June 2021 Digest

1 Looking Ahead

Australian Children and Young People’s Knowledge Acceleration Hub Sector adaptation and innovation shaped by COVID-19 and the latest evidence on COVID-19 and its impacts on children and young people

A collaboration between ARACY and UNICEF Australia

Introduction The Australian Children and Young People’s Knowledge Acceleration Hub is an initiative created by ARACY and UNICEF Australia to ensure that the impacts of COVID-19 on children in Australia are fully understood and communicated to decision makers at all levels. To do this, we will draw upon data from Australia and international comparators, the latest research and analysis of COVID-19 and its impacts on children and families, and related research with applicable lessons for the known and anticipated impacts of COVID-19 and their potential mitigation. Our Approach to Wellbeing The Australian Children and Young People’s Knowledge Acceleration Hub uses both ARACY’s The Nest child wellbeing framework and UNICEF’s Children’s Goals. The Nest looks at wellbeing as a series of six connected and interdependent domains. A child needs to be doing well in all six domains to thrive. Deprivation in one domain is likely to affect wellbeing in other domains. UNICEF’s Children’s Goals are derived from the United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of the Child and align with the domains of The Nest. Please visit the ARACY website for more information on The Nest and its uses in conceptualising child wellbeing, and the Australian Children and Young People’s Knowledge Acceleration Hub online library for summary content and future digests.

Find out more about the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child here: https://www.unicef.org/child-rights-convention

2 Looking Ahead

3 Looking Ahead

Issue 10: June 2021 This tenth release covers information and analysis released from May through to June 2021. Throughout the pandemic in 2020 we have released new digests regularly, bringing together the latest research and information to inform policy, practice, and decision-making. We are delighted to again partner with UNICEF Australia to continue producing this digest throughout 2021. We will highlight the data sources available that assess the impact of COVID-19 on the wellbeing of children and young people in Australia, and report on headline indicators. Each digest will take a more in-depth focus on particular issues.

Key Issues Key issues addressed in this issue include:

• The effects of exposure to toxic stress in the early years • The impact of new COVID-19 variants on children and young people • Young people in the Vocational Education and Training (VET) Sector

If you would like to jump to information on a specific wellbeing domain, click one of the squares.

This report was prepared by Lauren Renshaw and Sadhana Seriamlu (ARACY).

4 Looking Ahead

Harnessing the power of neuroscience to change lives This month Lori Rubenstein, lead advisor to ARACY’s Brain Builders Alliance, picks up the thread of toxic stress (see Loved and Safe) and gives a rundown of the importance of understanding brain development in children to design better policy and practice.

It is an understatement to say that the 2020 convergence of fires, droughts, floods, and a pandemic tested all of us as well as the very systems meant to keep us safe. These multiple crises caused unrelenting stress for many children and families, stretched health and human services to near breaking point, and magnified existing socioeconomic inequalities. However, this cluster of catastrophic crises also unleashed incredible innovation, concern for others (friends, family members and strangers) and strengths that often go unnoticed. This may be why so many people are talking about “building back better” rather than “getting back to normal.” The challenge is immense, but so too is the scientific evidence we can use to improve population- level outcomes. We can use what we now know about brain development in the early years and across the life course, to build the capabilities of children and parents to chart pathways to health and social wellbeing.

System transformation Achieving better outcomes for children, young people and their families will also require transforming our human development systems. Talking about systems is tricky business. In a recent article, the Frameworks Institute explained the conundrum at the heart of systems thinking. Moving from a focus on individual behaviours and choices - which can result in “blaming the victim” - to a focus on the conditions that determine opportunities and result in disparate outcomes seems like a step in the right direction. However, if the system is seen as all-powerful, intransigent and beyond control, a sort of fatalism - policy paralysis - can creep in. System change requires a careful balancing act. It is crucial that there is a broad awareness and acknowledgement that systems are powerful, but at the same time, an understanding that people create systems and therefore have the ability to change them, to use them to solve problems. Neuroscience provides a universal platform for building a coherent system of services and supports across all sectors – where to intervene, when and how. Whether the lens is education or health, human services or juvenile justice, using “brain science” to build capabilities will allow us to achieve results for children, young people and families, especially those living with entrenched disadvantage. There is a core set of protective factors that are strongly predictive of positive outcomes for young people: for example, secure attachment to parents and/or other primary caregivers; cognitive stimulation in the home; material wellbeing; and parental resources (ie, strong self-efficacy and adaptive coping). Conversely, there is a core set of stressors and circumstances that are consistently predictive of a wide range of adverse outcomes: for example, the stress of ongoing adversity and entrenched disadvantage; the absence of positive attachment; poor parenting; domestic violence; unsafe neighbourhoods and schools; and social isolation.

5 Looking Ahead

Six essential facts about brains

1. There is a set of brain-based capabilities that everyone needs to thrive - executive function skills and self-efficacy, both of which are built over time, influenced by environments and relationships. Executive function skills are a set of processes that act as the “command and control” centre. They are responsible for guiding, directing, and managing the cognitive, emotional, and behavioural functions that support purposeful, goal-directed, problem-solving behaviour. Self-efficacy is the belief that you can do what is necessary to achieve your desired goals. 2. Brains are built from the bottom up - strong foundations are essential. Brain building starts before birth, makes rapid progress during the early years (neural connections forming at a rate of 1 million per second), goes through significant remodelling during adolescence and continues changing well into adulthood. 3. Cognitive, emotional, and social capacities are inextricably intertwined. Emotional well-being and social competence provide a strong foundation for emerging cognitive abilities, and together they are the bricks and mortar of brain architecture. 4. Genes and experiences work together to construct brain architecture. Genes provide the blueprint but the experiences a child has in the early years, positive and negative, help shape how the brain develops and this brain architecture lasts a lifetime. 5. Responsive caregiving makes all the difference. The single most important ingredient in brain development is the quality and nature of relationships with parents and other key adults. 6. Non-responsiveness and toxic stress damage the developing brain and can lead to problems in learning, behaviour and increased susceptibility to physical and mental illness over time. Neuroscience is so powerful because it is non-partisan, non-sectoral, and relevant to all cultures, communities, and life stages. It provides answers to the key questions that are at the heart of our work, whether it is health, education, family support, justice or community development, thereby helping us close the gap between what we know and what we do.

About Lori Rubenstein, Principal Adviser, ARACY Lori is the leader of ARACY’s Brain Builders Alliance work, bringing more than 25 years’ experience of providing strategic and policy advice to governments and NGOs in the United States, Australia, and Singapore. Lori also has extensive teaching and training experience and has conducted social research and evaluation in education, employment, health (including mental health and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health), housing, early intervention, juvenile justice, disabilities and family policy. Lori has a focus on user-friendly systems and tools for measurement of outcomes, impact, social value and the new forms of investment in social benefits.

6 Every child thrives Material Basics and survives

This wellbeing domain represents children having their basic needs met. This includes a roof over their heads, sufficient family access to income and access to basic goods such as food, clothes, toys and technology. Given the economic crisis that is following the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important to assess how these multiple crises have impacted children and young people.

