# Sole parent balancing preschool care and paid work

NZ Election 2026 · Edition 6 · Voter situations · S06

I'm a sole parent with a preschool child, renting and working part time. Childcare costs and support rules affect how many hours I can take on.

[Back to the study](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/6#situations)

| Measure | Value |
| --- | --- |
| questions written for them | 6 |
| answers collected | 24 |
| AI assistants | 4 |
| asked nationally | NZ |

## What this voter asked

### Question 29: Education and childcare

I'm a sole parent with a preschool child, renting and working part time. Childcare costs and support rules affect how many hours I can take on. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. How do parties compare on childcare availability, fees and support for parents who want to work?

[Read the captured answers](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/6/questions/2e824af6-f538-4ffb-9e32-d311b6412793.md)

### Question 30: Poverty and welfare

I'm a sole parent with a preschool child, renting and working part time. Childcare costs and support rules affect how many hours I can take on. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. What would party policies mean for a sole parent combining part-time work with income support?

[Read the captured answers](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/6/questions/7e40a67f-2d67-457b-acdf-80fc7bdeb4ef.md)

### Question 31: Housing

I'm a sole parent with a preschool child, renting and working part time. Childcare costs and support rules affect how many hours I can take on. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. What do parties propose about secure rentals and help with housing costs for families on low incomes?

[Read the captured answers](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/6/questions/8a4c7479-0ce6-40f6-8bf2-f3f81244fd79.md)

### Question 32: Cost of living

I'm a sole parent with a preschool child, renting and working part time. Childcare costs and support rules affect how many hours I can take on. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. Which party policies could help with food, power and essentials for a sole-parent household, and who would qualify?

[Read the captured answers](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/6/questions/d340b84a-3ed1-42a0-8338-661ca8c1f2b5.md)

### Question 33: Healthcare

I'm a sole parent with a preschool child, renting and working part time. Childcare costs and support rules affect how many hours I can take on. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. What do parties propose about the cost and availability of healthcare for children and their parents?

[Read the captured answers](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/6/questions/279a91f8-ea0e-42a2-901b-72c361e98141.md)

### Question 34: Education and childcare

I'm a sole parent with a preschool child, renting and working part time. Childcare costs and support rules affect how many hours I can take on. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. I want to work more, but childcare has to be affordable. Which parties should I look at most closely, and why?

[Read the captured answers](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/6/questions/e08483a1-ce6a-46d5-9f91-77b5c4d2b803.md)

## Which parties appeared in the answers

The figures count names in the 24 answers recorded for this situation. Naming a party does not mean recommending it.

| Party | Answers | Total |
| --- | --- | --- |
| National | 24 | 24 |
| Labour | 24 | 24 |
| Greens | 24 | 24 |
| ACT | 20 | 24 |
| NZ First | 15 | 24 |
| Te Pāti Māori | 15 | 24 |
| TOP | 8 | 24 |

## Party names across this voter’s topics

Each row is one of this voter's topics. Each column is a party. The figure shows how often the party was named in the answers.

This table shows the answers recorded on 26 October. The coloured bars summarise how statements about each party were assessed; select a figure to read the extracts.

| Topic | Party | Answers naming the party | Collected answers | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Education and childcare | National | 8 | 8 | 18 | 22 | 4 | 2 |
| Education and childcare | Labour | 8 | 8 | 18 | 17 | 0 | 4 |
| Education and childcare | Greens | 8 | 8 | 31 | 19 | 1 | 1 |
| Education and childcare | ACT | 7 | 8 | 8 | 11 | 0 | 6 |
| Education and childcare | NZ First | 7 | 8 | 12 | 12 | 1 | 1 |
| Education and childcare | Te Pāti Māori | 5 | 8 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| Education and childcare | TOP | 2 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 |

| Topic | Party | Answers naming the party | Collected answers | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Poverty and welfare | National | 4 | 4 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 2 |
| Poverty and welfare | Labour | 4 | 4 | 16 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| Poverty and welfare | Greens | 4 | 4 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Poverty and welfare | ACT | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 2 |
| Poverty and welfare | NZ First | 2 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Poverty and welfare | Te Pāti Māori | 1 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Poverty and welfare | TOP | 2 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 |

| Topic | Party | Answers naming the party | Collected answers | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Housing | National | 4 | 4 | 11 | 13 | 11 | 2 |
| Housing | Labour | 4 | 4 | 13 | 13 | 1 | 0 |
| Housing | Greens | 4 | 4 | 17 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Housing | ACT | 4 | 4 | 6 | 12 | 3 | 0 |
| Housing | NZ First | 3 | 4 | 3 | 9 | 2 | 0 |
| Housing | Te Pāti Māori | 3 | 4 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Housing | TOP | 2 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 |

