May 2021 Digest - Australian Research Alliance for Children ...
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May 2021 Digest 1
Looking Ahead Australian Children and Young People’s Knowledge Acceleration Hub Sector adaptation and innovation shaped by COVID-19 and the latest evidence on COVID-19 and its impacts on children and young people A collaboration between ARACY and UNICEF Australia Introduction The Australian Children and Young People’s Knowledge Acceleration Hub is an initiative created by ARACY and UNICEF Australia to ensure that the impacts of COVID-19 on children in Australia are fully understood and communicated to decision makers at all levels. To do this, we will draw upon data from Australia and international comparators, the latest research and analysis of COVID-19 and its impacts on children and families, and related research with applicable lessons for the known and anticipated impacts of COVID-19 and their potential mitigation. Our Approach to Wellbeing The Australian Children and Young People’s Knowledge Acceleration Hub uses both ARACY’s The Nest child wellbeing framework and UNICEF’s Children’s Goals. The Nest looks at wellbeing as a series of six connected and interdependent domains. A child needs to be doing well in all six domains to thrive. Deprivation in one domain is likely to affect wellbeing in other domains. UNICEF’s Children’s Goals are derived from the United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of the Child and align with the domains of The Nest. Please visit the ARACY website for more information on The Nest and its uses in conceptualising child wellbeing, and the Australian Children and Young People’s Knowledge Acceleration Hub online library for summary content and future digests. Find out more about the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child here: https://www.unicef.org/child-rights-convention 2
Looking Ahead
Issue 9: May 2021
This ninth release covers information and analysis released from April through to May 2021.
Throughout the pandemic in 2020 we have released new digests regularly, bringing together the
latest research and information to inform policy, practice, and decision-making.
We are delighted to again partner with UNICEF Australia to continue producing this digest
throughout 2021.
We will highlight the data sources available that assess the impact of COVID-19 on the wellbeing of
children and young people in Australia, and report on headline indicators. Each digest will take a
more in-depth focus on particular issues.
Key Issues
Key issues addressed in this issue include:
• Rental affordability and insecure housing
• Parental contact within shared care and non-custodial arrangements
• Young people’s attitudes towards COVID-19 testing and vaccinations
• The impact of online exams in the learning of young people
• Cyberbullying on new social media platforms
• Separation of families due to international border closures
If you would like to jump to information on a specific wellbeing domain, click one of the squares.
This report was prepared by Lauren Renshaw and Sadhana Seriamlu (ARACY).
3
Looking Ahead
What does the May Budget mean for children and
young people?
This month we take a look at the Coalition’s Budget, handed down on 11 May 2021.
The ongoing impact of COVID-19 has prompted the Government to produce a big-spending budget
that addresses youth and perinatal mental health, youth unemployment, and early education and
care.
Among the headlines is a $1.7bn increase in subsidies for early childhood education and care (ECEC)
over three years, commencing in July 2022. While this funding is an excellent start, we hope to soon
see it bolstered by efforts to improve quality, equitable access to services, and better support to the
understrength ECEC workforce.
Preschool funding also gets a strong boost, and importantly, some certainty over the next four years.
This is an investment that PWC research shows will deliver double that amount to the economy in
years to come by laying strong foundations for our nation’s children to become active participants in
our economy.
States and territories will work with the Commonwealth on reforms to increase participation and
school readiness, and payments from 2024 will be tied to attendance targets, a stronger measure of
engagement than enrolment.
Nearly $34m has been earmarked over five years to improve preschool-related data collection, to
measure “the degree to which preschools achieve the outcome of getting children school-ready”.
School readiness is generally considered to include the age-appropriate development of executive
functioning skills such as emotional regulation, social and emotional learning, empathy, and being
able to follow directions and take turns. The Government notes on its Learning Potential website, run
by the Department of Education, Skills and Employment, that:
“School readiness is about the development of the whole child – their social and
emotional skills, physical skills, communication skills and cognitive skills. Children
cannot thrive at school if they haven’t developed the skills to manage things like
getting along with other children, following instructions, and communicating their
needs.” 1
Also pleasing to see in the Budget was the continued support for youth mental health. Dedicated
mental health initiatives for 12-25 year olds received $278 million in funding and early intervention
programs for children under 12 years of age received a further $100 million. Targeted support for the
mental health and wellbeing of new and expectant parents is especially welcome, and the focus on
strengthening the mental health workforce, and the increased support for digital mental health
services are both positive.
1
https://www.learningpotential.gov.au/articles/is-your-child-ready-for-big-school
4
Looking Ahead More than half the mental health funding, $1.4bn, goes to a planned network of Commonwealth- funded mental health centres to diagnose and treat adults, youth and children, which we can hope will alleviate some of the geographical inequalities of care. Preventative funding for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and culturally, linguistically and diverse communities is also good news. Recognising that these spends follow from additional support in both 2019 and 2020, we hope that this heralds a commitment to reinventing Australia’s mental health system into something more accessible and equitable for all. The $1bn Job Trainer program for 17-24 year-olds has been extended to increase employment opportunities for young people by providing training and reskilling. This is separate from Youth Allowance entitlements that support young people’s overall wellbeing, and should remain so. So, then, what is missing? Young Australians consistently tell us the issue that concerns them most is climate change and we know they expect to see greater focus, investment, and action on this issue. We also hope to see before long more investment in community-led initiatives that work for First Nations children and families, for example sustained investment in building the capacity of First Nations owned and managed early childhood education and care services. The announcements made in this Budget are essential down payments to kickstart the reform that is required. The way to ensure these investments achieve results is to elevate children’s policy as a critical national priority supported by a national plan with sustained leadership. This will help to connect the dots between these multiple investments for the best possible outcomes. 5
Every child thrives
Material Basics
and survives
This wellbeing domain represents children having their basic needs met. This includes a roof over
their heads, sufficient family access to income and access to basic goods such as food, clothes, toys
and technology. Given the economic crisis that is following the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important to
assess how these multiple crises have impacted children and young people.
