Growing Up in Australia – The Longitudinal Study of Australian Children

News item 22 April 2026

Pretend play is a magical part of childhood. New research suggests it can also help mental health

Children who demonstrate pretend play ability as toddlers have fewer emotional and behavioural difficulties at primary school, according to a University of Sydney study using Growing Up in Australia data.

Two boys in animal costumes sitting together on a sofa indoors.

Explainer 22 April 2026

Positive relationships with parents, peers and schools may help reduce suicide risk for young Australians

A sense of school belonging and positive relationships with parents and peers may help reduce suicide risk for young Australians, a new report by the Growing Up in Australia study has found.

Portrait of two cheerful teenage girls wearing school uniform and embracing each other in a school hallway.

News item 17 February 2026

Wave 11 survey now open

Our Wave 11 survey is open and ready for participants to complete. Find out how to access your survey.

Diverse group of young people laughing together

Content page 1 October 2025

Wave 10 findings

View our data dashboard to see facts about participants in the Growing Up in Australia study, aged 19 to 24 years, at the 10th wave of data collection in 2023–2024.

LSAC data dashboard being used on a laptop computer

About the study

Learn about the study that follows the development of 10,000 young people and their families.

Information for participants

Find the latest updates for Growing Up in Australia participants.

Data access and usage

Learn about the type of data we collect and how to access it for research projects.

In the media

Read the latest mentions of the Growing Up in Australia study in the media.

Update your details

Are you a study participant? Have you changed your contact details recently? Find out how to update your details with the study team.

Latest research

Research snapshot 22 Apr 2026

Parent, peer and school connections may help reduce suicide risk for young Australians

This research highlights that, among young Australians, positive relationships with parents and peers and school connections during adolescence are associated with the reduced likelihood of suicidal thoughts and behaviours during early adulthood.

Research snapshot 19 Aug 2025

Suicidal thoughts and behaviours in adolescence

This snapshot tracks suicidal thoughts and behaviours in teens, revealing key risk factors and patterns to inform early intervention and prevention efforts.

See all research findings

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