Children's Commissioner Andrew Becroft is calling for an index-linked system of benefits for families with children similar to that for pensioners.

He told The Nation programme today that people aged over 65 years are, on most measures, six times better off than under-18-year-olds, largely because of an index-linked government superannuation scheme.

"Yes, the logic to me is inescapable - we should have an index-linked system of benefits for our children."

Mr Becroft said he sees "pockets of good work" to tackle child poverty.

"But we lack, as a country, a coherent, nationwide policy for improving the prospects of our most disadvantaged 100,000 Kiwi kids."

He wouldn't be drawn on what method for indexation should be used.

"I mean, it doesn't say much about our country, does it, if we're prepared to do it for adults, but we're not prepared to do it for children."

He said he most New Zealanders did not know how bad the problem of child poverty was in their country.

"If we want a country that's really progressing and developing, where children thrive and flourish and become, as much as possible, functioning, mature adults. We've got to do better for that really hard core group of children."