatrician Dr Patrick Kelly is an expert in child protection… Audio
More than 700 Education Ministry staff to try win back lost pay
The staff had 10 percent of their pay deducted after a partial strike last year.
Do teens need to learn to type for online exams?
Should primary and intermediate schools teach children to type so they are ready for online exams at high school? Audio
Can NZ set its own path with laws against online harm?
Comment - Online harm, including exposure to illegal material, sexualised deepfakes, harassment and bullying, is a pressing problem. NZ can now cautiously follow laws introduced overseas, or develop…
Charity may be forced to turn families away over high demand
The organiser of the Wellington charity supplying school stationery to families in need says they may be forced to turn people away. Audio
Schools should lower uniform costs, School Boards Association says
It comes after more than 38,000 hardship payments were granted to help parents with school expenses in 2025. Audio
Health NZ says youth mental health services have improved since teen's death
Maddie Hall, 16, died in March 2023, despite dozens of clinician checks and 40 suicide attempts over the previous three years.
App developer creating help for rangatahi with mental distress
Kunal Gupta is a researcher at Waipapa Taumata Rau Auckland Bioengineering Institute and he's developing an app he thinks will help rangatahi with mental health struggles Audio
Young New Zealanders say the system is broken and they feel powerless to fix it
Susana Lei'ataua talks to Outward Bound CEO Malindi MacLean. Audio
Playing Tetris with an ever-growing prison population
The record number of prisoners are bouncing between facilities around the country, stretching court resources and rehabilitation programmes Audio
