Under The Bridge marks the New Zealand Herald's first foray into long-form documentary making.

Kiwi parents are paying over $300 more for a school uniform than parents in the UK - prompting calls to overhaul our uniform rules.

Ruthless, reckless and surging rage: a mother details the struggle of looking after the severely autistic daughter she later killed.

Child poverty is a multi-headed beast, writes Rachel Smalley. She tells of a visit to the emergency department and an agitated mother waiting for help.

These are the high points from Labour and Greens' State of the Nation speeches this afternoon.

COMMENT: The epic scale of political conflict in the US risks making New Zealand's problems seem trivial, Liam Dann writes.

COMMENT: The only way to achieve high standard of early education will be through Govt restoring per-child subsidies to adequate levels.

COMMENT: Oxfam tells us that the world's richest eight people have as much money as its 3.6 billion poorest people. But what does it really mean?

His comments drew a sharp reaction from beggars in central Auckland yesterday.

Miller Patane's long lost sister "bawled her eyes out" when she saw her long lost brother's photo in the Herald after he was given food by newlyweds.

Barefoot and with his belongings in a bag, Miller was brought to tears by the kindness of a couple on their wedding day. Can you help us find him?

COMMENT: I reckon a little less spent on self, and more on others is the better Christmas spirit. Maybe that's a New Year resolution.

Steve Braunias looks back on a year of thinking dangerously.

COMMENT: Every family is divided into richer and poorer members simply because some people are luckier or more talented and hard-working than others.

Preschool children are heading to the Auckland City Mission to help out the people who need a bit of extra support this Christmas.

WATCH: Unitec preschool kids bring donations and some much-needed cheer to the Auckland City Mission.

WATCH: Families are facing a bleak Christmas in cramped motel rooms that are costing taxpayers thousands of dollars each week.

This week, the Herald and Herald Focus are profiling struggling families who have lined up for parcels or food at Auckland's City Mission.

Trisha, a mother-of-three has come to the Auckland City Mission to help ease the stress of Christmas this year.

Tristram visits the Auckland City Mission to learn about the 2016 child poverty monitor and it's shocking results. The Auckland City Mission are also handing out food and christmas gifts to those who need it. Children's commissioner Judge Andrew Becroft and Auckland City Missioner Chris Farrelly share their views on the findings.

Countdown, the Salvation Army and the NZ Dance Company are putting on a show, Trolley's. Creating awareness for the food rescue program which is helping kiwis in need, this festive season.

Annual monitor shows child poverty rates are stable but children's commissioner calls for a poverty reduction target to be set.

There's only a handful of suburbs left in all of Auckland where first home buyers can get a helping hand from the government.

Opetaia Siale won't be spending Christmas at home - he'll be cleaning Wellington's public toilets while his family forgo presents so they can afford a Christmas meal.

Tanya Quedley, 48, was sexually abused by her own father from age 9 or 10 until she ran away at 14.

Social issues reporter Simon Collins visited three communities to look for the root causes of that bad child abuse record. Second stop: Kaikohe. For as long as Destiny O'Brien can remember, her father has been in and out of jail.

COMMENT: While we score high in the indices for peace and transparency, our poverty and inequality gaps have grown.

New Zealand has the fourth-highest rate of child deaths from assault in the OECD. Simon Collins visited three communities to look for the root causes of that bad child abuse record. First: Flaxmere.

NZ has the fourth-highest rate of child deaths from assault in the OECD. Simon Collins visited three communities to look for the root causes.

Filipino president Rodrigo Duterte has ordered a banquet lunch be delivered to his Auckland hotel ahead of his expected departure later today.