Australian data sources Much of the existing data on the availability of material basics for children and young people are extrapolated from that collected at the population level. However, there is an increasing amount of data collected on the short and potential long-term economic impacts of COVID-19 specifically on young people and young adults, and surveys collected among these groups on their perspectives and experiences over the last year. There is no data collected specifically on young children’s access to material basics as impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. • Anglicare rental affordability snapshot 20211 • ABS Labour Force Survey2 • ABS Household Impacts of COVID-19 survey series3 • ABS Weekly payroll data4 • Australian institute of Criminology (AIC) – Domestic violence survey5 • ANU Centre for Social Research and Methods - Financial Stress and Social Security Settings in Australia [modelling project]6 • ANUPoll COVID-19 series7 • AIFS Life during COVID-19 Survey8 • Burnet Institute/VicHealth Coping with COVID-19 study9 • COVID-19 pandemic adjustment study10,11,12 • DSS Payment Demographic data13 • Equity Economics disadvantage forecast – A wave of disadvantage across NSW: Impact of the COVID-19 recession14 • Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey15 • Impacts of COVID-19 on children and young people who contact Kids Helpline16,17 • Our Lives Longitudinal Study18 • Melbourne Institute’s Taking the Pulse of the Nation survey19 • Mission Australia Youth Survey20 • VicHealth Coronavirus Victorian Wellbeing Impact Study – follow up survey21 • The ACOSS/UNSW Poverty in Australia 2020 Report22 • Twenty10 case study and survey23 • SNAICC COVID-19 Ongoing Impacts Survey report24 • UTS study – The experience of precarious housing among international students25 • Survey of temporary migrants - As if we weren’t humans: The abandonment of temporary migrants in Australia during COVID-1926 • The 100 families WA Project27 • University of Melbourne’s Hallmark Research Initiative – The Impact of COVID-19 on Victorian share households28 • YouthInsight survey series29 • Youth Unemployment Monitor, Brotherhood St Laurence30

7 Every child thrives Material Basics and survives

Headline Indicators • The unemployment rate for 15-19 year olds has dropped to 14.2% and 8.6% for 20-24 year olds in April 2021.31 • Total of 339, 800 underemployed persons (seasonally adjusted) aged 15-24 years in May 2021, compared with 407,900 (seasonally adjusted) in February 2020.32 • As of March 2021, 113,830 young people aged 21-24 years were receiving the Jobseeker payment and 98,715 people aged 16- 20 years were receiving Youth Allowance (not related to studying or apprenticeships)33

Links and resources • Journal article – Use of Kids Helpline by Children and Young People in Australia During the COVID-19 Pandemic • Pursuit (University of Melbourne) article – Preventing a rebound in youth homelessness after COVID-19 • Book chapter – Risking a new underclass: Young Australians, broken transitions, and the pandemic • NCVER report – What VET can offer to COVID-19 youth unemployment recovery

A focus on … youth employment Data shows that youth employment, nationally, has improved since the lows observed in 2020. The unemployment rate for young people, as of April 2021, is lower than rates in April 2019 (10.8% cf. 12.0% for persons aged 15-24 years)34. Underemployment has also improved, with a total of 339, 800 underemployed persons (seasonally adjusted) aged 15-24 years in May 2021, compared with 407,900 (seasonally adjusted) in February 2020.35 However, Australian Government Department of Social Services data shows that the number of young people on social security payments has still not recovered since the pandemic. As of March 2021, 113,830 young people aged 21-24 years were receiving the Jobseeker payment and 98,715 people aged 16- 20 years were receiving Youth Allowance (not related to studying or apprenticeship).36 This is higher than the 68,567 young people aged 21-24 years receiving Jobseeker payments and 72,350 Youth allowance in March 2020 and 60,716 receiving Newstart Allowance and 65,572 Youth allowance payments in December 2019. This data is a few months behind the ABS employment statistics, so may be trending down over the preceding months.

What can we do to help? Although the employment data shows positive trends, as outlined in the August digest, income growth and employment for young people prior to the pandemic showed negative trends.

8 Every child thrives Material Basics and survives

Therefore, the recommended responses outlined in ARACY’s Kids at the Crossroads report, which summarises Digests released from June to November 2020, still retain relevance, particularly due to the continuing reliance on a substantial number of young people on social security payments. • Increase assistance to low-income families by permanently raising JobSeeker, Youth Allowance and other welfare payments for families. • Prioritise employment programs targeted at young people to improve their employment prospects when the economy recovers, focusing on high quality and sustainable employment that counters the negative effects of ‘the gig economy’, insecure work and underemployment.

What does the future hold? Employment trends for young people is an important indicator on the quality of the economic and social recovery from the pandemic. There are several cascading effects on the ability of this cohort to gain work, build skills and gain confidence in their role in the labour force.

Other risks and areas of expected impact:

Return to the Introduction

9 Every child is protected from Loved and Safe violence and exploitation

A child needs to be loved and safe to grow, be free from violence and have social supports. The COVID-19 pandemic may have impacted the ability of children to be adequately protected through reduced contact with friends and family, family conflict and violence, the reduced capacity of the child protection system, and increases in bullying and social exclusion.

Australian data sources Recent data sources within Australia have provided deeper insights into supports for families, family violence, family relationships, relationships with friends and the changes in patterns of caring for children. While the majority of data sources do not consult with children directly, a growing number are seeking information directly from children. Available data sources include: • Alannah and Madeline Foundation report – This Digital Home37 • ABS Household Impacts of COVID-19 survey series38 • Australian Childhood Foundation parent survey – A lasting legacy – The impact of COVID-19 on children and parents39 • ANUPoll COVID-19 series40 • Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) – Domestic violence survey41,42,43 • AIHW Child Protection Data44 • AIHW Specialist Homeless Services Collection45 • AIFS Life during COVID-19 Survey46 • AIFS Towards COVID Normal Survey47 • CCYP consultation with children48 • Children’s Health Queensland COVID-19 Unmasked Survey49 • COVID-19 pandemic adjustment study50,51,52 • Cross-sectional survey on maternity health services53 • Drummond Street Services and Centre for Family Research and Evaluation – Assessing the impact of COVID-19 on client needs & Drummond Street's response54 • Equity Economics disadvantage forecast – A wave of disadvantage across NSW: Impact of the COVID-19 recession55 • Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey56 • Impacts of COVID-19 on children and young people who contact Kids Helpline57,58 • Melbourne Institute’s Taking the Pulse of the Nation survey59 • Monash University project - Gender-based violence and help-seeking behaviours during the COVID-19 pandemic60 • NSW BOCSAR reports61,62 • Royal Children's Hospital Child Health Poll63 • Relationships Australia survey – COVID-19 and its effects on relationships64 • SNAICC Covid-19 Ongoing Impacts Survey report65 • Triple P Parenting program statistics66 • UNICEF 'Living in Limbo' project67 • Youth Justice NSW and Youth Justice Health and Forensic Mental Health Network self-harm incident data68