Australian data sources
Much of the existing data on the availability of material basics for children and young people are
extrapolated from that collected at the population level. However, there is an increasing amount of
data collected on the short and potential long-term economic impacts of COVID-19 specifically on
young people and young adults, and surveys collected among these groups on their perspectives and
experiences over the last year. There is no data collected specifically on young children’s access to
material basics as impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic:
• Anglicare rental affordability snapshot 2021 1
• ABS Labour Force Survey 2
• ABS Household Impacts of COVID-19 survey series 3
• ABS Weekly payroll data 4
• Australian institute of Criminology (AIC) – Domestic violence survey 5
• ANU Centre for Social Research and Methods - Financial Stress and Social Security Settings in
Australia [modelling project] 6
• ANUPoll COVID-19 series 7
• AIFS Life during COVID-19 Survey 8
• COVID-19 pandemic adjustment study 9,10,11
• DSS Payment Demographic data 12
• Equity Economics disadvantage forecast – A wave of disadvantage across NSW: Impact of the
COVID-19 recession13
• Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey 14
• Impacts of COVID-19 on children and young people who contact Kids Helpline 15,16
• Our Lives Longitudinal Study 17
• Melbourne Institute’s Taking the Pulse of the Nation survey 18
• Mission Australia Youth Survey 19
• VicHealth Coronavirus Victorian Wellbeing Impact Study – follow up survey 20
• The ACOSS/UNSW Poverty in Australia 2020 Report 21
• Twenty10 case study and survey 22
• SNAICC COVID-19 Ongoing Impacts Survey report 23
• UTS study – The experience of precarious housing among international students 24
• Survey of temporary migrants - As if we weren’t humans: The abandonment of temporary
migrants in Australia during COVID-19 25
• The 100 families WA Project 26
• University of Melbourne’s Hallmark Research Initiative – The Impact of COVID-19 on
Victorian share households 27
• YouthInsight survey series 28
• Youth Unemployment Monitor, Brotherhood St Laurence 29
6Every child thrives
Material Basics
and survives
Headline Indicators
• Modelling estimates that the current planned rate of income support will leave 789,000
children in Australia living in poverty (more than 1 in 6 children). 30
• Prior to Covid-19, 39% of children in single parent families were living in poverty. Modelling
estimates this was reduced to 17% with the $550 per fortnight Coronavirus Supplement. 31
• Modelling also estimates that the replacement of the coronavirus supplement with a $50 per
fortnight permanent increase will increase:
o child poverty rates for single parent families by 41%, and 13% for children in couple
families; and
o poverty rates for children under five from a low in June 2020 of 12% to 46% in April
2021.32
• Of the 74,266 listed rentals analysed in one weekend of March 33:
o 0.3% were affordable for a single parent on parenting payment
o 0.1% were affordable for a single parent on Jobseeker
o 0% were affordable for a single person on Jobseeker or Youth Allowance
• Of the 660 young people who identified as LGBTQ+ surveyed in Aug-Nov 2020, 27.6% reported
job loss or reduced employment, 25% reported financial difficulties. 34
• Young people surveyed (April-Aug 2020) without a parent/guardian in paid work were almost
twice as likely to be ‘not at all confident’ of achieving their study/work goals (5.1%) compared
with young people with a parent/guardian in paid work (2.3%). 35
• Economically disadvantaged young people surveyed (April-Aug 2020) reported a greater need for
training/skill development (27.3%), mentors (11.4%), and more school support (16.5%) in order
to secure a job compared with more economically advantaged young people (22.8%, 7.7% and
13% respectively). 36
• Economically disadvantaged young people surveyed (April-Aug 2020) reported: 37
o 31% could not pay bills due to money concerns (cf. 10% economically advantaged
young people)
o 30% experienced family violence due to money concerns (cf. 14%)
o 29% sought financial help from family or friends due to money concerns (cf. 11%)
o 49% had gone without a holiday with family (cf. 28%)
o 35% had gone without a meal out with family once a month (cf. 16%)
o 33% had missed out going out with friends (cf. 15%)
o 27% were concerned about financial security (cf. 14%)
Links and resources
• ANU Centre for Social Research and Methods report - Financial Stress and Social Security
Settings in Australia
• The Conversation article – JobKeeper and JobMaker have left too many young people on the
dole queue
7Every child thrives
Material Basics
and survives
• ABC news article – When the coronavirus supplement was cut, single mum Leanne's darkest
days returned
• Anglicare report – Rental Affordability Snapshot 2021
• Twenty10 case study and LGBTQ+ survey - LGBTQ+ young people, COVID-19, & service
provision in Australia: A Twenty10 case study
• Economic Disadvantage: Mission Australia’s Youth Survey 2020 Sub-Report
A focus on … rental affordability
The combined pressures of COVID-19’s impact on employment, and the rising costs of housing, have
resulted in rental prices becoming unaffordable for many people and families across Australia.
Anglicare’s annual snapshot of rental affordability, where rental listings for one weekend across the
country are assessed for their affordability against different household income categories, showed a
decline since 2020. Individuals on Jobseeker or Youth Support were particularly vulnerable, with 0
percent of the over 74,000 rental listings assessed as affordable for these groups. Single parents on
Jobseeker and the higher rate of the parenting payment were not much better off, with 0.1% and
0.3% listed rental properties assessed as affordable on these payments respectively. 38
With the cessation of various rental support schemes and moratoriums implemented in response to
the COVID-19 pandemic, this has left some families without viable housing options. This may cause
families to cut back spending on other necessities to make rental payments, and/or to enter states of
homelessness and unstable housing. Unstable housing has been shown to have negative associations
across a range of physical and social/emotional variables for children and young people. 39
The provision in the Budget for assisting eligible single parents to apply for mortgage with a 2%
deposit guaranteed by the Government will help some families, but does not address housing
insufficiency or the ballooning market.
