Child and Youth Wellbeing Framework

A common language to describe child wellbeing and our roles in improving it.

The wellbeing of Tasmania’s children and young people is of critical importance. When a child has a strong sense of wellbeing they will learn better, be healthier, happier and more confident. They will also be more resilient and more able to participate in their community and interact with others in a positive way.

The Tasmanian Government’s Strong Families, Safe Kids project recognised the need for partnership and collaboration across services and the community if we were to deliver meaningful improvements to the wellbeing of children and young people.

This led to the development of the Child and Youth Wellbeing Framework – a common language that government agencies, non-government services and communities can use to both describe what they mean by child wellbeing, and to place themselves in terms of their individual roles in improving the wellbeing of children and young people.

Released in June 2018, the framework’s primary purpose is to promote this agreed definition of child and youth wellbeing and provide a launch pad for a range of future initiatives to strengthen families and improve the wellbeing of Tasmanian children and young people.

The framework’s common definition of wellbeing is based on six ‘wellbeing 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).

Each domain is broken down into descriptors and across age groups to provide a more detailed definition of child and youth wellbeing.

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 framework is available for download:

Child and Family Wellbeing Assessment Tool

The Child and Family Wellbeing Assessment Tool is a flexible wellbeing assessment tool based around the six domains of wellbeing. It is available for use by all practitioners working with children, young people and their families.