10 Every child is protected from Loved and Safe violence and exploitation

Headline Indicators • Many grandparents surveyed found their regular patterns of care or contact with grandchildren disrupted by COVID restrictions and felt disconnected and isolated from their children and grandchildren. 14% of respondents with grandchildren aged under 13 years provide child care daily or several times a week and another 16% provide child care about once a week.69 • Levels of subjective wellbeing for parents surveyed during the pandemic were considerably lower than ratings prior to the pandemic. During the pandemic, lower subjective wellbeing was significantly associated with70: o low education, o government benefits, o single parents, o child with neurodevelopmental condition, o parent physical/mental health problems, o COVID-environmental stressors, and o fear/worry about COVID-19. Unexpectedly, parent engagement with news media about the pandemic was associated with higher subjective wellbeing. • Kids Helpline reported an increase of 99% in duty of care interventions1 from December 2020 to 31 May 2021 compared with the same time period one year previously – with the escalation mainly due to suicide attempts (38%) and child abuse (35%).71 o The largest increase was observed in Victoria (184%) compared with New South Wales (40%) and Queensland (46%). • Analysis of NSW police data shows was no evidence of a spike in domestic assaults during the period when the most socially restrictive orders were in place. The examination of domestic episodes attended by police where no criminal incident was detected (predominantly verbal arguments), shows significantly higher incident counts in the three months from April to June 2020 (even once pre-existing trends and seasonality are considered). Patterns returned to pre-pandemic levels in the second half of 2020. The number of calls received by the NSW Domestic Violence Line was higher throughout 2020 compared to the same month the previous year, however the increase predates the implementation of COVID-19 related restrictions.72

Links and resources • Journal articles

o Use of Kids Helpline by Children and Young People in Australia During the COVID-19 Pandemic

o Subjective wellbeing in parents during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia

1 A duty of care intervention is an instance where Kids Helpline counsellors make contact with police, child safety or ambulance services because a child or young person is deemed to be at imminent risk.

11 Every child is protected from Loved and Safe violence and exploitation

• NSW BOCSAR report – Domestic violence in NSW in the wake of COVID-19: Update to December 2020 • AIFS report – Report no. 1: Connection to family, friends and community

A focus on … exposure to toxic stress COVID-19 related pressures and stressors on families and households has the potential to increase ‘Adverse Childhood Experiences’ (ACEs) among young children, particularly during lockdown periods last year. As defined by the Centres of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), these can include the following experiences in a young persons’ life73: • emotional, physical and/or sexual abuse • household challenges including witnessing intimate partner violence, substance abuse of mental illness in the household, parental separation or divorce, or having an incarcerated household member • emotional and/or physical neglect Toxic stress is the result of the accumulation of ACEs in a person’s childhood, and is significantly correlated with a variety of negative developmental outcomes.74 Emerging evidence from a variety of sources show a that, particularly during the lockdown periods, there were potential ACE related impacts, such as child safety, parent/carer mental health and wellbeing, and family tension and dysfunction. While NSW Police statistics did not see an increase in domestic violence assaults or murders during the time period of April to December 2020, there was a surge in domestic violence-related episodes attended by police where no criminal incident was detected from April to June 2020, though numbers returned to pre-pandemic levels in the second half of the year. There was also a significant increase in calls to the NSW Domestic Violence Line throughout the year.75 This demonstrates an increase in the level of household conflict among family members during the first lockdown period. This aligns with survey data showing that overall, subjective wellbeing for parents and carers was lower compared with pre-pandemic perceptions76. Data from the HILDA and Taking the Pulse of the Nation surveys showed that parents were particularly vulnerable to the mental health effects of the pandemic:

Pre-COVID-19, fathers were a less vulnerable group with only 5% to 9% of them reporting high levels of mental distress... With the COVID-19 pandemic, they are now the most distressed group: 25% of fathers whose youngest child is aged 0 to four and 33% of fathers whose youngest child is aged five to 11 report high levels of mental distress. Among women, mothers used to have better mental health than childless women; now they have lost that advantage. Overall, they are now noticeably worse off than women without kids. Among mothers, mental distress has increased the most (from 9% to 22%) for mothers of older children (youngest child aged 12 to 18). Broadway, Mendez & Moschion, 2020, p.277 Child safety notifications dropped during the lockdown period, mainly due to the implementation of remote learning (with school personnel the second most common source of notifications after police).78

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However, with the return of face-to-face teaching, AIHW observe:

A common pattern observed in most jurisdictions was a drop in notifications in April 2020 (during the initial COVID-19 restrictions) followed by an increase in May or June (once restrictions had eased). In 4 jurisdictions (NSW, Qld, SA and NT), this post-April increase saw higher numbers of notifications than pre-COVID-19 levels (prior to March 2020). In 3 jurisdictions (Vic, WA and ACT), the post-April 2020 increase in number of notifications was larger than the same period in 2019, although the May/June 2020 numbers did not exceed pre-COVID levels. AIHW, 2021, p.479 There was also a documented increase in reports of online child sexual exploitation.

During COVID-19, public tipoffs about online child sexual exploitation material more than doubled— reports made by members of the public to the ACCCE increased by 122% as Australia went into COVID-19 restrictions through April–June 2020. In the 2019–20 financial year, the ACCCE Child Protection Triage Unit received more than 21,000 reports, an increase from more than 14,000 reports in 2018–19, the ACCCE’s first year (ACCCE 2020b). Each report may contain thousands of images of children being abused. AIHW, 2021, p.680 Kids Helpline documented an increase of 99% in duty of care interventions from December 2020 to 31 May 2021 compared with the same time period one year previously – with over a third related to child abuse. 2

What can we do to help? Research has shown that toxic stress is particularly impactful among children in their early years, with substantial long-term effects that follow babies and children into adulthood. 81 Investing and supporting parents and families to be the best caregivers that they can be, to nurture and assist their child to thrive, is the most cost-effective way to prevent these adverse outcomes. Families in Australia, although faring less pandemic-related restrictions than other countries worldwide, nonetheless were subjected to stressful and insecure situations that both exacerbated existing stressors and pressures, and for some families resulted in unfamiliar financial, emotional and mental duress. Therefore it is important that policy and service related responses both address the negative impacts of the lockdowns in 2020, and prevent further disadvantage and ACEs experienced by children and young people. Experts support large-scale investment in the early years, such as early years home visiting services and subsidised childcare, as vital in preventing and addressing toxic stress for infants and children in the early years82. ARACY is an official supporter of the Minderoo’s Thrive by Five campaign, which advocates for the implementation of a universally accessible early learning and care system. ARACY is also a partner in the Right@Home program, which provides nurse home visiting services to new

2 A duty of care intervention is an instance where Kids Helpline counsellors make contact with police, child safety or ambulance services because a child or young person is deemed to be at imminent risk.

13 Every child is protected from Loved and Safe violence and exploitation

parents in the vitally important early years. The program has been significantly associated to better parenting and home environment outcomes83. ARACY’s Kids at the Crossroads report, which summarises digests released from June to November 2020, highlights important responses to child safety and parent/carer mental health and welfare impacts, including: • Enhance the child protection system to develop preventative approaches to ensure the safety and wellbeing of children, by taking a holistic approach to wellbeing and implementing a stronger prevention focus in the successor plan to the National Framework for Protecting Australia’s Children. • Build on improved funding and supports for children and their parents impacted by family violence, and specifically consider the response to children who are affected by domestic and family violence but do not meet child protection criteria or receive a child protection service. • Support the mental health and wellbeing of new parents to ensure children are well supported from the early years, as recommended by the Productivity Commission in their Inquiry Report into Mental Health, June 2020.

