Defining Child and Youth Wellbeing Wellbeing is the state where a child or young person feels loved and safe; has access to material basics; has their physical, mental and emotional health needs met; is learning and participating; and has a positive sense of culture and identity. Tasmania’s definition of wellbeing is based on six It is inspired by The Nest, a national, ‘domains’. evidence- based initiative on child and youth wellbeing developed by the Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth (ARACY). The Six Domains of Child and Youth Wellbeing Being loved and safe Having material basics Being healthy Learning Participating Having a positive sense of culture and identity what wellbeing includes. The six domains are a simple way of These descriptors are capable of application to presenting a complex concept. There are various purposes across the service system. This significant inter- includes informing service design and delivery; and relationships between the domains; and it is supporting consistent outcomes measurement. highly likely that services will be focused on improving outcomes across multiple domains, The descriptors focus on those things that are due to these inter-relationships. A child’s required to support the wellbeing of children and participation in education falls within the learning young people. Some of these things we already do domain; but their ability to confidently engage well, while others require further work. Future with education will rely heavily on their having a priorities can be guided by further consideration of supportive home environment (being loved and each of these domains safe) and having access to educational materials and descriptors. (having material basics). Service providers are encouraged to develop additional descriptors to help the framework A number of descriptors are listed to develop over time. against each domain to help define
Defining Child and Youth Wellbeing Wellbeing is the state where a child or young person feels loved and safe; has access to material basics; has their physical, mental and emotional health needs met; is learning and participating; and has a positive sense of culture and identity. Tasmania’s definition of wellbeing is based on six ‘domains’. It is inspired by The Nest, a national, evidence- based initiative on child and youth wellbeing developed by the Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth (ARACY). The Six Domains of Child and Youth Wellbeing Being loved and safe Having material basics Being healthy Learning Participating Having a positive sense of culture and identity The six domains are a simple way of presenting a complex concept. There are significant inter- relationships between the domains; and it is highly likely that services will be focused on improving outcomes across multiple domains, due to these inter-relationships. A child’s participation in education falls within the learning domain; but their ability to confidently engage with education will rely heavily on their having a supportive home environment (being loved and safe) and having access to educational materials (having material basics). A number of descriptors are listed against each domain to help define what wellbeing includes. These descriptors are capable of application to various purposes across the service system. This includes informing service design and delivery; and supporting consistent outcomes measurement. The descriptors focus on those things that are required to support the wellbeing of children and young people. Some of these things we already do well, while others require further work. Future priorities can be guided by further consideration of each of these domains and descriptors. Service providers are encouraged to develop additional descriptors to help the framework to develop over time.