Introduction
Growing up in Australia - The Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC) will provide a comprehensive national picture of Australian children and their families.
The former Australian Government Department of Family and Community Services (FaCS) received $20.2 million, for the study, in the 2000-01 Budget. The study will for run over 9 years and is part of the Stronger Families and Communities Strategy.
What is the purpose of the study
The Study will add to the understanding of early childhood development, inform social policy debate, and be used to identify opportunities for early intervention and prevention strategies, in policy areas concerning children, specifically parenting, family relationships and functioning, early childhood education and schooling, child care and health.
The Longitudinal Study of Australian Children will identify the key factors influencing child outcomes over the developmental life course in the early years, including their interaction. A range of age appropriate developmental outcomes are being measured, including physical/mental health, social and developmental, academic and risk behaviours.
Research questions
The comprehensive character of the data collected in the Study is necessary to both investigate the interplay between biological psychosocial, environmental, financial, cultural and health care factors, and explain the multiple factors associated with determining outcomes and relationships in these linked domains. Discussion Paper No 1 released in June 2002 expands on this conceptual model and details the research questions underpinning the study.
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Who is undertaking the study
A contract was signed in March 2002 between FaCS and the Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS) to manage and implement LSAC. AIFS is acting as the lead agency for a consortium of leading research organisations. AIFS sub- contracted Colmar Brunton Social Research, in conjunction with I-View, to undertake the data collection for the first wave of the study. The Australian Bureau of Statistics will be undertaking data collection for Waves 2 to 4. State/Territory governments and the community and research sector are represented on an advisory Steering Committee.
Data collection
Development of the instruments began in early 2002 with the testing and refinement of all aspects of the methodology continuing through 2003. The first main wave of data collection commenced in March 2004 and concluded in December 2004.
Data access
Data for Wave 1 is now available to approved researchers. Prospective users will be required to complete a dataset application form and sign a deed of license. These are available from the Growing up in Australia – The Longitudinal Study of Australian Children website. A nominal fee will be charged to cover administrative costs of delivering datasets ($77 for Australian users, $132 for overseas users).
Further information
Further information on the proposed sample design and data collection for the first wave of the study, including information on the development and testing process can be obtained from Discussion Paper No 2. Information on data management strategies, including the data access policy can be obtained in Discussion Paper No 3.
Further information can be obtained from the FaCHSIA LSAC project team by email at
LSAC (lsac@facsia.gov.au) or by telephone on (02) 6244 7726.
LSAC Annual Report 2008-09
The 2008-09 Annual Report provides an overview of Wave 3 data collection and preliminary findings when study children were aged 4-5 years old and 8-9 years old. The report also includes articles about breastfeeding and infants’ time use, child and infant outcomes, and stress and psychological distress in mothers of infants.
Earlier LSAC annual reports are available at the Australian Institute of Family Studies website Growing Up in Australia: the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children - Annual Reports