What can we do to help?
The Anglicare report highlights the need to increase the amount of affordable rental properties
through the increased investment in social housing. It also again highlights the inadequate amount
people receive under social security payments. As outlined in the March digest, ACOSS, along with
other NGOs across the Raise the Rate for Good campaign suggest the following recommendations
given the extensive evidence-based research available.
• Increase the base rate of JobSeeker Payment by at least $25 a day, and ensure everyone receives
at least $65 a day
• Ongoing indexation of payments in line with wage movements at least twice per year
• Establishment of a Social Security Commission to advise the Parliament on the ongoing adequacy
of income support payments
It is critical to understand that ensuring income support payments are adequate to cover the basics
will not act as a disincentive to employment, a concern that is not supported by the evidence. Rather,
the following facts should be considered:
• Punitively low social security payments do not create jobs
8Every child thrives
Material Basics
and survives
• A child is powerless over whether or not the adults in their family have employment
• Australian children should not be punished because the economy is not creating enough jobs, or
because the adults in their family cannot or will not work.
What does the future hold?
Without government measures to increase families’ access to affordable housing, children and young
people’s long-term wellbeing is at risk of being compromised.
Other risks and areas of expected impact
Return to the Introduction
9Every child is protected from
Loved and Safe
violence and exploitation
A child needs to be loved and safe to grow, be free from violence and have social supports. The
COVID-19 pandemic may have impacted the ability of children to be adequately protected through
reduced contact with friends and family, family conflict and violence, the reduced capacity of the
child protection system, and increases in bullying and social exclusion.
Australian data sources
Recent data sources within Australia have provided deeper insights into supports for families, family
violence, family relationships, relationships with friends and the changes in patterns of caring for
children. While the majority of data sources do not consult with children directly, a growing number
are seeking information directly from children. Available data sources include:
• Alannah and Madeline Foundation report – This Digital Home 40
• ABS Household Impacts of COVID-19 survey series 41
• Australian Childhood Foundation parent survey – A lasting legacy – The impact of COVID-19
on children and parents 42
• ANUPoll COVID-19 series 43
• Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) – Domestic violence survey 44,45,46
• AIHW Child Protection Data 47
• AIHW Specialist Homeless Services Collection 48
• AIFS Life during COVID-19 Survey 49
• CCYP consultation with children 50
• Children’s Health Queensland COVID-19 Unmasked Survey 51
• COVID-19 pandemic adjustment study 52,53,54
• Cross-sectional survey on maternity health services 55
• Drummond Street Services and Centre for Family Research and Evaluation – Assessing the
impact of COVID-19 on client needs & Drummond Street's response 56
• Equity Economics disadvantage forecast – A wave of disadvantage across NSW: Impact of the
COVID-19 recession57
• Impacts of COVID-19 on children and young people who contact Kids Helpline 58,59
• Monash University project - Gender-based violence and help-seeking behaviours during the
COVID-19 pandemic 60
• NSW BOCSAR report – Monitoring changes in domestic violence in the wake of COVID-19
social isolation measures 61
• Royal Children's Hospital Child Health Poll 62
• Relationships Australia survey – COVID-19 and its effects on relationships 63
• SNAICC Covid-19 Ongoing Impacts Survey report 64
• Triple P Parenting program statistics 65
• UNICEF 'Living in Limbo' project 66
Headline Indicators
No headline indicators for this reporting period (April-May 2021).
10Every child is protected from
Loved and Safe
violence and exploitation
Links and resources
• Journal article – Use of Kids Helpline by Children and Young People in Australia During the
COVID-19 Pandemic
• Guardian news article – Lack of funding leaves Australian parents waiting months to see their
children on supervised visits
A focus on … parental contact within shared care and non-custodial
arrangements
Public health restrictions imposed in response to the pandemic provided logistical and legal issues for
parents and carers to follow visitation arrangements and parenting court orders. Some parents held
concerns for their child’s safety in instances where it was perceived that one parent/household was
not adhering to restrictions. State and territory border closures also made it difficult for interstate
visitations to occur. 67
As outlined in the April Digest, reduced family contact was observed during 2020 for children in out-
of-home care (as reported in Qld). The impact of the pandemic on parental contact for children not
within the system but under shared custody arrangements remains unclear, but it can be assumed
that it proved challening even for families under amicably arranged agreements. 68
The pandemic also created clear challenges for child contact services, which provide safe spaces for
facilitated/supervised visits of children with non-custodial parents or changeover arrangements.
Some Children’s Contact Services have significantly changed the way in which they
deliver this service ‘face-to-face’ to reduce and mitigate the risks of social
contamination. Others have made a decision that it is no longer feasible to offer
their service face-to-face and comply with the necessary spatial distancing
requirements opting for technologically-facilitated contact.
Smyth et al 2010 69
Child contact services were already under pressure prior to the pandemic. Significant wait-times
were reported to access supervised visitations and changeover sessions, even before the pandemic,
leaving parents waiting several months to see their children. This funnelled some families to using
non-publicly funded services, which are unregulated and can be expensive. 70 Changes to handover
arrangements due to social distancing requirements and the inability to use public spaces also
provided safety issues where family violence was a consideration. 71
For children and young people within shared care or non-custodial arrangements, a reduction in time
spent with their parents and other family members due to the pandemic may have long-term
impacts on their overall relationship with their parents, family, connection to culture and overall
wellbeing. It is clearly vital that contact with parents and family is appropriately facilitated in a safe
and supportive environment.
