Findings from Growing Up in Australia: The Longitudinal Study of Australian Children This paper presents findings from a study commissioned by The Smith Family and conducted by the Australian Institute of Family Studies, which aimed to identify key influences on Australian children’s school readiness, particularly children in financially disadvantaged households. A range of child, family...

This report focuses on children's readiness for school, considering the role of families, schools and communities as facilitators and inhibitors. The transition from home to school is a major change in children’s lives, being the first compulsory and universal point of contact between the child and broader social institutions. This can be a challenging period...

Children are often seen as the product of their environment and their parents' child rearing skills. While they are undoubtedly greatly influenced by their family environment, they come into the world with very different personalities and characteristics. Parents often notice that strategies which work with one child may not work as well with another. Bringing...

This report from the Australian Temperament Project focuses on the transition to early adulthood; connections between antisocial behaviour and victimisation; the role of substance use in the development of adolescent antisocial behaviour; why do some low risk children become antisocial adolescents; motivations to comply with the law, attitudes, and antisocial behaviour; and concordance between official...

This report, a product of the Institute's Australian Temperament Project in partnership with the Royal Automobile Club of Victoria and the Transport Accident Commission of Victoria, provides new information on young adults' own reported driving behaviour and identifies earlier characteristics or circumstances in young drivers' lives that may have influenced their current driving behaviour.