New data from NZ's largest ongoing cohort study - the Growing Up in New Zealand longitudinal study - shows social connections and caring teachers are top of the list for 13-year-olds when talking about school life. They particularly want time and space to develop meaningful social connections with their peers. Bullying remains a major concern, but kids are well aware of the bullying risks on platforms like social media. The research was done with an app co-designed with 13-year-olds that the children could use to write, record audio or video responses to how their school life was going. The research is done through the Our Voices programme, which is an offshoot attached to the wider longitudinal study. Dr Emma Marks, an Auckland University research fellow in social and community health, talks to Kathryn.

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