What does the future hold? Emerging evidence shows that the pandemic has resulted in situations and environments that are conducive to ACEs. However, it is challenging to ascertain direct effects of the pandemic on ACEs, and whether they have been experienced by children and young children to the extent they have caused toxic stress. This will require ongoing monitoring and research, particularly among children that were in the early years during 2020. The responses outline above may assist in mediating negative effects experienced by families in 2020, and prevent further ACEs within households and families.

Other risks and areas of expected impact

Return to the Introduction

14 Every child survives Healthy and thrives

This wellbeing domain represents children being healthy, both physically and mentally. COVID-19 has had a substantial impact on the health of all individuals affected, both directly and indirectly, by the pandemic. This is no less true for children and young people in Australia. Furthermore, there are indirect health impacts from COVID-19 that can be felt across a number of health domains.

Australian data sources A growing number of data sources are examining the impact of COVID-19 on the health of children and young people. While the focus is primarily on transmission and infection, as well as mental health, studies are starting to examine the impact on other health areas such as physical activity and diet, and maternal and infant health. Available data sources in Australia include: • Australian Childhood Foundation parent survey – A lasting legacy – The impact of COVID-19 on children and parents84 • AIFS Life during COVID-19 Survey85 • AIHW Suicide & self-harm monitoring data86 • ANUPoll COVID-19 series87 • Burnet Institute/VicHealth Coping with COVID-19 study88 • CCYP consultation with children89 • CYDA’s 2020 COVID-19 (Coronavirus) and children and young people with disability survey90 • Children’s Health Queensland COVID-19 Unmasked Survey91 • COVID-19 pandemic adjustment study92,93,94 • Cross-sectional survey on maternity health services95 • Department of Health - COVID-19 cases by age group and sex96 • Equity Economics disadvantage forecast – A wave of disadvantage across NSW: Impact of the COVID-19 recession97 • Headspace National Youth Mental Health Survey 202098 • Global Drug Survey99 • Impacts of COVID-19 on children and young people who contact Kids Helpline100,101 • Optimise study102 • Our Lives Longitudinal Study • Queensland Health COVID-19 Unmasked survey103 • Royal Children's Hospital Child Health Poll104 • Sport Australia – AusPlay survey and Community Perceptions Monitor105 • SNAICC Covid-19 Ongoing Impacts Survey report106 • The 100 families WA Project107 • Twenty10 case study survey108 • UNSW self-report survey on adolescents109 • University of Sydney modelling project – Road to recovery: Restoring Australia's mental wealth110 • UNICEF 'Living in Limbo' project111 • VicHealth Coronavirus Victorian Wellbeing Impact Study – follow up survey112 • YouthInsight survey series113

15 Every child survives Healthy and thrives

Headline indicators • During the initial COVID-19 response period (March to May 2020), there was a highly significant, four-fold reduction in self-harming incidents recorded by both Youth Justice NSW and Youth Justice Health and Forensic Mental Health Network (compared with the equivalent time period in 2019) (p < .00001).114 • Kids Helpline reported an increase of 99% in duty of care interventions3 from December 2020 to 31 May 2021 compared with the same time period one year previously – with the escalation mainly due to suicide attempts (38%) and child abuse (35%)115

o The largest increase was observed in Victoria (184%) compared with New South Wales (40%) and Queensland (46%)

Links and resources • News articles o Vaccinating kids may help decide when Australia’s borders can reopen: PM o Children with Covid: why are some countries seeing more cases – and deaths? o Young people lining up in the NT's regions as the COVID-19 vaccine rollout hits a milestone o COVID Australia: Victorian lockdown sees youth suicide attempt rate soar, Kids Helpline says (news.com.au) o New Zealand's medical regulator gives provisional approval for Pfizer to be given to 12- to 15-year-olds • The Conversation articles o Children, teens and COVID vaccines: where is the evidence at, and when will kids in Australia be eligible? o Research now backs routinely offering pregnant women the mRNA COVID-19 vaccine (theconversation.com) • International research and data o Watching Brief: The evolution and impact of COVID-19 variants B.1.1.7, B.1.351, P.1 and B.1.617 o Update to living systematic review on covid-19 in pregnancy | The BMJ o Preliminary Findings of mRNA Covid-19 Vaccine Safety in Pregnant Persons (nejm.org) • Journal article – Use of Kids Helpline by Children and Young People in Australia During the COVID-19 Pandemic

3 A duty of care intervention is an instance where Kids Helpline counsellors make contact with police, child safety or ambulance services because a child or young person is deemed to be at imminent risk.

16 Every child survives Healthy and thrives

A focus on … the impact of new COVID-19 variants on children and young people COVID-19 continues to affect children and young people substantially less severely than older people and adults, and the mortality rate continues to be low among younger age groups. However, some of the variants have been shown to potentially have greater transmissibility among young people and result in more severe health outcomes116. It can be difficult to ascertain whether worse health outcomes for young people are due to the disease itself, or pressures to the health system because of the exponential growth in cases variants can drive. Issues with data reliability and accuracy can further confound attempts to distinguish the variant type a discrete risk factor for young patients. However, the UK variant (alpha) affected mainly younger and healthier patients in France. The predominance of this variant in the US also coincided with increases in young people reporting to hospital with COVID-19117,118,119. There is also increasing evidence that the Brazilian variant (gamma) was more transmissible and resulted in higher mortality among young people, although the highest increase in cases were seen among adults in their 30s, 40s and 50s120,121. There is also commentary and emerging evidence surrounding the Indian variant (delta)’s role in the increase in paediatric presentations in hospitals in India122. A lack of sequencing capacity in some countries, increases in total cases, and the disproportionate number of older people being vaccinated as opposed to children and young people make it difficult to correlate observed increases in cases due to the specific variant.

What can we do to help? There is continued confidence in the efficacy of existing vaccines against recent COVID-19 variants, although there is emerging evidence that the delta variant may be more resistant to existing vaccines123,124. However, the continued roll-out of the vaccine internationally and in Australia, will ultimately moderate the effects of these strains and potentially protect children and young people who to date have not been approved by national regulators to receive vaccines (with some exceptions as reported below). Australia’s sequencing procedures and supporting database on emerging strains will also support efforts to respond to outbreaks involving different variants. As outlined in the April digest, children and young people have been shown to suffer substantial long-term effects of COVID-19, even if asymptomatic during infection.125 Longitudinal studies on children and young people infected by COVID-19 variants (particularly in countries with a higher numbers of cases) will provide insight into these strains’ impacts on their long-term health outcomes.

What does the future hold? Regarding the vaccination of children and young people, there is increasing evidence to support the safety and efficacy of vaccines among children and young people.126 Canada’s national regulator recently approved Pfizer-BioNTech’s mRNA vaccine for children aged 12-15 years127, the United States Food and Drug Administrator authorised the emergency use of this vaccine among this age- group128 and New Zealand’s regulator recently gave provisional approval for its use among 12-15 year olds129. To date, Australia’s regulator has not approved any existing vaccine for use among young people under the age of 16 years.