11Every child is protected from
Loved and Safe
violence and exploitation
What can we do to help?
There is a need for more research into the impact of reduced contact with family members on
children and young people as a result of the pandemic. Resourcing of courts, and family and
relationship services to deliver timely decisions and services is an important component of mitigating
negative impacts, improving accessibility and addressing long-term needs. The regulation and
accreditation of non-publicly funded child contact services, as recommended by the Australian Law
Reform Commission is also required to ensure that supervised visits and handover arrangements are
appropriately managed. 72
What does the future hold?
A consultation paper was released in March 2021 by the Australian Government Attorney-General’s
Department for the establishment of an accreditation scheme for child contact services with
submissions closed in May 2021. 73
Other risks and areas of expected impact
Return to the Introduction
12Every child survives
Healthy
and thrives
This wellbeing domain represents children being healthy, both physically and mentally. COVID-19 has
had a substantial impact on the health of all individuals affected, both directly and indirectly, by the
pandemic. This is no less true for children and young people in Australia. Furthermore, there are
indirect health impacts from COVID-19 that can be felt across a number of health domains.
Australian data sources
A growing number of data sources are examining the impact of COVID-19 on the health of children
and young people. While the focus is primarily on transmission and infection, as well as mental
health, studies are starting to examine the impact on other health areas such as physical activity and
diet, and maternal and infant health. Available data sources in Australia include:
• Australian Childhood Foundation parent survey – A lasting legacy – The impact of COVID-19
on children and parents 74
• AIFS Life during COVID-19 Survey 75
• AIHW Suicide & self-harm monitoring data 76
• ANUPoll COVID-19 series 77
• CCYP consultation with children 78
• CYDA’s 2020 COVID-19 (Coronavirus) and children and young people with disability survey 79
• Children’s Health Queensland COVID-19 Unmasked Survey 80
• COVID-19 pandemic adjustment study 81,82,83
• Cross-sectional survey on maternity health services 84
• Department of Health - COVID-19 cases by age group and sex 85
• Equity Economics disadvantage forecast – A wave of disadvantage across NSW: Impact of the
COVID-19 recession86
• Headspace National Youth Mental Health Survey 2020 87
• Global Drug Survey 88
• Impacts of COVID-19 on children and young people who contact Kids Helpline 89,90
• Optimise study 91
• Our Lives Longitudinal Study
• Queensland Health COVID-19 Unmasked survey 92
• Royal Children's Hospital Child Health Poll 93
• Sport Australia – AusPlay survey and Community Perceptions Monitor 94
• SNAICC Covid-19 Ongoing Impacts Survey report 95
• The 100 families WA Project 96
• Twenty10 case study survey 97
• UNSW self-report survey on adolescents 98
• University of Sydney modelling project – Road to recovery: Restoring Australia's mental
wealth99
• UNICEF 'Living in Limbo' project 100
• VicHealth Coronavirus Victorian Wellbeing Impact Study – follow up survey 101
• YouthInsight survey series 102
13Every child survives
Healthy
and thrives
Headline indicators
• Access to mental health services was the most common difficulty recorded among the 660
young people who identified as LGBTQ+ surveyed in Aug-Nov 2020 (37.8%). Fifteen percent
also reported difficulties in accessing medical treatment more broadly. 103
• Young Australians (aged 18-24 years) still continue to have worse mental health outcomes
than older Australians as measured by the K-6 index. 104
• Young people in Australia aged 18-24 years continue to show significantly higher levels of
vaccine willingness compared with those aged 25-44 years 105.
Links and resources
• Raisingchildren.net.au resource (updated) - COVID-19 and children in Australia
• The sector news article – RSV spikes in Queensland prompting warning for ECEC services
from health department
• The Guardian news article - Swapping handwashing for sanitiser partly to blame for Victoria’s
gastro outbreak
• SBS News article – The US has approved Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine for children as young as 12
• The Age news article – Shame, stigma barriers to COVID-19 testing for young and culturally
diverse
• Optimise study reports
• Research reports –
• LGBTQ+ young people, COVID-19, & service provision in Australia A Twenty10 case
study
• Tracking wellbeing outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic (April 2021): Continued
social and economic recovery and resilience
• Change in vaccine willingness in Australia: August 2020 to January 2021
• Journal article – Receiving maternity care during the COVID-19 pandemic:
Experiences of women’s partners and support persons
A focus on … young people’s attitudes towards COVID-19 testing and
vaccinations
Young people are the cohort potentially at greatest risk of spreading COVID-19 – they are more likely
to be asymptomatic, and generally have a larger number of social contacts. 106 Therefore their
compliance with restrictions and willingness to be vaccinated are important components of Australia
effectively preventing further outbreaks in the community.
Fortunately, young people have, throughout the pandemic, been largely supportive and compliant of
government restrictions and responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. They also show a strong
willingness to take part in the vaccination program as of January 2021.
14Every child survives
Healthy
and thrives
Young Australians (aged 18 to 24 years) and older Australians (aged 55 years and over)
have the highest levels of vaccine willingness. To put this gap in perspective, 85.5 per cent
of 18-24 year olds and 90.6 per cent of those aged 75 years and over say they definitely or
probably will get vaccinated. Only 70.2 per cent of those aged 25 to 34 years say they will.
