Kia ora and welcome to The Couch – the Families Commission's online panel. We want to know what you think about the issues facing New Zealand families.


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What is The Couch?

The Couch is an easy way for you to tell us what you think about issues relating to family life. Knowing what you think will help us advocate for improved policies and services for families. Find out more

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Encourage your friends, family and whānau to join The Couch. Send them a link to this website so they too can have their say on the issues facing Kiwi families.

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Out and about with The Couch

Sole parent Mike Adams and his sons Jamie and Jordon show their support for The Couch at Wellington's Oriental Bay. Over 3,000 people have now joined up.

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Parenting Teenagers results

As well as growing up physically, the teenage years are about becoming an individual — an independent adult. It can be a difficult time for parents but it’s an important time. We wanted to find out your thoughts, experiences, trials and successes that you’ve had helping teenagers prepare for their adult life.

What best describes your relationship to teenagers in your family?
  • I am a parent [207]
  • I am a grandparent [18]
  • I am an aunt/uncle [22]
  • I am a step-parent [12]
  • I am a sibling [4]
  • Other [9]

Almost four out of five people who answered the poll were the parents to a teenager. The remaining were a mixture of grandparents, uncles/aunts, or step-parents, siblings, a youth leader, a teacher and one had a teenage boarder in the family.

View the full results report

Latest poll

Watch this space!

We're working on our next poll. We'll email Couch members when it's available.

Latest questionnaire

Violence in the media

Children today are surrounded by media. A recent Broadcasting Standards Authority report showed 99% of children (six to 13) watch TV programmes, 84% play computer or video games, 62% use the internet and 42% use a cellphone.

Question one

How concerned are you with the amount of violence that is portrayed in the media (by media, we mean anything on television, internet sites, computer or console games and movies)?

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