This paper presents an overview of the safety and security of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. The safety of children is intrinsically related to the security of their families and communities and the accessibility of appropriate support systems. National data show that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, compared with their non-Indigenous counterparts, are...

This paper examines the relationships between parental and family characteristics, including a history of dependence on income support, on a diverse set of indicators of social inclusion among young Australians. The data contain a large group of young people who might be considered at great risk of social exclusion–young people who grew up in families...

Using information garnered from the complex study, Growing Up In Australia, children's development across multiple domains such as health, social development and learning is explored and summarised. Growing Up in Australia is one of the largest and most complex studies of its kind that has ever been undertaken in Australia. Wave 1 data collection was...

This report reinforces the importance of the transition to school for children from families with complex support needs. For all children and families, but particularly for those with complex support needs, the transition to school is a time of both opportunity and vulnerability.

This paper addresses common misperceptions about the perpetrators of sexual offences against children. Sexual offending against children is a highly emotive issue. It is nonetheless important that public policy initiatives to prevent and/or respond to child sexual abuse are based on the available evidence about child sex offenders. This paper addresses five common misperceptions about...