Biddle, Edwards, Gray & Sollis 2021a 107
Despite changes in health advice surrounding the safety of the Astra-Zeneca vaccine, vaccination
willingness remained relatively stable to April 2021, remaining higher for younger adults aged under
25 years compared with the 25-44 year cohort. 108
In total, 29.3 per cent of Australians who hadn’t received a vaccine by April 2021 had
become more willing to get a vaccine between January 2021 and April 2021, compared to
only 10.3 per cent of Australians who became less willing to receive a safe and effective
vaccine. While people’s views on the safety and efficacy of the vaccines may have
changed, their willingness to receive a vaccine appears to have increased.
Biddle, Edwards, Gray & Sollis 2021b 109
However, there is emerging evidence that indicates that young people are also sensitive to the
stigma, shame and impracticalities involved in getting testing when symptomatic. An ABS
representative survey found that less than half of young adults (43%) would “definitely get tested” if
they had mild respiratory symptoms. 110
In a smaller, qualitative study, students in Victoria reported a fear of contributing to a ‘COVID-scare’
at their school if testing positive. These fears and anxieties were linked to media representations of
people that have tested positive, showing them as selfish or irresponsible. Young people also
reported that they were concerned about the financial and employment implications involved in
isolating, and held the view that the health and testing system lacked humanity, were cold,
impersonal and dismissive. 111 Research has also shown that self-reported experiences of
discrimination were positively associated being less willing to be vaccinated. 112
What can we do to help?
Several solutions were suggested to mitigate young people’s fears and hesitancy in getting tested for
COVID-19. These included: 113
• Directions that use everyday language and explain why and how to follow them for people
who have different life circumstances (i.e. living in a share house) may help young people
make the decision to get tested and isolate.
• Knowing that on-the-spot support such as food delivery and internet vouchers will be offered
to everyone may reduce barriers to having a test.
• Providing people with a thank you card with a link to further information/support at testing
sites may be a cheap and easy way to increase the sense of humanity and community
engagement while linking people into information and support.
• An expanded health concierge model that embeds young people in the health system can
help guide young people through the testing and isolation process and support the timely
provision of tailored support.
15Every child survives
Healthy
and thrives
Tackling discrimination also appears to be a potential lever in ensuring the public feel safe and willing
to be vaccinated. Therefore continued support among young people for a ‘safe and effective’ vaccine
needs to be sustained through ensuring they feel valued and supported as community members,
who are contributing to the greater public health of the country. Effective public communication
strategies and transparency in health measures will also be important components of convincing the
population that the vaccines provided are appropriate and safe.
What does the future hold?
It is still unclear when the vaccine will be available to young people in Australia who are not front-line
health workers or those working in aged care. Trials are underway for a number of vaccine variants
for children and adolescents. Young people in the United States are now being vaccinated, and the
Canadian drug and therapeutic regulator Health Canada approved Pfizer-BioNTech’s mRNA vaccine
for children aged 12-15 on May 5. The European Medicines Agency is reviewing applications for
vaccines to be used in the same age group 114.
With a substantial proportion of the population likely to be vaccinated by the time young people in
Australia are eligible, it can be hoped that vaccine willingness will remain high. A vaccinated
population will also lessen the dependence on the testing and contact tracing system to contain
outbreaks within the community.
Other risks and areas of expected impact
Return to the Introduction
16Learning Every child learns
This wellbeing domain represents children having the opportunity to learn at home, at school, and in
the community. COVID-19 has affected children’s opportunities to learn in a number of ways, such as
through school closures and physical distancing measures.
Australian data sources
The majority of data sources have been produced to examine the potential impact of COVID-19 on
education from a systems-level perspective, and to collate the experiences from teachers and
parents. However, there are increasingly data and information collected directly from children and
young people.
• 2020 Report to the NSW Department of Education: Evaluating the impact of COVID-19 on
NSW schools 115
• Australian Education Survey 116
• ANUPoll COVID-19 series 117
• Centre for Independent Studies - Parents’ perspectives on home-based learning in the covid-
19 pandemic 118
• COVID-19 and education: how Australian schools are responding and what happens next 119
• CCYP Victoria COVID consultations 120
• Equity Economics disadvantage forecast – A wave of disadvantage across NSW: Impact of the
COVID-19 recession 121
• Pivot Professional Learning survey 122
• QILT 2020 Student Experience Survey 123
• SNAICC Covid-19 Ongoing Impacts Survey report 124
• UNICEF 'Living in Limbo' project 125
• YouthInsight survey series 126
• Monash University Australian Schooling Survey 127
• Australian Council of State Schools Organisations Survey 128
• The Smith Family Survey: The impact on education of children living in poverty 129
• The Australian Digital Inclusion Index 2020 130
17Learning Every child learns
Headline indicators
• The 2021 federal budget confirms a firmer commitment for preschool, promising $1.6 billion
over the next four years, with a goal to introduce a new preschool outcomes measure in
2025 131
• $63 million, over four years from 2020-21, is allocated as part of the Indigenous Skills and Job
Advancement Program, to support a further 2700 places in indigenous girl’s academies 132
• Over three quarters (76%) of Australians say COVID restrictions imposed during 2020 have
made it harder for students experiencing poverty to progress with their education 133
Links and resources
• Research articles –
o The impact of ‘learning at home’ on the educational outcomes of vulnerable children
in Australia during the COVID-19 pandemic
o From way across the sea: Information overload and international students during the
COVID-19 pandemic
o The impact of transition to online learning on students with disabilities
o Coping with COVID: The mental health impact on young people accessing headspace
services
o Educational opportunity in Australia 2020: Who succeeds and who misses out
• International research –
o Education in a post-COVID world: Nine ideas for public action – International
Commission on the Futures of Education
o Spotlight: Quality education for all during COVID-19 crisis
o What happens in early childhood can matter a lifetime
• UNSW newsroom articles –
o Study confirms HSC exams source of major stress to adolescents
o Year 12 creates too much stress and ATAR scoring ‘unfair’
• The Conversation news articles –
o Are we teaching children to be afraid of exams?
o Online exam monitoring is now common in Australian universities – but is it here to
stay?
o The coronavirus pandemic is boosting the big tech transformation to warp speed
• ABC news articles –
o Coronavirus opens education’s digital divide, as COVID-19 forces schools into online
learning
o University students at UQ raise concerns about online exam monitoring service
ProctorU
18Learning Every child learns
A focus on … the impact of online exams in the learning of young people
Almost two years into the pandemic, what pandemic recovery looks like remains uncertain in the
education environment and beyond. With the implementation of remote learning at different points
last year, came the birth of online exams – the ‘short-term’ alterations to monitor students during
exam time across Australian schools, universities and VET institutions.
