Growing Up in Australia: The Longitudinal Study of Australian Children

Growing Up in Australia: The Longitudinal Study of Australian Children

Level 4, 40 City Road, Southbank VIC 3006

(03) 9214 7888

aifs-lsac@aifs.gov.au

Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS)

LSAC is conducted by AIFS in collaboration with Roy Morgan as fieldwork provider.

LSAC is funded by the Australian Government Department of Social Services (DSS).

https://growingupinaustralia.gov.au/

discussionpaper1.pdf (growingupinaustralia.gov.au)

Yes, LSAC data is available to research projects that are scientifically and ethically sound and contribute to the knowledge base on Australian children. Researchers (including post-graduate students) affiliated with a university, recognised research institution or government department are eligible to apply to access and use LSAC data. Individuals affiliated with a non-government organisation are also eligible to apply, access and use LSAC data.

The study aims to examine the impact of Australia’s unique social and cultural environment on the next generation and will provide further understanding of development in early childhood through to adolescence and adulthood. LSAC explores a range of research areas about development and wellbeing of young people and their families.

Sample design for a cross-sequential study comprising of two cohorts (infants aged 0-1 years and children aged 4-5 years). The sample of over 10,000 children was recruited from a sample selected from the Medicare enrolment database, stratified by state/territory and metropolitan/non-metropolitan areas.

A clustered design, based on postcodes, was chosen to allow community level effects to be measured and analysed, and also allowed for reasonably cost-effective face-to-face interviewing. Children in both cohorts were selected from the same 311 postcodes, an average of 40 children per postcode in larger states and 20 in smaller states.

For more details see LSAC Technical Paper 1: Sample design

2004

B cohort (infant cohort): 5,112 children aged 0-1 years at the start of the study

K cohort (child cohort): 4,991 children aged 4-5 years at the start of the study

Yes, data is collected for study children (now young persons) and their parents. From wave 6 (for K cohort), data is collected on the offspring of the study children (now young persons).

 No

Over the years the LSAC data have been linked to different types of national administrative data including:

·      Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS)

·      Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS)

·      Repatriation Schedule of Pharmaceutical Benefits (RPBS)

·      Australian Childhood Immunisation Register (ACIR), now known as the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR)

·      National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN)

·      Australian Early Development Census (AEDC)

·      Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) MySchool data

·      Centrelink Welfare (CLNK).

A one-off physical assessment was offered to the 11-12 year old children participating in LSAC – Child Health CheckPoint.

Ethical approval has been provided by the Australian Institute of Family Studies Ethics Committee for research project 2022-08: Growing up in Australia: The Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC).