Could a focus on participation contribute to addressing child poverty in New Zealand? An occupational therapy perspective

Abstract

What may be missing from the ‘child poverty discourse’ in New Zealand is the potential that a focus on participation could bring to creating sustainable solutions to addressing child poverty and improving health and wellbeing for children living in poverty. While numerous solutions abound, this paper seeks to explore and articulate the potential of a participation focus, principally through exploration of child poverty as a social justice issue and the concept of participation from a range of perspectives. The paper posits that a focus on participation might bring another useful contribution to improving the health and wellbeing of New Zealand children living in poverty.