Like many countries, New Zealand has experienced a significant increase in family breakdown since the 1960s. Patricia Morgan finds that the family in New Zealand is now in a worse state than almost anywhere else. This study documents family policy changes since the 1960s and their impact on New Zealand families, and calls for greater support for policies which signal that family stability is important for children and society as a whole.

Patricia Morgan is a sociologist specialising in criminology and family policy. She is a senior research fellow at London-based Civitas: the Institute for the Study of Civil Society.