| Topic | Party | Answers naming the party | Collected answers | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Cost of living | National | 4 | 4 | 16 | 11 | 1 | 1 |
| Cost of living | Labour | 4 | 4 | 21 | 12 | 1 | 0 |
| Cost of living | Greens | 4 | 4 | 20 | 11 | 2 | 0 |
| Cost of living | ACT | 3 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Cost of living | NZ First | 1 | 4 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| Cost of living | Te Pāti Māori | 2 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Cost of living | TOP | 1 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

| Topic | Party | Answers naming the party | Collected answers | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Healthcare | National | 4 | 4 | 5 | 21 | 1 | 0 |
| Healthcare | Labour | 4 | 4 | 15 | 13 | 1 | 0 |
| Healthcare | Greens | 4 | 4 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 1 |
| Healthcare | ACT | 3 | 4 | 5 | 12 | 1 | 0 |
| Healthcare | NZ First | 2 | 4 | 3 | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| Healthcare | Te Pāti Māori | 4 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| Healthcare | TOP | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |

## How the main answer changed

The sole-parent answer stopped giving the earlier FamilyBoost rebate rate, but still used the outdated $180,000 income ceiling. It also gave less explanation of paying childcare costs upfront and receiving a rebate later.

The income ceiling is one of the statements we checked. Omitting the earlier rate did not correct the remaining error.

Gemini: “* **Childcare Support (FamilyBoost):** The National-led framework relies heavily on **FamilyBoost**, a targeted childcare tax rebate designed for families earning up to $180,000 per year.”

[Read the answer](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/5/questions/2e824af6-f538-4ffb-9e32-d311b6412793.md) · Answer ID: 2a40123b-1c94-4321-8997-ec06b6dc1023

Gemini: “* **Fees & Support:** National relies heavily on the **FamilyBoost** tax rebate, which provides eligible families (earning up to $180,000 per year) a partial rebate on ECE fees.”

[Read the answer](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/6/questions/2e824af6-f538-4ffb-9e32-d311b6412793.md) · Answer ID: ed5c0cd9-6306-4e94-aab9-4976dcf56818

## The sources behind these answers

The websites recorded with each assistant’s answers for this voter. Choose a topic to see its sources.

### ChatGPT

| Website | Answers with this website recorded |
| --- | --- |
| labour.org.nz | 6 |
| national.org.nz | 6 |
| greens.org.nz | 4 |
| workandincome.govt.nz | 3 |
| ird.govt.nz | 2 |
| map.workandincome.govt.nz | 2 |
| oece.nz | 2 |
| policy.nz | 2 |
| act.org.nz | 1 |
| action.greens.org.nz | 1 |

### Gemini

| Website | Answers with this website recorded |
| --- | --- |
| budget.govt.nz | 2 |
| capsulenz.com | 2 |
| msd.govt.nz | 2 |
| apex.org.nz | 1 |
| greens.org.nz | 1 |
| health.govt.nz | 1 |
| ird.govt.nz | 1 |
| labour.org.nz | 1 |
| nzmj.org.nz | 1 |
| policy.nz | 1 |

### Google AI Mode

| Website | Answers with this website recorded |
| --- | --- |
| labour.org.nz | 3 |
| nzherald.co.nz | 3 |
| policy.nz | 2 |
| act.org.nz | 1 |
| facebook.com | 1 |
| ird.govt.nz | 1 |
| justkidz.co.nz | 1 |
| national.org.nz | 1 |
| oece.nz | 1 |
| rnz.co.nz | 1 |

### AI Overviews

| Website | Answers with this website recorded |
| --- | --- |
| facebook.com | 5 |
| greens.org.nz | 5 |
| labour.org.nz | 4 |
| rnz.co.nz | 4 |
| workandincome.govt.nz | 4 |
| national.org.nz | 3 |
| oece.nz | 3 |
| stories.theconversation.com | 3 |
| youtube.com | 3 |
| anzasw.nz | 2 |

Sources count once per answer. Citations were recorded in 24 of this voter’s 24 answers. Visible links are counted separately. Other includes websites we have not yet classified.

[Previous: Working household under mortgage pressure](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/6/voters/s05)

[Next: Parent seeking learning support at school](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/6/voters/s07)