In a survey conducted by Headspace late last year, 74% of young people surveyed reported that their
mental health was worse since the outbreak of COVID-19. This included 65% who reported a
negative impact on their school or university situation, 134 namely “worrying levels” of exam stress in
general.
Exams, particularly Year 12 exams, are a stressful time for young people in general, with marks
contributing to university entry and hence determining career paths and future earning potential 135.
At least 24 universities in Australia and New Zealand used some sort of online proctoring tool last
year 136. In some cases this simply involved the relatively low-tech use of Zoom, but many universities
opted for commercial proctoring platforms to monitor exams.
Establishing new exam monitoring mechanisms in place in the midst of a crisis, while necessary for
accountability and accuracy of results, can add another layer of anxiety and unhealthy stress among
children 137. Online exam systems rely heavily on automated facial recognition or detection, gaze
detection and keystroke biometrics to verify students’ identity and flag “suspicious” behaviour.
Critics have argued the facial recognition tools these platforms depend on may be racially biased, and
more likely to misrecognise people of colour. In the United States, facial recognition technologies
have been banned outright in several cities 138.
Students with disabilities also face additional complexities, which may not be adequately taken into
consideration139. International research has shown that online exam proctoring systems typically use
algorithms designed for a “standardised” human body, for example the number of times a person
blinks in a given period. Any behaviour that falls outside these set “norms” triggers the algorithm and
is treated with suspicion 140.
What can we do to help?
It is important that children and young people have equitable access to learning. A holistic approach
to education includes evidence-based policy and practice that benefits the child in their learning
environment (through quality parent engagement) as well as through a shift in the narrative and
expectations of being so focused on marks and rankings. One aspect of this includes the opportunity
to enjoy the process of learning, especially in these unprecedented times. Strategies suggested by
the Centre for Social Impact and Reach Out on how to improve student wellbeing include 141:
• Having realistic and achievable goals within the current situation and a willingness to accept
uncertainty.
• Promoting the importance of self-care and developing stress management techniques and
wellbeing plans.
• Endorsing good practices and reassuring children and young people that asking for help is not
a sign of weakness.
19Learning Every child learns
• Offering different forms of testing and flexibility in online exam monitoring.
What does the future hold?
COVID-19 has revealed vulnerabilities in our education system, typically for those who already face
disadvantage. Several jurisdictions have already sought to counter these with catch-up programs, for
example Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia.
Digital learning and new technology have been both an advantage and a disadvantage throughout
lockdowns and restricted movement. Technology that enables communication, collaboration and
learning across distance should be viewed as one of many tools and not an exclusive remedy.
Other risks and areas of expected impact
Return to the Introduction
20Every child survives
Participating
and thrives
This wellbeing domain represents the opportunity children and young people have to participate in
their society and have a say on issues that affect them. This is no less important in the COVID-19
context.
Australian data sources
There is a small but growing list of data sources available to assess the impacts of COVID-19 on the
opportunity for children and young people to participate in society. This includes:
• ANUPoll COVID-19 series 142
• AIFS Life during COVID-19 Survey 143
• Our Lives Longitudinal Study 144
• Missing: Young People in Australian News Media 145
• Mission Australia Youth Survey 146
• SNAICC Covid-19 Ongoing Impacts Survey report 147
• UNICEF 'Living in Limbo' project 148
• YouthInsight survey series 149
• Relationships Australia survey – cyberbullying in Australia 150
• Roy Morgan TikTok Usage Survey 151
• eSafety Commissioner Youth Digital Participation Survey 2020 152
• Australian Competition & Consumer Commission Cyberbullying Report 153
• Australian Youth Safety Survey 2020 – Technical Report 154
• AIHW Australia’s Children 2020 Report 155
• AIFS Online Safety Resource Sheet 156
Headline indicators
• Just over 4 in 10 teens had at least one negative online experience in the six months to
September 2020 with this increasing to over 50% of those aged 14 to 17 157
• More teenagers are seeking online help over sexting and cyberbullying, with online searches
on the issues increasing by 55% and 39% respectively since the pandemic began 158
• Over a quarter of Australians in the youngest Generation Alpha (28%) are now using TikTok,
with over one million Australians (20%) from the Generation Z cohort 159
• In 2020, Australian TikTok influencers had an audience share of 22.76% that were female,
aged between 15 and 24 160
Links and resources
• Research articles –
o Research note: Spreading hate on TikTok
21Every child survives
Participating
and thrives
o Parenting in a digital age: A review of parents’ role in preventing adolescent
cyberbullying
o Preventing the digital scars of COVID-19
o Bullying during COVID-19: The impact on child and adolescent health
• International research –
o Understanding young adults’ TikTok usage
o Cyberbullying: Review of an old problem gone viral
o Cyberbullying: Identification, prevention and response
o Clinical Report – The impacts of social media on children, adolescents and families
• ABC news articles –
o It’s time to talk about TikTok and what it’s doing with our kids’ data
o Australian intelligence agencies investigate Chinese-owned TikTok over security
concerns
o TikTok suicide video prompts warning for parents to keep children offline
o TikTok is facing a global backlash over security concerns. Should we be worried about
it here?