17 Every child survives Healthy and thrives

The Northern Territory are the first and to date only jurisdiction in Australia to include young people between the ages of 16-29 years in their vaccine program’s eligibility criteria.130 However, the discontinued use of the Astra-Zeneca vaccine among people 50-59 years 131,132 puts further pressure on Pfizer-BioNTech’s mRNA vaccine supplies, meaning that it could be a longer wait for young age groups in Australia to be eligible for the vaccine. Continued international surveillance of strains of COVID-19 are vital in monitoring variants and their impact. The nature of virus mutations means those that with higher transmissibility will make up a large proportion of variants that Australia will see among international returnees as they gain predominance in other countries. International sharing of research and data will support decisions by Australian governments and health experts on the nature of the risk of different strains.

Other risks and areas of expected impact

Return to the Introduction

18 Learning Every child learns

This wellbeing domain represents children having the opportunity to learn at home, at school, and in the community. COVID-19 has affected children’s opportunities to learn in a number of ways, such as through school closures and physical distancing measures.

Australian data sources The majority of data sources have been produced to examine the potential impact of COVID-19 on education from a systems-level perspective, and to collate the experiences from teachers and parents. However, there are increasingly data and information collected directly from children and young people. • 2020 Report to the NSW Department of Education: Evaluating the impact of COVID-19 on NSW schools133 • Australian Education Survey134 • ANUPoll COVID-19 series135 • Centre for Independent Studies - Parents’ perspectives on home-based learning in the covid- 19 pandemic136 • COVID-19 and education: how Australian schools are responding and what happens next137 • CCYP Victoria COVID consultations138 • Equity Economics disadvantage forecast – A wave of disadvantage across NSW: Impact of the COVID-19 recession139 • Pivot Professional Learning survey140 • QILT 2020 Student Experience Survey141 • SNAICC Covid-19 Ongoing Impacts Survey report142 • UNICEF 'Living in Limbo' project143 • YouthInsight survey series144 • Monash University Australian Schooling Survey145 • Australian Council of State Schools Organisations Survey146 • The Smith Family Survey: The impact on education of children living in poverty147 • The Australian Digital Inclusion Index 2020148 • National Student Outcomes Survey 2020149 • Skills for Recovery: The Vocational Education System we need Post-COVID-19 Report150 • 25 Years of LSAY: Research from the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth 2020151 • COVID-19 and Youth Employment 2020: CSI Response152 • Employer Satisfaction Survey 2020153 • TEQSA The Student Experience of Online Learning in Australian Higher Education during COVID-19154 • Where Next for Tertiary Education: 2020 PwC Report155 • Export Income to Australia from International Education Activity Snapshot156 • ABS Education and Work Survey May 2020157

19 Learning Every child learns

Headline indicators • Up to 50% of university students surveyed reported of being unhappy with online learning and said they didn’t wish to ever experience remote learning again158. • 58% of Australian teachers said their work-related stress had increased significantly between May 2020 and April 2021159. • Council of International Students Australia found that about 93% of the 607 participants surveyed have reported that their mental health was affected by studying online, with 9 out of 10 students said they experienced stress, and more than two thirds reported self- diagnosed anxiety or self-diagnosed depression160.

Links and resources • Research articles – o Understanding fully online teaching in vocation education o Good practice in VET teaching and learning – a guide to practitioner perspectives o Innovations in teacher education at the time of COVID19: an Australian perspective • International research - o The use of e-Learning in vocational education and training o An assessment of the impact of COVID-19 on job and skills demand using online job vacancy data o VET in a time of crisis: Building foundations for resilient vocational education and training systems • News articles – o Pandemic reveals the costly flaws in our vocational education o 5 charts on how COVID-19 is hitting Australia’s young adults hard o Can’t learn to build a house online: Why vocational training is not ready for COVID-19 o Teachers are expected to put on a brave face and ignore their emotions. We need to talk about it o Victorian teachers struggle with workload, union calls for more support o International students battle mental health issues while waiting to enter Australia o TAFEs using outdated equipment and old methods due to red tape and underfunding, critics say o Australia's vocational education system faces further criticism as Government looks to overhaul sector

A focus on … the impact of COVID-19 on young people in the Vocational Education and Training (VET) Sector Online learning is well entrenched in Australian education, including in the VET sector. While Australia is part of the “first movers club” of nations dealing with and responding successfully to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important to recognise that Australia must continue to have the skills and innovation infrastructure to support the recovery of the economy as we navigate, rely on and live in

20 Learning Every child learns

a digital-rich ecosystem161. Human capabilities, particularly those developed through vocational education and training, will be more critical and should be prioritised in this endeavour as students are required to demonstrate they are competent in skills that can be transferred directly to the workplace. As we enter new phases of readjustment, it is critical to keep in mind that the Australian tertiary education sector generates almost $30 billion, with $6.1 billion generated from the VET institutions alone, making it the nation’s third largest export162. For example, in a survey conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics mid-last year, 88% of young people (15-24 years) surveyed reported that they were doing at least some work or study, or a combination of both, but also saw an increase in the proportion of young people who were not engaged in any employment or study in 2020 (12% compared with 8% in 2019)163. Furthermore, figures show employer satisfaction with training has fallen by nearly 10% between July 2019 and November 2020164. These figures bolster the narrative that the sector is currently not ready and equipped for this pedagogical shift, solely because of the nature of VET programs – underpinned by a competency-based training system165,166,167. While industry experts recognise that the VET sector will need to be prepared for a post-COVID world where vocational programs operate in a digitally rich environment, the scope of funding is questioned168. For example, the Skills for Recovery report by the Mitchell Institute identifies several aspects of the VET system in Australia that make it challenging for young people169: • Lack of government control in the funding structure as VET funding is set by state/territory and Commonwealth governments – which mean each one can apply different subsidy rates • Conflict in the role industry should play in shaping policy and funding objectives – both at the macro (national strategy) and micro (course content) level • VET has never achieved a national system – the level of investment varies greatly from one jurisdiction to another, and growing disparities that emerge over time In addition, an international study unpacked some of the reasons that the VET sector may not be suitable for the online learning scene. This includes170,171: • Students not having access to internet and devices • Technical, didactic, and organisational challenges in the design and implementation of learning opportunities • Additional costs/investment in quality of the products for appropriate and effective learning • Challenges in defining the criteria for assessing virtual proficiency These are backed by real-life scenarios172: “In the welding field for instance, the equipment used have advanced tremendously that we have to now set up in-house training facilities and teach them the additional requirements needed. It would take us another 12 months minimum to get them up to scratch”. Geoff Crittenden, Chief Executive of Weld Australia

21 Learning Every child learns

“Apprentices battle to read and write when they come to us, let alone do the maths. We have to do a lot more training in-house to get them to where we want them. If we have to teach them the basics all over again, that just makes our job so hard”. Graeme Elphinstone, businessman Although recent evidence suggests that there was generally a lot of positiveness and appreciation by young people and educators/trainers of the effort undertaken to enable students to continue with their studies online instead of having to pause their study, the achievements are offset by the challenges173. A surprising outcome was students reporting that they had much more difficulty managing their own time, workload and having to rectify IT issues than if they were studying face-to-face on campus, which contributed to between 33% and 50% of students being unhappy with online learning174. The feelings of isolation and lack of interaction with peers in the online environment is believed to have contributed to this sense that they were on their own in managing their studies175,176. As we navigate these unprecedented challenges through trial and error and continuous improvement, the recovery from COVID-19 will present a significant opportunity for the tertiary education sector to support the reskilling of young Australians.

