Data gaps
The Child Development Council is advocating for the following measures to be captured by State authorities in their periodic monitoring.
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Wellbeing
| Measure | Rationale |
|
Proportion of children and young people feeling connected to adults in their home |
These are critical measures because children and young people need care and support from adults at home, at school, and in their communities. Positive relationships help them feel connected, build resilience, reduce engagement in risky behaviours, and prepare for a successful transition into adulthood. |
|
Proportion of children and young people feeling connected to adults in their community |
Health
No data gaps in the Health dimension.
Safety
| Measure | Rationale |
| Proportion of children and young people living in households with financial hardship | Housing costs are usually the largest and least flexible item in a family budget.High housing costs can adversely affect child wellbeing through the experienceof financial or material hardship; impact on parental wellbeing, family stress andthe quality, size and type of housing a family can afford. |
| Proportion of children and young people experiencing homelessness | A child’s access to stable, adequate shelter is recognised as a basic humanright. Having adequate housing enables children, young people and families toengage with the wider community – socially, recreationally, and economically,and can influence their physical and mental health. |
| Proportion of deaths of children and young people being attributed to preventable/unintentional injury | Injuries are a major cause of premature death in children and young peopleespecially after 12 months of age. Deaths of children and young people as aresult of injury are preventable and can be effectively reduced through theimplementation of prevention strategies. Strategies for preventing childhoodinjury include child-resistant containers, seatbelts and fencing around pools. |
| Proportion of children and young people reporting experiences of online harm | Given the significant risks associated with online harm, including child sexual abuse and peer-to-peer cyber abuse, it is critical to track these experiences. Monitoring this data helps identify trends, inform targeted interventions, and support the safety and wellbeing of children and young people, particularly those in vulnerable groups such as LGBTIQA+ and CALD communities. |
| Proportion of children and young people feeling unsafe in their local area at night |
Children and young people feeling safe in their neighbourhood is important formental health and overall wellbeing. Factors that can contribute to a child or youngperson’s perception of neighbourhood safety include: |
Education
| Measure | Rationale |
|
Proportion of children attending playgroups before entering full-time school |
For optimum development, young children need a stimulating environment to play and learn. Playgroups offer babies, toddlers and young children a wide variety of early learning experiences. Playgroups offer great ways for children to learn about the world, develop language, make friends and develop social skills. Playgroups are informal and give mums, dads, grandparents, carers, children and babies an opportunity to share ideas and experiences, and to connect the family to education. |
Preparing for adulthood
No data gaps in Preparing for adulthood dimension.