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February 20, 2026
Dr Claire Achmad: Rising Distress Among Tamariki a National Warning Sign, Says Children’s Commissioner
Matthew Tukaki
Posted On February 20, 2026
Download AudioThe Children’s Commissioner, Dr Claire Achmad, says a surge in young people contacting mental-health helplines is a clear signal that tamariki and rangatahi across Aotearoa are under growing pressure.
Demand for support is increasing among some of the youngest members of society, with more primary-aged children reaching out in moments of distress. The Commissioner says this pattern reflects broader pressures facing children, including anxiety about school performance, online harm, bullying, family stress, housing insecurity, and the ongoing effects of economic hardship.
Frontline services are reporting that children are not only presenting earlier, but often with more complex needs. Many are navigating social media exposure at younger ages, while also feeling the weight of academic expectations and uncertainty about the future. For some, the pressures are compounded by poverty, overcrowded housing, or exposure to family violence.
While helplines play a critical role in crisis response, the Commissioner has indicated they are only one part of a much larger system that remains under strain. Helplines provide immediate emotional support, but they cannot replace sustained therapeutic intervention, early prevention programmes, or consistent wrap-around services for whānau.
Advocates argue that gaps remain in timely access to child psychologists, school counsellors, and kaupapa-based services, particularly in rural and low-income communities. Waitlists for specialist support can stretch for months, leaving families reliant on crisis lines as a stopgap rather than a long-term solution.
There is also growing recognition that mental wellbeing cannot be separated from cultural identity and belonging. Māori child and adolescent psychiatrist Dr Hinemoa Elder has long emphasised the importance of indigenous models of care grounded in whakapapa, wairua, and collective wellbeing. She and others argue that strengthening Māori worldviews within the mental-health system is essential to ensuring tamariki Māori receive care that reflects who they are.
Community-based initiatives, marae-led programmes, school-based wellbeing hubs, and whānau-centred services are increasingly viewed as critical components of prevention. These approaches focus not only on crisis intervention, but on strengthening identity, connection, and resilience before young people reach breaking point.
Parents and caregivers, meanwhile, report feeling overwhelmed as they try to navigate a complex and often fragmented system. Experts say practical guidance for whānau is urgently needed – including clear pathways to services, culturally responsive parenting resources, digital-safety education, and accessible support networks that reduce stigma around seeking help.
The Commissioner maintains that the growing number of young voices reaching out for help should not be seen as a failure of children, but as a call to action for adults and institutions. The trend underscores the need for a coordinated national response that integrates health, education, housing, and community sectors to address the root causes of distress.
As tamariki and rangatahi continue to signal that they are struggling, the message from child-advocacy leaders is clear: listening is only the first step. The real challenge lies in building a system of care robust enough to ensure that no child’s cry for help goes unanswered.
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