• The Conversation news article – Young people are exposed to more hate online during
COVID. And it risks their health
• Family zone blogpost – Kids are obsessed with TikTok. So are predators
• Daily Mail Australia news article – ‘Not safe for kids’: Popular social media app TikTok is a
magnet for paedophiles, claims Australian cyber safety expert
• The Guardian news article – The Australian government’s concern about TikTok is not just
about data ethics – it’s about politics
A focus on … the prevalence of cyberbullying on TikTok
Children and young people today encounter and utilise technology constantly across the different
domains of their lives – as they attempt to explore their sexual curiosities and identities, build
relationships, and seek sensation 161. Numerous Australian and international research pieces,
developed both prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic, have highlighted an alarming level of
cyberbullying among young people with the proliferation of platforms for people to connect and
share information online 162, 163, 164. For example, the Australian Youth Safety Survey 2020 by the
Queensland University of Technology Centre for Justice found that 165:
• Almost 2 out of every 5 young people (38%) at some point in their life had used social media,
the internet, or mobile phone to bully, threaten, or humiliate someone, and 20% had been
the victim of cyberbullying in the last year.
• Approximately 1 in 7 victims (14%) were bullied due to their religion, language, skin colour,
or ethnicity, and 2 out of 5 victims (41%) due to their gender of sexuality.
22Every child survives
Participating
and thrives
• Just under a third (32%) experienced hate speech at least once in the last year.
• One out of every 14 young people (7%) experienced physical violence because of one of the
aspects of their identity at some point in their life.
Screen time increased substantially for all ages during COVID-19. The Digital 2021: Australia report
indicated that in 2020, the amount of time Australian users aged 16-64 reported spending online
jumped by 10%, or 32 more minutes. Social media, at 1 hour 46 minutes per day, accounts for
roughly one-third of the time spent online, making it the second most popular media activity for
Australians after watching television 166.
TikTok is a popular social media among younger users, with 70% of all users born after 1991 167,168.
TikTok allows users to have private accounts, but the social nature of the app and the rapid success
of other TikTokkers ‘going viral’ is an enticement for young people to use the app in ways which may
not always be positive.
A small study found some of the reasons that led users to use TikTok during the pandemic
included 169:
• Boredom
• Going viral
• Boosting up mood
• Expression of true self
• Maintaining creativity and authenticity
TikTok is reported to have a dark side of propagating fake news (factually inaccurate public health
messaging) and distributing racist comments and hateful messages along with its reputation of
attracting predators. Susan McLean, one of Australia’s foremost experts on cyber safety and safety
among young people captures the concerns of this app well:
“TikTok does not have the same safety features as some of the more well-known apps and does not
routinely remove accounts that have been flagged as potentially those of a predator. There are also
concerns about privacy and data used by the Chinese-owned company. Both the US and Australian
governments have told serving soldiers that they are not to use it because of security risks. TikTok
also received the biggest fine in US history for gathering data on kids and selling it”.
One factor that may be contributing to this type of engagement and behaviour in this platform is its
target audience. The statistical report by Roy Morgan shows that TikTok is heavily dominated by its
million-plus Gen Z users (born 1991 – 2005) and 746,000 Gen Alpha users (born since 2006).
Recent evidence suggests an association between elevated levels of social media exposure at age 13
and self-reported victimisation, social isolation, proactive aggression and anti-social behaviours in
middle childhood 170 exacerbated partly due to the children and young peoples’ limited ability to
critically assess malicious content and detect grooming behaviour patterns 171,172,173.
While good online safety habits are important for protecting children and young people from
dangerous and inappropriate websites and materials, this doesn’t mean that parents should
discourage children from using online and social media platforms. The challenge is to help children
and young people enjoy the benefits of going online while exposing them to the skills and knowledge
to identify and avoid the risks which will aid them to build digital resilience.
23Every child survives
Participating
and thrives
What can we do to help?
The community as a whole, as well as governments, have a responsibility to ensure that children and
young people are able to navigate online and social media platforms safely – without being
victimised, groomed, or given the opportunity to normalise hateful messages and engage in bullying
behaviours. The Australian Government’s eSafety Commissioner recommends these tips for making
sure children are safe online along with some useful information on the reporting scheme:
• Engage in your child’s online activities – ask what apps, sites and games they’re using and
make sure they’re age appropriate
• Use parental controls on devices to help limit what your child is exposed to
• Help them report and block upsetting content they see on social media sites or apps
• Let them know they can come to you about anything upsetting they see online
In addition, the Commissioner for Children and Young People’s TikTok guide provides valuable tips
and strategies for parents to ensure their children’s TikTok is child safe.
The Cyberbullying Research Centre highlights that creating a safe online environment takes
concerted and comprehensive efforts from all stakeholders - children and young people, parents,
educators, counsellors, youth leaders, law enforcement, government bodies and social media
companies to make a meaningful difference in tackling cyberbullying 174. Some examples include 175:
• For parents: Utilisation of an age-appropriate “Technology Use Contract”
• For schools: Digital citizenship focus in the school curriculum
• For law enforcement: Up-to-date skills and knowledge for intervention
What does the future hold?
As children and young people mature in this digitalised society, it’s important to recognise that the
experience of childhood and youth is complex and quickly evolving. How policymakers, carers,
professionals and service providers respond to social media in policy, service delivery and practice all
contribute to how children and young people utilise social media platforms.
Other risks and areas of expected impact
Return to the Introduction
24Positive Sense of Every child has a
Identity and Culture fair chance in life
This wellbeing domain represents children having a positive sense of identity and culture. This can
occur in a number of ways, such as a sense of belonging with friends and family, feeling included in
the community and society, and having a connection to one’s cultural group.
