Manatū Wāhine Ministry for Women interviewed 40 mothers in Whāngarei, South Auckland and Gisborne, to hear in their own words, their experiences of being on a benefit and of the social services they accessed both during pregnancy and with young children. These interviews focused on nutrition, stress levels, parenting skills and the physical environment.
At the same time, the Ministry conducted a literature review considering Aotearoa New Zealand and international literature on the experiences of younger mothers, their perceptions of the issues they face as well as their views on what would work best to improve their situation.