Footprints in Time: The Longitudinal Study of Indigenous Children: Up and running

Abstract

Five waves of data from Footprints in Time became available in April 2014. This article provides an overview of the study including: information about the Indigenous area-based interviewers; high retention rates; and the study's repeating and changing content. There is also information about the release of direct quotes from study children and their families in response to some questions. The article includes features from Professor Maggie Walter, who summarises the keynote speech she delivered at the LSAC/LSIC conference in November 2013, and Sharon Barnes, who currently manages the interviewers and has been with the study since its inception. There are key findings from the study relating to school attendance, English reading, child health, languages, life events, and social and emotional wellbeing.