Understanding child wellbeing: ARACY resource supports ECEC practices

The concept of child wellbeing is widely used in the early childhood education and care (ECEC) sector, but definitions and interpretations can vary. This can present challenges when designing, delivering or evaluating programs and services that aim to support children and families.

To support shared understanding and strengthen cross-sector collaboration, the Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth (ARACY), in partnership with Emerging Minds, has made available a suite of engaging resources including an animation that explains what wellbeing means for children and young people in Australia.

The short video introduces The Nest, a nationally recognised wellbeing framework developed by ARACY. It brings to life a practical and holistic model designed to support children and young people to thrive.

Grounded in robust evidence, The Nest draws on a combination of academic research, professional expertise, and the lived experience of children and young people themselves. It outlines six interconnected and essential domains of wellbeing:

• Being loved and safe
• Having material basics
• Being healthy
• Learning
• Participating
• Having a positive sense of identity and culture

These domains offer a common language for understanding what every child and young person needs to flourish, and are particularly relevant for those working in early learning and care environments where early relationships, safety, development and identity are shaped.

As the sector works to address workforce challenges, elevate professional identity, and strengthen family and community partnerships, frameworks like The Nest can help guide planning and evaluation in meaningful and measurable ways.

By supporting a consistent definition of wellbeing, The Nest eliminates barriers to understanding, reduces fragmentation across systems, and creates opportunities for more integrated and aligned support across the health, education and community service sectors. This shared approach is key to building services that are responsive to the diverse needs of children and families.

ARACY encourages early childhood professionals to explore the animation and overview and consider how The Nest can inform practice, service delivery and team development in their settings. The resource is relevant for centre managers, approved providers, educators and allied professionals seeking to build wellbeing-focused programs and environments.

To support further engagement, ARACY has available companion resources. These include the 2024 What’s In The Nest (PDF), which provides a concise explanation of the six wellbeing domains, and The Nest technical document (PDF), which outlines the research base and framework methodology in detail.

As ARACY continues to lead national conversations on child wellbeing, including a forthcoming initiative focused on productivity and economic reform, The Sector looks forward to sharing further insights from this important work.

For more information and to explore the full suite of resources, visit here.