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| Longitudinal Study of Australian Children | |
|---|---|
| Name | Longitudinal Study of Australian Children |
| Country | Australia |
| Established | 2004 |
| Principal investigators | Australian Institute of Family Studies, Australian Bureau of Statistics |
| Cohorts | Birth Cohort, Kindergarten Cohort |
| Frequency | Biennial |
Longitudinal Study of Australian Children The Longitudinal Study of Australian Children is a multidisciplinary cohort study tracking child development, health, and wellbeing across Australia. It informs research linking outcomes with policy debates involving the Australian Institute of Family Studies, Australian Bureau of Statistics, Department of Social Services, and state governments. The study's data underpin analyses used by researchers at universities such as the University of Melbourne, University of Sydney, Australian National University, Monash University, and University of Queensland.
The study follows children and families to measure developmental trajectories in contexts influenced by institutions like Medicare, Centrelink, New South Wales Health, Victorian Department of Health, and Queensland Health. It collects data on parenting, schooling, disability services, and early intervention programs associated with organizations such as Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Royal Children’s Hospital, Telethon Kids Institute, and Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. Data linkage initiatives involve the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Australian Bureau of Statistics, National Disability Insurance Scheme, and state registries like Births Deaths and Marriages.
Initiated in the early 2000s with funding from the Australian Government through agencies like the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, the study was built on methodological precedents from international initiatives including the British Cohort Study, National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, Panel Study of Income Dynamics, and Growing Up in New Zealand. Development teams included collaborators from institutions such as Australian Institute of Family Studies, University of New South Wales, Curtin University, Flinders University, and La Trobe University. Major waves were implemented during political administrations including the Howard Government, Rudd Government, Gillard Government, and Abbott Government, with oversight from ethics bodies such as the Human Research Ethics Committee at the Australian National University and institutional review boards at participating universities.
The study employs longitudinal survey methods, direct assessments, and administrative data linkage, drawing on measurement tools endorsed by organisations such as the OECD, World Health Organization, Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority, and the Australian Early Development Census. Sampling frames were derived using the Medicare enrolment data, Australian Electoral Commission rolls for parents, and Australian Bureau of Statistics strata based on Statistical Area Level 2 and Statistical Area Level 4 classifications. Data collection modes include face-to-face interviews modeled on techniques from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia study and computer-assisted personal interviewing methods used by the Australian Bureau of Statistics and the United States National Center for Health Statistics.
Two primary cohorts were established: a Birth Cohort and a Kindergarten Cohort, recruited via birth records from state registries such as New South Wales Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages, Victorian Registry, Queensland Registry, South Australian Registry, Western Australian Registry, and Tasmanian Registry. Sampling strategies incorporated stratification by Indigenous status and remoteness categories per the Australian Statistical Geography Standard, engaging stakeholders such as the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission, National Indigenous Australians Agency, Remote Area Health Corps, and Royal Flying Doctor Service for outreach. Oversampling in jurisdictions such as New South Wales, Victoria, and Queensland enabled subnational analyses comparable to datasets from Statistics Canada, the United States Census Bureau, and the UK Office for National Statistics.
Findings published by researchers affiliated with institutions like the University of Western Australia, Deakin University, Griffith University, and the University of Adelaide address topics intersecting with policy instruments such as the National Health and Medical Research Council guidelines, Australian Early Development Census reports, and National Schools Reform accords. Peer-reviewed articles have appeared in journals associated with publishers like Elsevier, Wiley, Springer, and Taylor & Francis, with themes linked to child mental health measured against instruments from the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, pediatric growth standards from the WHO, and educational attainment benchmarks used by the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. Major monographs and briefing papers were commissioned by the Australian Institute of Family Studies, Productivity Commission, and the Mitchell Institute.
The study has been cited in policy documents from the Productivity Commission, Department of Education, Skills and Employment, National Cabinet deliberations, and the National Disability Insurance Scheme Review, influencing program design at organizations such as Headspace, Beyond Blue, Lifeline Australia, and SNAICC. Evidence from the cohort informed state-level initiatives in New South Wales Premier’s Council reports, Victorian Royal Commission submissions, Queensland Child Protection reforms, and federal budget briefs prepared for Treasurer and Prime Ministerial advisers. Collaborations with peak bodies including the Australian Medical Association, Australian Psychological Society, Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth, and the Council of Australian Governments facilitated translation into practice.
Critiques raised by scholars at institutions such as the Australian Human Rights Commission, Lowy Institute, The Conversation, and Victorian Legal Aid point to attrition bias, representativeness concerns relative to ABS benchmarks, and challenges in capturing episodic disadvantage comparable to longitudinal studies like the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study. Methodological limitations regarding administrative linkage permissions with agencies such as Services Australia, Centrelink, Medicare, and state child protection agencies have been noted, as have debates in academic forums hosted by the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia and the Australian Sociological Association about generalizability to subpopulations identified by the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation and multicultural peak bodies.
Category:Australian longitudinal studies