What can we do to help? Many parts of the VET system are still flourishing177. There is a clear need to build on the sector’s strengths and successes, while eliminating the practices that have posed the greatest threats to the quality of learning students receive. While this takes a holistic and collaborative approach across multiple players and actors, it requires policymakers to recognise the significance of VET contributions to the economy and create policy settings that reward and grow that value. The Mitchell Institute recommends the following: • Establish a clear point of policy direction and leadership for the VET sector, in a way that mobilises and empowers all stakeholders to deliver on a shared purpose • Create a simpler, fairer national funding arrangement between the Commonwealth and state and territory governments which positions student needs and equity objectives as central, through a ‘baseline plus loadings’ approach, and a workable model for student loans • Rethink assessment to ensure confidence and trust in the skills and competencies attained. Explore more independent assessment (partnering within industry and professional bodies), moderated assessment (through a government entity) and including more information on levels of proficiency for higher-level VET qualifications • Capitalise on the momentum from the crisis, and the appetite for reform, to reshape VET in Australia

22 Learning Every child learns

What does the future hold? The COVID-19 pandemic has driven innovation and overnight changes in how government, education institutions, businesses and citizens operate – leveraging the power of modern digital technologies. The sector has shown its ability to mobilise in the face of COVID-19, stabilising operations and shifting its students to remote learning. The next step is to develop tactical responses to strengthen financial positions and longer-term strategic responses to emerge stronger in the post-crisis economy.

Other risks and areas of expected impact

Return to the Introduction

23 Every child survives Participating and thrives

This wellbeing domain represents the opportunity children and young people have to participate in their society and have a say on issues that affect them. This is no less important in the COVID-19 context.

Australian data sources There is a small but growing list of data sources available to assess the impacts of COVID-19 on the opportunity for children and young people to participate in society. This includes: • ANUPoll COVID-19 series178 • AIFS Life during COVID-19 Survey179 • Our Lives Longitudinal Study180 • Missing: Young People in Australian News Media181 • Mission Australia Youth Survey182 • SNAICC Covid-19 Ongoing Impacts Survey report183 • UNICEF 'Living in Limbo' project184 • YouthInsight survey series185 • Relationships Australia survey – cyberbullying in Australia186 • Roy Morgan TikTok Usage Survey187 • eSafety Commissioner Youth Digital Participation Survey 2020188 • Australian Competition & Consumer Commission Cyberbullying Report189 • Australian Youth Safety Survey 2020 – Technical Report190 • AIHW Australia’s Children 2020 Report191 • AIFS Online Safety Resource Sheet192 • Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation 2020 Report193 • Digital Lives of Teens 2021 Report194 • Building Australia’s Digital Future in a Post-COVID World 2020195 • Growing Up Digital Australia: 2020 Technical Report196 • Digital Consumer Trends 2020: Unlocking Lockdown197 • Online Child Sexual Exploitation 2020 Survey198

Headline indicators • Between July 2019 and June 2020, 21,000 reports of child exploitation were made to the AFP199. • The national counselling service Kids Helpline's website page on "respect in relationships" for 19-25-year-olds received 11,552 page views in 2020, and "bullying" at 314,037, with the number of interventions rising by 48%200. • Sydney private school, Kambala received more than 3,700 testimonies of sexual harassment and assault in 2020 and is ongoing201. • Around 100 students from Adelaide High School have protested against sexist incidents, including the circulation and sale of nude photos online202

24 Every child survives Participating and thrives

Links and resources • Research articles – o Now is the time moment to listen to young people o Protective behaviours education o Children and young people’s rights in the digital age: An emerging agenda o The impact of COVID-19 on the risk of online child sexual exploitation and the implications for child protection and policing o Sexuality education delivery in Australian regional secondary schools: A qualitative case study o Responsibilities, tensions and ways forward: parents’ perspectives on children’s sexuality education o Sexuality education in Australian secondary schools: Results of the first national survey of Australian secondary teachers of sexuality education • International research - o Will the World Ever Be the Same After COVID-19? Two Lessons from the First Global Crisis of a Digital Age o Consent Procedures and Participation Rates in School-Based Intervention and Prevention Research o ‘It’s never okay to say no to teachers’: Children’s research consent and dissent in conforming schools contexts • News articles – o Surge in teens seeking online help over sexting, cyberbullying during COVID lockdown o Consent isn't as simple as 'no means no'. Here's what you need to know. o Parents in the dark as child predators evolve, online exploitation soars o ‘No means no’ is not enough: What are we teaching young people about sexual consent? o Respect in relationships top reason young people seek self-help online, new data reveals o Why Teaching Consent in Schools Matters o Australian curriculum looking at expanding consent education o Consent education to become mandatory in Victorian state schools o Sexual consent education direction for schools, universities on the rise following media attention • Media release – o Education leaders to strengthen consent support

A focus on … the importance of consent in the digital age While it is important to recognise that the internet has played a vital role in creating a support mechanism for young people to share their voice and experiences, gather and share news sources and establish a form of social connectedness in the midst of a global crisis203,204, there is also no

25 Every child survives Participating and thrives

doubt that elements of it are problematic, as teens continue to deal with negative online experiences including unwanted contact, cyberbullying and harassment205. For example, the Digital Lives of Aussie Teens report that compared pre-pandemic to present young Australians online attitudes and experiences found that while teens are proactively taking some form of action after a negative online experience whether that is managing it themselves, or seeking external help, a large percentage of teens continue to ignore potentially harmful experiences or believe nothing will change. The report found that206: • 44% of teens had a negative online experience in the six months to November 2020 • 30% of young Australians were being contacted by a stranger or someone they didn’t know and 20% receiving inappropriate or unwanted content • An estimated 17% of young multiplayer gamers have experienced in-game bullying The Australian edition of the Digital Consumer Trends 2020: Unlocking lockdown report demonstrates how young Australians’ investment in devices is bucking the trend, confirming just how integral technology is to their lives207 despite the plunge in Australia’s economy. While appreciating the need for children and young people craving for connection and friendship, it is crucial to note that the online landscape can also be dangerous, given the emergence in “catfishing” behaviours208. The Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation highlighted that more than 21,000 reports of child exploitations were received in 2020, with the Australian Federal Police charging a total of 191 people with 1847 alleged child abuse-related offences in 2020209. Furthermore, new figures from Kids Helpline indicate that “respect in relationships” was the top reason young adults were seeking help online and the second most sought-after topic for teenagers last year210. These statistics and studies clearly indicate the need for sophisticated consent education as it is not as simple as saying ‘yes’ or ‘no’ but extends beyond a sexual lens. The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse emphasises the importance of instilling the confidence and normalising the practice of saying ‘no’ or ‘yes’, so young children and teenagers know the importance of asking/seeking consent211. A recent study by the Harvard Graduate School of Education suggests that many young people are not learning how to form healthy relationships – in part, because adults aren’t talking to them about the deeper forms of human relations, which doesn’t give them the opportunity to learn how to listen to themselves and how to identify and respect other people’s verbal, physical and emotional cues212. The concerns around consent education in the Australian schooling system are captured well across different sectors213,214: “Young people really want to know where the line is drawn between respectful and disrespectful relationships. More broadly, there’s an assumption that consent is that you just keep going until you get a no, but it actually needs to be something that is sought out”. National Association for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (NAPCAN), 2021 ““At present though, each state and territory defines consent differently as it is generally understood to be free and voluntary agreement. We need education that teaches about an affirmative or positive model of consent which essentially goes a step beyond ordinary consent”. Nicola Henry, RMIT Associate Professor

26 Every child survives Participating and thrives

“The increased use and reliance on digital platforms has contributed to confusion or unrealistic expectations for young people, whether it be body image, identity crisis or what healthy relationships look like and it comes as no surprise that young people are seeking clarity around relationships”. Queensland Family and Child Commission Principal Commissioner These conversations and practices should be first encouraged at home – for instance, teaching children and young people that consent is a two-way cycle and should be tackled with respect.

