# Sole parent balancing preschool care and paid work

NZ Election 2026 · Edition 8 · 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/8#situations)

| Measure | Value |
| --- | --- |
| questions written for them | 6 |
| answers collected | 23 |
| 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/8/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/8/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/8/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/8/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/8/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/8/questions/e08483a1-ce6a-46d5-9f91-77b5c4d2b803.md)

## Which parties appeared in the answers

The figures count names in the 23 answers recorded for this situation. Naming a party does not mean recommending it.

| Party | Answers | Total |
| --- | --- | --- |
| National | 23 | 23 |
| Labour | 23 | 23 |
| Greens | 23 | 23 |
| ACT | 18 | 23 |
| NZ First | 11 | 23 |
| Te Pāti Māori | 13 | 23 |
| TOP | 8 | 23 |

## Party names across this voter’s topics

Compare the parties named in answers about this voter’s main concerns. The table compares 23 answers from each edition.

The coloured bars show whether statements about a party were positive, neutral, negative or mixed. 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 | 26 | 15 | 4 | 2 |
| Education and childcare | Labour | 8 | 8 | 27 | 24 | 1 | 2 |
| Education and childcare | Greens | 8 | 8 | 26 | 19 | 2 | 1 |
| Education and childcare | ACT | 8 | 8 | 10 | 15 | 5 | 2 |
| Education and childcare | NZ First | 4 | 8 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 5 |
| Education and childcare | Te Pāti Māori | 2 | 8 | 2 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Education and childcare | TOP | 2 | 8 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 3 |

| Topic | Party | Answers naming the party | Collected answers | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Poverty and welfare | National | 4 | 4 | 7 | 12 | 1 | 1 |
| Poverty and welfare | Labour | 4 | 4 | 17 | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| Poverty and welfare | Greens | 4 | 4 | 18 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Poverty and welfare | ACT | 4 | 4 | 3 | 12 | 0 | 1 |
| Poverty and welfare | NZ First | 2 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| Poverty and welfare | Te Pāti Māori | 3 | 4 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Poverty and welfare | TOP | 2 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 |

| Topic | Party | Answers naming the party | Collected answers | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Housing | National | 4 | 4 | 7 | 12 | 4 | 0 |
| Housing | Labour | 4 | 4 | 7 | 25 | 1 | 0 |
| Housing | Greens | 4 | 4 | 5 | 20 | 0 | 0 |
| Housing | ACT | 2 | 4 | 2 | 9 | 1 | 1 |
| Housing | NZ First | 2 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| Housing | Te Pāti Māori | 3 | 4 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| Housing | TOP | 1 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 |

| Topic | Party | Answers naming the party | Collected answers | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Cost of living | National | 3 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Cost of living | Labour | 3 | 3 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Cost of living | Greens | 3 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Cost of living | ACT | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cost of living | NZ First | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Cost of living | Te Pāti Māori | 2 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Cost of living | TOP | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

| Topic | Party | Answers naming the party | Collected answers | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Healthcare | National | 4 | 4 | 15 | 14 | 3 | 0 |
| Healthcare | Labour | 4 | 4 | 34 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Healthcare | Greens | 4 | 4 | 30 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| Healthcare | ACT | 4 | 4 | 14 | 10 | 4 | 0 |
| Healthcare | NZ First | 2 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 2 |
| Healthcare | Te Pāti Māori | 3 | 4 | 25 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Healthcare | TOP | 2 | 4 | 7 | 6 | 2 | 1 |

## How Gemini’s answer changed

The sole-parent answer named FamilyBoost and explained that a parent must pay childcare fees before claiming money back. It gave the Greens a separate discussion of funding childcare providers and no longer named Te Pāti Māori.

The upfront cost was clearer, but the answer still did not work out what this parent could claim. Both answers explained how losing assistance can offset extra wages when working hours increase.

Gemini: “* **Impact for a Part-Time Working Sole Parent:** While they lean towards general cost relief and keeping taxes low so you keep more of what you earn, they rely heavily on the existing targeted **WINZ Childcare Subsidy** and standard ECE subsidies to support low-to-middle-income working parents, which requires navigating income thresholds.”

[Read the answer](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/7/questions/2e824af6-f538-4ffb-9e32-d311b6412793.md) · Answer ID: 43149024-e191-46c2-a9fe-af53589330cd

Gemini: “However, critics point out that tax rebates require you to pay fees upfront and claim them back, which can strain cash flow for sole parents renting and working part-time.”

[Read the answer](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/8/questions/2e824af6-f538-4ffb-9e32-d311b6412793.md) · Answer ID: 722c9865-b3ec-489c-af78-e381c9a208ef

## Websites cited in these answers

Compare the websites cited in answers for this voter situation. Choose a topic to see its sources.

### ChatGPT

| Website | Answers with this website recorded |
| --- | --- |
| labour.org.nz | 4 |
| national.org.nz | 4 |
| workandincome.govt.nz | 4 |
| ccsdisabilityaction.org.nz | 3 |
| ird.govt.nz | 3 |
| policy.nz | 3 |
| ncwnz.org.nz | 2 |
| oece.nz | 2 |
| undecided.nz | 2 |
| act.org.nz | 1 |

### Gemini

| Website | Answers with this website recorded |
| --- | --- |
| ccsdisabilityaction.org.nz | 5 |
| labour.org.nz | 2 |
| national.org.nz | 2 |
| 1news.co.nz | 1 |
| bdo.nz | 1 |
| buildara.nz | 1 |
| fullstackproperty.co.nz | 1 |
| msd.govt.nz | 1 |
| nzmj.org.nz | 1 |
| nzvotecheck.com | 1 |

### Google AI Mode

| Website | Answers with this website recorded |
| --- | --- |
| labour.org.nz | 3 |
| national.org.nz | 3 |
| oece.nz | 2 |
| policy.nz | 2 |
| greens.org.nz | 1 |
| interest.co.nz | 1 |
| nzherald.co.nz | 1 |
| rnz.co.nz | 1 |

### AI Overviews

| Website | Answers with this website recorded |
| --- | --- |
| facebook.com | 6 |
| theparentcircle.com | 6 |
| nzherald.co.nz | 5 |
| national.org.nz | 4 |
| oece.nz | 4 |
| rnz.co.nz | 4 |
| anzasw.nz | 3 |
| policy.nz | 3 |
| youtube.com | 3 |
| greens.org.nz | 2 |

Each website counts once per answer. The comparison covers 23 answers from each edition; 23 of this edition’s answers included citations. Other includes websites we have not yet classified.

[Previous: Working household under mortgage pressure](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/8/voters/s05)

[Next: Parent seeking learning support at school](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/8/voters/s07)