Footprints in Time: The Longitudinal Study of Indigenous Children: An overview

Abstract

Footprints in Time: The Longitudinal Study of Indigenous Children (LSIC), has been shaped by a steering committee chaired by Professor Mick Dodson AM since 2003. This article outlines the study design, shows where data collection occurs and introduces some of the findings. As requested in consultations with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities across Australia, the study is community-based, focuses on strengths and has Indigenous people involved in the design, implementation and feedback to communities. Three waves of data are currently available to approved researchers who are examining topics such as: culture and language acquisition; nutrition and development, the impact of child, family and socioeconomic characteristics on Indigenous children’s development; educational engagement and learning; and the social and emotional wellbeing of parents and children. As annual data is collected and released, the study is rapidly accumulating valuable information about the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children that can contribute to closing the health, education and life expectancy gaps between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples. Indigenous and non-Indigenous researchers with quantitative or qualitative backgrounds are encouraged to use the data to contribute to improving outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.