What can we do to help? Ensuring that all children are safe online and demonstrate safe behaviours to others requires approaches that promote digital literacy, resilience and cyber-savvy. Critically, children and young people’s insight must help inform, shape and drive this goal – which needs to focus on equity of access, safety for all, digital literacy across generations, identity and privacy, participation and civic engagement, as explicitly codified in the Convention on the Rights of the Child215. The Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority should be commended for reviewing the national curriculum, given the outpouring of accounts of sexual assault among teenagers, exacerbated by COVID-19216, but it is critical that the Commonwealth consults children and young people along with state and territory governments in order to provide more effective education. The Raising Children and eSafety Commissioner website outlines several strategies for parents to consider when talking to their children and teenagers about consent217,218. Other resources that may be useful for children, teenagers and parents include: • Kids Helpline (for 5 to 25-year-olds) • eHeadspace (for 12 to 25-year-olds) • Youth Law Australia (for young people under 25 years) • The “Consent is as easy as FRIES” model. • The parent resource, Talk Soon. Talk Often.

What does the future hold? While COVID-19 has triggered a generation of children and young people that have been forced to immerse themselves in the digital era, as learners and citizens, it has also sparked an important conversation of consent in the digital age among different actors – children, parents, teachers, practitioners, researchers, advocates and government bodies. Failing to address this issue now may have serious repercussions where the cycle of offending and victimising becomes a norm.

Other risks and areas of expected impact

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Positive Sense of Every child has a Identity and Culture fair chance in life

This wellbeing domain represents children having a positive sense of identity and culture. This can occur in a number of ways, such as a sense of belonging with friends and family, feeling included in the community and society, and having a connection to one’s cultural group.

Australian data sources There is very little Australian data available on the impact of COVID-19 on having a positive sense of identity and culture. Available data sources that capture some aspects of having a positive sense of identity and culture include: • AIFS Life during COVID-19 Survey219 • Mission Australia Youth Survey220 • Hidden cost: Young multicultural Victorians and COVID-19221 • As if we weren’t humans: The abandonment of temporary migrants in Australia during COVID-19222 • Reflections on COVID-19: In their own words, South Australian young people reflect on the impact of the coronavirus on their world and futures223 • SNAICC Covid-19 Ongoing Impacts Survey report224 • COVID-19 impacts us all: Ensuring the safety and wellbeing of people on temporary visas during COVID-19225 • Relationships Australia May 2020 Survey226 • Good Shepherd COVID-19 Vulnerable Australians Survey227 • The Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia Survey228

Headline indicators • As the COVID-19 crisis continues, 40,000 stranded Australians are still trying to return home from overseas, with over 4,800 Australians considered to be vulnerable229. • Nearly 6 out of 10 grandparents of CALD families ceased providing care for their grandchildren due to international border closures230. • A temporary travel ban between India and Australia saw anyone breaching the rule to facing up to five years in jail or heavy fines231.

Links and resources • Research articles – o ‘Our Voices Aren’t in Lockdown’—Refugee Young People, Challenges, and Innovation During COVID-19 o COVID-19 and humanitarian migrants on temporary visas: assessing the public costs o Seeking asylum in the time of coronavirus: COVID-19 pandemic effects on refugees and people seeking asylum o Rebuilding a responsive and strategic refugee program

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Positive Sense of Every child has a Identity and Culture fair chance in life

o Pushback practices and their impact on the human rights of migrants • International research - o Trauma-informed strategies for supporting children and youth in the child welfare system during COVID-19 o Responding to COVID-19: What is happening for our vulnerable children and young people? • News articles – o Skilled migrants the missing link in Australia’s post-COVID recovery o Refugees cannot be left behind in our COVID recovery o Are we really all in this together? Australia’s COVID-19 blind spot o How refugees succeed in visa reviews: new research reveals the factors that matter o Coronavirus recession puts thousands of refugees and asylum seekers at risk of job loss, homelessness o ‘I will never come to Australia again’: new research reveals the suffering of temporary migrants during the COVID-19 crisis • Concept note – o UNHCR High Commissioner’s dialogue on protection challenges: protection and resilience during pandemics

A focus on … the impact of COVID-19 on the lives of young refugees As states and territories continue to respond in different ways under the guidance of the World Health Organisation, evidence continues to emerge that the pandemic is disproportionately impacting young refugees in several contexts – from the uncertainty in their visa status and limited access to government safety nets such as Medicare and Centrelink to mental health issues and compounding trauma. It is established that young refugees experience settlement differently from adults and younger children as the challenges of settlement are exacerbated by the transition into a new culture and society, new peer relationships, a new schooling system and moving to intensive English language programs 232. While there has been acknowledgement of the impact of COVID on young people generally, recent research into the pandemic has focused on biomedical facets and less on the inequitable social conditions that cause some to experience the pandemic differently to others. For migrants and asylum seekers, their status is an extra layer of complexity and pressure to navigate, which is unfortunately out of their control. The Australian Government’s decision to exclude people seeking asylum, including those on a bridging visa, from COVID-19 support has left tens of thousands forced to rely on emergency relief to survive, revealing the extent of a deepening crisis amongst young people233. A survey conducted by the Refugee Council of Australia in 2020 revealed that234: • 70% of children, young people and their families have been forced to skip meals due to hardship • 14% are currently experiencing homelessness, while 55% are at imminent risk of homelessness

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Positive Sense of Every child has a Identity and Culture fair chance in life

