Healthy Homes

A safe and healthy home for every child

Every child has the right to a standard of living adequate for their physical, mental, spiritual, moral and social development.

The current situation

Inadequate housing means many kiwi kids are struggling with preventable illnesses instead of getting the chance to thrive.

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Counting the costs

Over 40,000 New Zealand children are admitted to hospital every year due to income poverty and inadequate housing, and the cost of this hospitalisation to the tax system is around $1,500 per patient, per day.

This is largely because of a lack of regulation around acceptable housing standards.UNICEF NZ is calling on the Government to introduce and enforce a WOF for housing and Provide subsidies to get private housing rentals up to a healthy standard

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Kids need healthy homes

Not all children in Aotearoa have access to a healthy, warm home. Too often, too many of our children are going to sleep in homes that are likely to make them sick. They may be damp, cold, or overcrowded.

Without insulation in these homes, our poorest children aren't getting a fair start at life. Children are living in houses filled with viral pathogens and bacteria, and are being crippled by sickness such as rheumatic fever, skin infections and respiratory illnesses. In the 2018 census there were 282,228 children in Aotearoa who lived in damp housing and 237,543 in housing with mould*.

* According to the 2020 Technical Report from the Child Poverty Monitor

From homeless to a record deal

Less than a year ago Mitch James was busking for a living in Europe, but he was also homeless and living on the streets.

Huge success

Now, the 21-year-old Kiwi singer-songwriter is riding high in the charts with his hit Move On. He's signed with Sony records and is using his experience in Europe and New Zealand as inspiration for his music.

Learn more