Australian data sources
There is very little Australian data available on the impact of COVID-19 on having a positive sense of
identity and culture. Available data sources that capture some aspects of having a positive sense of
identity and culture include:
• AIFS Life during COVID-19 Survey 176
• Mission Australia Youth Survey 177
• Hidden cost: Young multicultural Victorians and COVID-19 178
• As if we weren’t humans: The abandonment of temporary migrants in Australia during
COVID-19 179
• Reflections on COVID-19: In their own words, South Australian young people reflect on the
impact of the coronavirus on their world and futures 180
• SNAICC Covid-19 Ongoing Impacts Survey report 181
• COVID-19 impacts us all: Ensuring the safety and wellbeing of people on temporary visas
during COVID-19 182
• Relationships Australia May 2020 Survey 183
• Good Shepherd COVID-19 Vulnerable Australians Survey 184
• The Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia Survey 185
Headline indicators
• As the COVID-19 crisis continues, 40,000 stranded Australians are still trying to return home
from overseas, with over 4,800 Australians considered to be vulnerable 186.
• Nearly 6 out of 10 grandparents of CALD families ceased providing care for their
grandchildren due to international border closures 187.
• A temporary travel ban between India and Australia saw anyone breaching the rule to facing
up to five years in jail or heavy fines 188.
Links and resources
• Research articles –
o COVID-19 and separated families
o Delaying the COVID-19 epidemic in Australia: Evaluating the effectiveness of
international travel bans
o Migrants and the COVID-19 pandemic: An initial analysis
25Positive Sense of Every child has a
Identity and Culture fair chance in life
o The Temporary Sponsored Parent Visa, Migrant Grandparents and Transnational
Family Life
o Developmental effects of parent-child separation
o Working with people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds – practice
paper
• International research –
o Migrant and displaced children in the age of COVID-19: How the pandemic is
impacting them and what can we do to help
o COVID-19 in Australia: Impacts on separated families, family law professionals, and
family courts
• ABC news articles –
o Only allowing stranded Australians home on compassionate grounds would
undermine the core rights of citizenship
o Australian families separated, forced into long-distance relationships during
coronavirus travel restrictions
o Heartbreak for thousands of Australian residents banned from reuniting with their
foreign parents
• SBS news articles –
o Six months since Australia's borders closed, separated families are losing hope
o Why Australia’s delayed vaccine rollout is likely to keep Maninder and his family
apart for longer
• BBC Australia news articles –
o India's Covid pandemic: Girl, 5, separated from family by Australia restrictions
o Australia unlikely to fully reopen border in 2021
• Canberra Times news articles –
o After the pandemic, let's not keep families separated by borders
A focus on … the impact on families separated by international border closures
The COVID-19 crisis has caused great societal upheaval and an unprecedented change to the way
people live, work, travel and socialise. Every Australian state and territory experienced some form of
lockdown, several multiple times and for longer periods than others.
As options for cross-border movements dwindle, incoming migrants (Australian permanent residents
and citizens) have been pushed back or quarantined at borders 189. In the context of international
border closures, existing tensions in relationships have been exposed, leading to new logistical issues
which new migrant families and culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) families have had to
navigate.
26Positive Sense of Every child has a
Identity and Culture fair chance in life
The significance of this issue among new migrant families is highlighted through the lens of
precarious employment experienced by many. For example, while the negative employment impacts
have been felt across all socio-demographic groups, the research conducted by Roy Morgan indicates
that women and recently arrived migrants from CALD backgrounds have been carrying the brunt of
the economic downturn 190.
Increased financial stress has a negative impact on families, including poorer engagement with their
children, and increased anxiety and depression. Research by the Australian National University
Centre for Social Research and Methods has found that new migrant families have been forced to
rely on their respective families (grandparents) to become primary carers for their children, both
within and outside of formal state care arrangements 191.
However, as reflected across a flurry of recent research, the international border closures have
created another layer of difficulty and divide in the way migrant families have coped 192. For example,
the Families in Australia Survey: Life during COVID-19 by the Australian Institute of Family Studies
found that 193:
• Nearly 4 out of 10 grandparents of CALD families ceased providing care for their
grandchildren due to international border closures
• Before COVID-19, 30% of families used parent-only care which rose to 64% of families during
COVID-19
• While parents worked from home, 40% always or often ‘actively cared for children’ during
work
Although the government should be commended for its measures and efforts to limit the spread and
impact of the disease, some experts 194 note the impact on social cohesion, based on shared values
and a sense of belonging.
While these foundations of cohesion have been codified in the Australian Human Rights
Commission 195 and the Australian Citizenship: Your Right, Your Responsibility report 196, the recent
hardline approach to Australian citizens, permanent residents and others returning from India during
its COVID-19 crisis has drawn criticism. Under international human rights law 197, governments have a
responsibility to demonstrate that any limitations they put on rights are proportionate.
The Commonwealth has responded by opening repatriation flights and seeking to return the most
vulnerable to Australia first.
It is important to recognise that border closures, alongside the illness itself, have had and will
continue to have substantial impacts on the health, wellbeing and livelihoods of people in Australia,
especially migrant and CALD families 198. The Behind Closed Doors report by the University of
Melbourne emphasises the level of mental distress experienced by migrant parents in this period of
flux and uncertainty, as they bear great risks to stay employed and maintain a safe environment in
which their children can thrive through affordable childcare services 199.
There is limited research to date on the impact of separation, caused to young families by COVID-19
international border restrictions. Personal stories captured by a range of news outlets indicates the
distress caused by long term separation 200,201,202:
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