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Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth

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Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth

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EVERY CHILD THRIVING
Welcome to ARACY. We're dedicated to ensuring all Australian children and young people thrive.

We unite evidence and experts, collaborating to create best practices and policies.

30/10/2026

“We can come a long way in solving many of the issues that we’ve talked about today if we just start listening to what young people need.”
Fatima, Young and Wise participant

If you couldn't join us yesterday, the Young and Wise Series 2026 report is now out, and the launch webinar recording is available.

Fifty-three young people from rural, regional and remote, LGBTQIA+, culturally and linguistically diverse, neurodivergent and First Nations communities told us what helps, what gets in the way and what should change. A survey of 238 young people adds wider context.

A few things stood out:
➡️ Services exist, but cost, distance and long waits put them out of reach. ➡️ Schools shape wellbeing for better or worse.

When we asked what young people want from their parents, mental and physical health came first, and keeping up with technology came last.
Their advice: worry less about screens and listen more.

The report turns this into six policy focus areas for governments, particularly across health and education, with a separate report for each of the five communities.

Read the report: https://www.aracy.org.au/young-and-wise-2026-roundtables/

Watch the webinar recording with the Parenting Research Centre: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDyTOhA097w

12/10/2026

What happens when you ask young people directly about the systems shaping their lives?
Join ARACY for a Young and Wise webinar, led by the young people who shaped the findings.
Date 29th October 2026 | 12:00 pm to 1:15 pm AEDT | Online

In Young and Wise Series 2, 53 young people aged 10 to 25 told us what shapes their wellbeing, and where systems are and aren’t working for them. They came from five priority communities: rural, regional and remote; LGBTIQA+; culturally and linguistically diverse; neurodivergent; and First Nations.

We also asked young people about the adults who care for them. ARACY and Parenting Research Centre (PRC) then read their answers alongside PRC's Parenting Today survey of more than 10,000 parents and carers. Together, they offer a two-way view of family wellbeing. The findings reveal a pattern of reciprocal concern, and some surprising differences in what parents and young people think matters most.

Hear from Young and Wise panellists and PRC as we unpack the findings through The Nest. We'll explore what this emerging work tells us, and what creating space for dialogue between parents and young people could mean for family-centred supports, services, research and policy.

REGISTER: ab03fe09-b54e-4d13-b21f-ce683af3d655@486f2bc3-1b04-465b-b923-d28832372a86?source=copyLinkOneEventsShareDialog" rel="ugc" target="_blank">https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/ab03fe09-b54e-4d13-b21f-ce683af3d655@486f2bc3-1b04-465b-b923-d28832372a86?source=copyLinkOneEventsShareDialog

Can’t make it on the day? Register anyway, and we’ll send you the recording.

08/10/2026

We're so excited for this! More details coming soon!📕

16/09/2026

Twelve stories. Six domains of holistic wellbeing. One easy way for parents and educators to start a meaningful conversation with the children in their lives.

We've partnered with Story Box Library and Raising Children Network to bring the Wellbeing Playlist to families and classrooms. Story collections mapped to The Nest, each with resources to take the conversation further.
Explore the collection and find your next story night or classroom read.

12/08/2026

ARACY and the FrameWorks Institute, supported by the Minderoo Foundation, invite you to a free webinar to explore the latest findings from Measuring Early Years Mindsets: Patterns of Thinking That Shape Australia's Future, and what they mean for the sector.
Register here: https://www.aracy.org.au/what-do-australians-really-think-about-the-early-years

Releasing on the 24th of August, this report is part of a multi-year Measuring Early Mindsets Project undertaken by the FrameWorks Institute, in partnership with the Minderoo Foundation and Curijo Pty Ltd.

Drawing on a nationally representative 2026 survey, alongside earlier qualitative research, Listening to Mindsets: Cultural Mindsets of Early Childhood in Australia provides a clear picture of how Australians think about the early years and begins to identify the important connections between mindsets and people's demand for policy change and solutions.

The findings also show how strategic framing can help shift conversations towards shared responsibility, systems-based solutions and the collective action needed to support children, families and communities across Australia.

What you'll learn
➡️ How Australians think about early childhood and related issues
➡️ How certain mindsets are endorsed across groups while others vary in strength
➡️ How mindsets can help boost support for policy change and reform
➡️ How mindsets interrelate and form 'clusters'
➡️ Initial insights on how to activate productive mindsets and reframe communications to build support for policy and systems change in Australia
➡️ What's next in the research to track early years mindsets in Australia

You'll hear from:
Dr Nat Kendall-Taylor (Chief Executive Officer, FrameWorks Institute)
Melodie Potts Rosevear OAM (Chief Executive Officer, ARACY)

Find out more and register: https://www.aracy.org.au/what-do-australians-really-think-about-the-early-years

Want to take a deep dive into framing? Visit Queensland Kids Partnership Framing for Change Learning Hub https://tqkp.org.au/our-initiatives/thriving-kids-framing-initiative/

20/07/2026

First State of Australia’s Children Deep Dive Paper Launching Soon
Wednesday 22 July 2026 | 1–2pm AEST | Online | Free

Climate change is reshaping the environments our youngest children learn and grow in. This webinar launches 800,000 Days of Learning at Stake, the State of Australia's Children Evidence to Action Brief on climate change and early childhood infrastructure.

Join UNICEF Australia and ARACY, supported by Minderoo Foundation, as we explore how climate-resilient early learning environments can protect and support children's health, development and wellbeing — now and into the future.

