The Democratisation of Data for Improving Child and Family Health and Wellbeing

Professor Fiona Stanley and Associate Professor Rebecca Glauert contributed to the latest edition of What’s the Big Idea? by The Australia Institute, marking the 30th anniversary of the publication. They present a strong message for the need for data, particularly against the backdrop of concerning trends in child health and wellbeing outcomes that continue to stagnate (or in some cases worsening) despite our awareness of the issues.

The piece expresses that to improve the health and wellbeing of Australia's children and young people, data must be made available for evidence-driven decision making and coordinated action across sectors. This message reflects the core mission of The Australian Child and Youth Wellbeing Atlas project. The Atlas is commended as a first-of-its-kind tool providing free access to data that highlights issues facing the next generation through its visualisation of health and wellbeing metrics. By democratising access to data, the tool enables communities to advocate for better resources and puts power back into the hands of the people.