Australian Research Alliance for Children & Youth

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ARACY Report Card on the Wellbeing of Young Australians

The ARACY Report Card presents a summary of the wellbeing of Australia's young people. It provides an international perspective and sets a baseline for future monitoring. The Report Card has eight domains on the health and wellbeing of young Australians.

- Material wellbeing
- Health and safety
- Education, training and employment
- Peer and family relationships
- Behaviours and risks
- Subjective wellbeing
- Participation
- Environment

Our report compares the Australian average, the Indigenous Australian average and international or OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) performance. It shows that, despite our economic prosperity, Australian children's wellbeing does not rate as highly as might be expected.

"Wake up Australia ... The future health and wellbeing of the country depends on all of us taking this very seriously."

Professor Fiona Stanley, AC, ARACY Board Chair

Download the ARACY Report Card (1Mb PDF)

Download the full Technical Report (1.7Mb PDF)

Snapshot of Report Card:

Australian children were 12 times as likely to live in a jobless household as those in Japan
Australia ranks 20th out of 27 nations for infant mortality. The infant mortality rate for Indigenous Australians is more than double the non-Indigenous rate
Teenage pregnancy rates for Indigenous young Australians are the highest in the OECD
Youth road deaths are 12 times higher than in Portugal, and Australia's Indigenous young people have a suicide rate second only to Finland
Participation in community activities by Australia's young people is strong

Watch "The Challenge"

Material Wellbeing

This domain examines poverty and deprivation. For all indicators in this area, Australia finished worse than the best international result. Indigenous Australians have a higher rate of reported deprivation than the rate for the total Australian population.

Health & Safety

The health and safety of children is a strong indicator of the value a society places on children - and Australia's results compare unfavourably internationally. Indigenous Australians have a rate of death from self-harm second only to Finland.

Education, Training & Employment

Education has a strong influence on the future outcomes of children and young people and Australia fairs well in terms of literacy and numeracy skills. But numbers show too many young Australians are in neither work nor study.

Indicators include:
	School achievement
	Transition to employment

Peer & Family Relationships

Healthy relationships with families and peers help children to develop strong social skills, resilience and self-esteem. The biggest at risk population is 15-year-olds, whose sense of belonging rating is one of the lowest in the world.

Indicators include:
	Family relationships
	Sense of belonging

Behaviours & Risks

For indicators relating to cigarette smoking and teenage fertility, Australia does not fare well. Compared to children from many other OECD countries, young Australians are more likely to misuse alcohol, use illicit drugs, and die in road accidents.

Subjective Wellbeing

Subjective wellbeing is how children and young people feel about themselves and their health. It is an indication of their personal resources. Australian children and young people rank fourth from 15 measured nations.

Participation

Participation in civic activities provides opportunities for the development of new skills, build community networks and allows expression of opinions. Australia's children and young people are active in the community.

Environment

Australia has the third worst level of greenhouse gas emissions from 30 OECD countries analysed. Environmental degradation affects health and has socioeconomic impact. Research shows climate change is causing high levels of anxiety amongst young people.