Baby Wanted For 21 Year Study

Pregnant women on Waiheke are being invited to add their newborns to a once in a generation study led by the University of Auckland, along the lines of the UK television programme Child of our Time.

Growing Up in New Zealand is an opportunity for pregnant women and their partners to play a decisive role in improving the lives of New Zealand children, according to its project communications manager Bernadette Cornor.

The 21-year research project aims to better understand the influences on children that lead to how they grow up, and how early experiences influence a child ’s education, employment and social interactions.

And as nothing like it has been undertaken since the 1970 ’s, it should reveal how much New Zealand has changed since then, says Corner.

The project is recruiting pregnant women and their partners now, so their babies can be included from before birth right through to adulthood.

And to accurately reflect the diverse nature of New Zealand ’s population, pregnant women are being sought from every age group, community, professional group and ethnic background.

"To protect the privacy of participants, confidentiality is guaranteed and no research finding will be linked to any of the participants," says Corner. "All that is required of participants is a one and a half hour chat with researchers every 12 to 18 months." The Growing Up in New Zealand team is recruiting 7,800 mothers for the project from an area south of Auckland ’s Harbour Bridge, down to the Waikato and across to Thames, including Waiheke and other gulf islands.

Interested women due to have babies between Anzac Day and Christmas Day this year (25 April - 25 December 2009), are invited to call freephone 0508 476946 or visit the website www. growingup.co.nz.

Waiheke Marketplace