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Subjective wellbeing in the early childhood years
In research literature, there is a warranted concern that 'wellbeing' in early childhood is not well measured and not well understood.
The term 'wellbeing' is used extensively in research in a practice and policy context where we want to describe or discuss desired outcomes for children. Unfortunately, there is often conflicting views on what is meant by the term 'wellbeing' and how to measure it. This is a term that is used inter-changeably with other health and learning outcomes.
Regardless of how the term is portrayed, there is widespread agreement on the importance of measuring wellbeing.
Subjective wellbeing is the reported experience of positive emotions (such as optimism), negative emotions (such as sadness), satisfaction related to specific domains (such as work or relationships) and overall judgements of life satisfaction. (UNICEF, 2021)
Early childhood wellbeing lays the foundations for healthy development and lifelong health and wellbeing. However, in recent studies (OECD 2021), It shows there is still a significant gap for early childhood in wellbeing literature.
Overall aim:
Informed by the lived experience of young children, and the perspectives of parents and practioners, this research will develop and trial a tool to understand children's subjective experiences of wellbeing.
Phase 1 - Pilot study:
- Understand what "wellbeing" means to young children, parents and early childhood educators
- Explore the different components / domains associated with wellbeing
- Identify how we might better support wellbeing as an important outcome for the early childhood years
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- Connectedness & Belonging
- Volunteer Family Connect Program of Research
- Futuro Infantil Hoy
- The Children as Health Ambassadors study
- Greenscapes: How does your garden grow?
- Transforming silos to linked up services
- Upholding Cultural Connection for Children in Out-of-Home Care
- The ReSPECT Project: Reconceptualising services from the perspectives of experienced children and teens
- Improving children’s early school outcomes, health and wellbeing using a child participatory methodology
- The Acknowledgement Project: Embedding Indigenous knowledges in early childhood education and care
- Subjective wellbeing in the early childhood years
- Listening carefully: Engaging families in early childhood education in the context of disadvantage
- “And it's Not History. It's Now”: Embedding a Trauma Framework into the Practice of Welfare Practitioners who Work with Aboriginal Families in the NSW Child Protection Sector
- Sharing parenting stories and love
- Teaching About the Stolen Generations in NSW Schools: A Comparative Study of the Role and Impacts of In-person Storytelling on Members of the Stolen Generations, Students and Teachers
- THRIVE: Finishing School Well
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