• 88% of young people surveyed have struggled to pay their rent since the COVID-19 pandemic began In addition to ongoing conversations with young people, the following themes emerged from the national youth led panel by the Multicultural Youth Advocacy Network (MYAN) which explored ‘the new normal’235: • Heightened uncertainty in the progress of visa applications • Disruptions to services and supports • Increased financial hardship • The cost of family separation In light of these challenges, leading experts have highlighted the importance of promoting young people’s emotional safety and wellbeing during COVID-19 to ensure their physical safety and to avoid severe humanitarian impact236. Despite the number of interventions and warnings, news reports have highlighted the federal government’s lack of support and commitment in revisiting its settlement policies237. While Australia has been a global leader in diverse policy areas and should be commended for being ahead in the social ladder among some of the OECD countries, human-rights activists and experts238,239 warn that the federal government’s callous treatment and position on refugees is not disregarded, but instead held accountable. For instance, Australia’s commitment and obligations are explicitly codified under the international human rights law – which is to protect and ensure all asylum seekers and refugees within its borders has a safe and secure place to live, adequate food, and basic health care, regardless of how or where they arrive and whether they arrive with or without a visa240. Therefore, advising temporary visa holders to go home does not diminish these obligations, nor does it absolve Australia of its moral obligations to this cohort of people it encouraged to greatly invest in studying and working here. There is limited research and little consolidated government data available to ascertain the needs and humanitarian impacts on refugees and migrants during COVID-19. Personal stories captured by a range of news outlets indicate the distress among refugees and migrants even long before the pandemic241,242: “My vision of Australia was a fair and multicultural society where everyone was valued, but as a refugee from Iran, that was far from my experience. I approached organisations working on refugee issues to bring about more humane refugee policies. Instead of having meaningful input, I was tokenised and asked to tell my stories for fundraising events”. Ahmad Hakim, Founder and Director of Refugee Voices “These forgotten people are known as the ‘legacy caseload’ and people aren’t feeling like they’re part of the Australian society but rather they’re being constantly reminded that they’re temporary … that there’s no pathway to citizenship”. The Guardian Some government supports to people on temporary visas during COVID-19 have had positive short- term impacts, including emergency relief, access to testing and treatment for COVID-19 regardless of Medicare status, and pandemic leave disaster payments. However, more sustainable assistance is needed.

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Positive Sense of Every child has a Identity and Culture fair chance in life

What can we do to help? The success of Australia’s COVID-19 response relies on everyone, including people on temporary visas and people without visas, being able to access health care and meet their basic needs. Recovery efforts need to include everyone in Australia, and should not exacerbate existing or create new vulnerabilities, barriers and inequalities. Consistent with other decisions of the Government to limit the spread of COVID-19 within Australia, this report by the Department of Home Affairs highlights the statistics of resettlement visas being granted during the pandemic – with over 13,000 successful visa notifications for refugees – which shows that the government has the ability and capacity to act on the visa applications243. This should therefore continue to be a priority for the government in a post-COVID world as well. MYAN and Red Cross recommends that the Commonwealth government244,245: • Convene a national taskforce to focus efforts on mitigating the long-term impacts of COVID- 19 on Australia's young people that involves establishing mechanisms to consult with, and meaningfully engage young people from refugee and migrant backgrounds in the development of educational, economic, social, and health interventions • Ensures that all federal relief packages are accessible to all young Australians, including those from refugee and migrant backgrounds on temporary visas • Invest in community-based employment programs to include a mentoring component to help young people from refugee and migrant backgrounds build employability skills, gain work experience, and connect with employment opportunities On a community level, it is important to recognise that while there is an empathetic element to the “we’re all in this together” statement, COVID-19 does not impact everyone equally. What does the future hold? If we continue to work together in the spirit of cooperation through our response and recovery, we will emerge stronger, with best placed to guide service planning, adaption and delivery as it helps in both responding and reimagining a post COVID-19 world. Young people from refugee and migrant backgrounds have also demonstrated their resilience, adaptability, and resourcefulness at this time, and many are leading initiatives in their communities in response to the COVID-19.

Other risks and areas of expected impact

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References

1 Rental Affordability Snapshot 2021 (anglicare.asn.au) 2 https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/labour/employment-and-unemployment/labour-force-australia 3 https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/people-and-communities/household-impacts-covid-19-survey/latest-release 4 https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/labour/earnings-and-work-hours/weekly-payroll-jobs-and-wages-australia 5 https://www.aic.gov.au/publications/tandi/tandi609 6 Report: Making a difference to children and families in financial stress (socialventures.com.au) 7 https://csrm.cass.anu.edu.au/research/publications/covid-19 8 https://aifs.gov.au/projects/families-australia-survey-life-during-covid-19 9 https://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/media-and-resources/publications/young-people-coping-with- 10 https://psyarxiv.com/anqct/ 11 https://psyarxiv.com/8nvm3/ 12 https://psyarxiv.com/ydrm9/ 13 https://data.gov.au/data/dataset/dss-payment-demographic-data 14 https://www.ncoss.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/A-WAVE-OF-DISADVANTAGE_-COVID-19_Final.pdf 15 https://melbourneinstitute.unimelb.edu.au/hilda 16 https://humanrights.gov.au/our-work/childrens-rights/publications/impacts-covid-19-children-and-young-people-who- contact-kids 17 Use of Kids Helpline by Children and Young People in Australia During the COVID-19 Pandemic - ScienceDirect 18 https://ourlives.org.au/ 19 https://melbourneinstitute.unimelb.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/3413592/Taking-the-Pulse-of-the-Nation-15- 19-June.pdf 20 Youth survey | Mission Australia 21 https://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/media-and-resources/publications/vichealth-coronavirus-victorian-wellbeing-impact- study-follow-up-survey 22 https://antipovertyweek.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Poverty-in-Australia-APW-2020.pdf. 23 LGBTQ-YP-COVID-Service-Provision-report-2021.pdf (twenty10.org.au) 24 https://www.snaicc.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/SNAICC-COVID-19-ONGOING-IMPACTS-SURVEY-REPORT.pdf 25 https://internationalstudentsandhousing.files.wordpress.com/2020/08/international-students-and-housing-survey- report-final-no-logos-5-aug-2020.pdf 26 https://apo.org.au/sites/default/files/resource-files/2020-09/apo-nid308305.pdf 27 https://www.csi.edu.au/media/100-Families-WA-COVID-19-Findings.pdf 28 https://research.unimelb.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0028/165934/The-impact-of-COVID-19-on-Victorian-share- households.pdf 29 https://studentedgecontent.azureedge.net/documents/youth-insight/coronavirus_youth-understanding-and-sentiment- may.pdf 30 https://www.bsl.org.au/about/advocacy/youth-unemployment-monitor/ 31 Labour Force, Australia, Detailed, April 2021 | Australian Bureau of Statistics (abs.gov.au) 32 Labour Force, Australia, May 2021 | Australian Bureau of Statistics (abs.gov.au) 33 DSS Payment Demographic Data - Datasets - data.gov.au 34 Labour Force, Australia, Detailed, April 2021 | Australian Bureau of Statistics (abs.gov.au) 35 Labour Force, Australia, May 2021 | Australian Bureau of Statistics (abs.gov.au) 36 DSS Payment Demographic Data - Datasets - data.gov.au 37 https://www.amf.org.au/media/3850/alannah-madeline-foundation-this-digital-home-report.pdf 38 https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/people-and-communities/household-impacts-covid-19-survey/latest-release 39 https://www.childhood.org.au/app/uploads/2020/08/A_Lasting_Legacy_- _The_Impact_of_COVID19_on_Children_and_Parents_Final.pdf?utm_source=afc%20website&utm_medium=report&utm_ campaign=a%20 40 https://csrm.cass.anu.edu.au/research/publications/covid-19 41 https://www.aic.gov.au/publications/tandi/tandi618 42 https://www.aic.gov.au/publications/sb/sb28 43 https://www.aic.gov.au/publications/tandi/tandi609 44 https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/b6dadb47-7f22-4a1e-863c-ba7649204e00/aihw-cws-76.pdf.aspx?inline=true 45 https://www.aihw.gov.au/about-our-data/our-data-collections/specialist-homelessness-services-collection 46 https://aifs.gov.au/projects/families-australia-survey-life-during-covid-19

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