Are the kids alright? Young Australians in their middle years : Final summary report of the Australian Child Wellbeing Project

Compared with the early years and adolescence, young people in their middle years (ages 8-14 years) have received relatively little attention from policymakers other than in the space of academic achievement, where national curriculums have been developed, and a national testing regime is in place. Yet there is growing recognition that this is a critical time when young people experience rapid physical and mental development, in addition to facing a significant transition from primary to secondary school. The Australian Child Wellbeing Project (ACWP) asked young people about their lives and wellbeing during this crucial period. Wellbeing can be seen as comprising a broad range of objective circumstances that young people experience, social relationships that they engage in, and their perceptions of these circumstances and relationships. This summary report focuses on four factors that have emerged as important influences on young people’s wellbeing: hunger and severe deprivation, missing school, experience of pressure from schoolwork, and support networks that protect young people’s wellbeing.