inequality and poverty have increased, rising housing costs have hit the poor hardest and the rate of improvement in many health outcomes has been slower for disadvantaged groups than for others. The survey noted:61 Of particular concern are those New Zealanders who face persistently low incomes, material hardship and poor long-term outcomes across a range of dimensions. While Māori and Pasifika are less than a quarter of the population, they are significantly over-represented in these groups. 66. Compounding vulnerabilities and intense material hardship, for example, single parents with disabled children significantly impacts on outcomes for women and girls across a range of indicators. 67. The number of children in New Zealand who live in poor households and face material deprivation remains unacceptably high for a developed nation. The correlation between household income poverty, poor quality housing and poor child health outcomes, including hospitalisation and mortality rates, is extremely concerning. It is further compounded by ethnic disparities, with disproportionate numbers of Māori and Pacific children living in households with incomes below the relative income poverty line. Family status has a significant bearing on outcomes amongst these groups. 68. SUPERU has found that solo parents (72% of whom are women) are 70 times more likely to be socially deprived.62 In 2015 46% of children aged 6+ from sole parent families were in hardship compared to 17% from two parent families.63 Similarly a greater percentage of children in families with more than 4 children were identified as being in hardship – 35% of children aged 6+ in households with more than 4 children were identified as being in hardship compared to 22% in one child households.64 69. Likewise, disabled children are more likely to live in low-income households and in socioeconomically deprived areas than non-disabled children.65 HOUSING 70. Housing is a key determinant of health, educational and social outcomes. Significant concerns remain about the availability of adequate housing. There is a serious undersupply of social housing and the quality of some, largely private, rental properties remains poor – with many of New Zealand’s most vulnerable children living in overcrowded, cold, damp and mouldy houses. 61 OECD, Economic Surveys: New Zealand 2015 (June 2015) http://www.keepeek.com/Digital-AssetManagement/oecd/economics/oecd-economic-surveys-new-zealand-2015_eco_surveys-nzl-2015en#.WXVRxIiGOUk# page41 62 Social Policy Evaluation and Research Unit, 2016 Families and Whanau Status Report, p 33 accessed http://www.superu.govt.nz/sites/default/files/F%26W%20Status%20Report%202016_0.pdf; http://www.nzchildren.co.nz/ 63 http://www.nzchildren.co.nz 64 Ibid.. 65 Expert Advisory Group on Solutions to Child Poverty, Solutions to Child Poverty in New Zealand: Evidence for Action, p 2, http://www.occ.org.nz/assets/Uploads/EAG/Final-report/Final-report-Solutions-to-child-povertyevidence-for-action.pdf 14