Student Wellbeing

What supports children's wellbeing?

In 2013 the Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth (ARACY) launched The Nest wellbeing frameworkLinks to an external site.. The framework was developed after extensive consultation with over 4,000 children, families and experts. At one of these consultations a young participant described the areas of wellbeing as forming a nest, where “if every area is supported, we’re able to be happy, healthy, and fly from the nest.” It stuck, and the Nest has continued to inform major initiatives in policy, practice and research for children's wellbeing. It was extensively updated in 2024 to reflect the latest evidence.

 It provides a way to understand children's and young people's wellbeing, including their health, in relation to six pivotal and interconnected dimensions that are essential for children and young people to thrive. These interconnected domains support each other and they all need to be considered and addressed for a child or young person to have the best possible start to life. When considering what is needed to support young people's development, the Nest acts as a roadmap for change, promoting the shared goal of improved child wellbeing.

Use the plus symbols in the image below to read more about each of the six dimensions of the Nest:

Jenny Willmott

Student Wellbeing Being Leader