This is the third release of the Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth (ARACY) Report Card, updating previous editions released in 2013 and 2008. It uses the latest available data, from a range of sources across a range of indicators. Where possible the report card includes comparisons using similar indicators for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population as well as international comparisons.

Among the key findings:

• Australia leads the developed world in low youth smoking rates, the amount of time parents spend with their children daily and average life expectancy at birth
• Rates of alcohol abuse and illicit drug use by young people have dropped
• Indigenous child mortality is down
• The number of Indigenous students completing Year 12 is rising faster than the national average

The report card ranks the experience of Australian children and youth on 75 indicators across six domains, comparing the results to other countries and to the previous ARACY reports in 2013 and 2008.