Rather than dwelling on the risks alone, we'll focus on solutions: bringing together evidence, child development expertise, practical examples and policy recommendations for designing early learning services as vital community infrastructure.

Hear from:
🔹 Diana Harris (Lead for Strategy and Operations, ARACY (MC))
🔹 Megan O'Connell OAM GAICD (Children's Index Project Manager, ARACY)
🔹 Alice Hall (Chief Advocate for Children, UNICEF Australia)
🔹 Nic Seton (CEO, Parents for Climate)
🔹 Associate Professor Sally Staton (Associate Professor in Child Development, Australian Research Council (ARC) Industry Fellow, and Leader of the Brain Health and Early Development Research Group, The University of Queensland)
🔹 Helen Travers (Manager, Schools Up North Program, YETI - Youth Empowered Towards Independence)
🔹 Danielle Williams (Education Consultant, Schools Up North Program, YETI - Youth Empowered Towards Independence )

Can't make it live? Register anyway; the session will be recorded and sent to all registrants afterwards.
Register now: https://www.aracy.org.au/800000-days-of-learning-at-stake/

08/05/2026

EOIs close 13 May — don't miss your chance to shape Australia's new online privacy laws.

Australia is finalising a Children's Online Privacy Code that will determine how online platforms handle the personal information of anyone under 18. The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner is seeking public feedback before the Code is finalised in December 2026 — and ARACY's Young and Wise program wants to make sure young people's voices are part of that conversation.

We're hosting two online roundtable sessions in May for young Australians aged 13–18 to explore what the draft Code means, share what privacy protections matter most to them, and contribute directly to ARACY's submission to the OAIC.

You don't need to know anything about privacy law. We'll guide you through everything, and participants will be recognised for their time and contribution.

Sessions are available on Wednesday 20 May and Thursday 21 May, 5:30–7:00 pm AEST, via Microsoft Teams.

If you work with young people aged 13–18 — in schools, youth services, advocacy, or community settings — please share this opportunity widely.

EOIs close 13 May 2026.

Apply now: https://ap1.hubs.ly/y0QQHT0

07/05/2026

Big news for Australia's early childhood education and care sector.
ARACY welcomes the Government's announcement today to strengthen safety in child care in working with States and Territories to consider the development of a national Early Education and Care Commission.

This is a significant and long-overdue step toward a stronger, safer, and more equitable system for Australia's youngest children.

With more than one million families relying on ECEC, a Commission would help ensure services are located where families need them, drive consistent safety standards, and provide the long-term stewardship this sector deserves.

As Melodie Potts Rosevear OAM, ARACY's CEO, put it:
"We know that the first years of life are the most significant for a child's development and lifelong wellbeing. ARACY's Nest Wellbeing Framework tells us that thriving children need to be loved, safe, learning, healthy, participating, and materially secure -- and early childhood education and care sits at the heart of so many of those domains. Getting this system right, in every community, for every child, is one of the most powerful investments Australia can make. A national Commission has the potential to be the independent, enduring voice this sector needs to move beyond short-term fixes and toward the Every Child Thriving future every Australian child deserves."

ARACY looks forward to contributing to the sector consultation process ahead of the Education Ministers' meeting in July.
https://ap1.hubs.ly/y0QKsb0

24/04/2026

At ARACY, everything we do is focused on improving the wellbeing of children and young people in Australia. As we continue to grow and develop our communications and resources, we want to make sure we're reaching the right people, in the right ways, with content that genuinely supports your work.

This short survey will take less than five minutes and covers how you engage with ARACY across our channels — from our newsletters and social media to resources like The Nest, Young and Wise and Common Approach. Your feedback will directly shape how we communicate, what we cover, and how we can better serve the children and young people's sector.

Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts.
➡️ https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/JFZ65QW

23/04/2026

What if 60,000 years of cultural wisdom and brain science told the same story?
They do. And this National Reconciliation Week, we're bringing that story to life.

Join us on National Sorry Day — Tuesday 26 May, 1 pm AEST — for a powerful webinar:
All In for Growing Deadly Brains: How science is catching up with 60,000 years of cultural wisdom
Presented by ARACY, Queensland Kids Partnership and Yiliyapinya Indigenous Corporation — whose very name means 'brain' in Wankumara (Galali) Language.

The first years of life are when brains are built. Relationships, safety, connection to culture and community — these shape children's health and wellbeing for life. And when communities are trusted to lead, children thrive.

Growing Deadly Brains is proof. Community-led, evidence-based, and working — this program trains Brain Health Coaches, builds free learning resources, and keeps children connected to family, school, and culture — and out of the child protection and justice systems.

This year's Reconciliation Week theme is All In. Not watching from the sidelines. Not leaving it to others.

Hear from extraordinary speakers:
Sue-Anne Hunter — National Commissioner for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People
Sheryl Batchelor — CEO, Yiliyapinya Indigenous Corporation
Rhi Parsons — Project Manager, Growing Deadly Brains
Jessica Oostenbroek — Director, ARACY & Board Member, Queensland Kids Partnership

Come ready to listen. Come ready to act.
Register now: d64888a1-bbe0-49cf-9739-8f825f2c054b@486f2bc3-1b04-465b-b923-d28832372a86" rel="ugc" target="_blank">https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/d64888a1-bbe0-49cf-9739-8f825f2c054b@486f2bc3-1b04-465b-b923-d28832372a86

Address

15 London Crt
Canberra, ACT
2601

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Telephone

+61262041610

Website

https://linktr.ee/aracy.australia

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