The Middle Childhood
Survey (MCS)
NSW-CDS Information Video
What is the NSW Child Development Study (NSW-CDS)?
• A longitudinal study of mental health and wellbeing in a cohort of
children assessed using the Australian Early Development Index
(AEDI) in 2009
• Provides important information about how children’s early
experiences influence later mental health, education, and life
outcomes
• One of the largest studies on childhood health and wellbeing in
Australia
• The study includes a Middle Childhood Survey this year
Who’s involved?
• Led by the University of New South Wales
(UNSW) in collaboration with the
Universities of Newcastle, Western
Australia and Canterbury (NZ)
• Supported by Government partners: NSW
Department of Education and
Communities, NSW Ministry of Health, and
NSW Department of Family and
Community Services.
• Run in close consultation with
stakeholders representing the NSW
education sectors, and parent and
community groups.
NSW-CDS Stakeholder reference groups
Parents & Communities
Schools & Teachers

NSW Department of Education
and Communities

Association of Independent
Schools of NSW


Federation of Parents and
Citizens Associations of NSW

Catholic Education Commission
NSW
Council of Catholic School
Parents

NSW Primary Principals
Association
Isolated Children’s Parents’
Association

NSW Parents’ Council

NSW Teachers Federation


Principals Australia Institute
Workforce Education and
Development Group

Independent Education Union
NSW/ACT

Why is the NSW-CDS important?
 Including all Year 6 students in NSW in 2015 will provide us with
the most representative picture ever of development through
childhood
 We’re combining separate data sets through confidential record
linkage to give us the most accurate understanding of the
strengths and challenges that different children face as they grow
 We will follow students over time to find out what helps children
grow into happy, healthy, and successful adults
 We have partnered with NSW Ministry of Health, Education and
Communities, and Family and Community Services to ensure that
knowledge from the study is used to make better decisions to
support every child to reach their full potential
How does it work?
Three key components to the NSW Child Development Study:
1. A Record Linkage 1 study spanning birth to early childhood (age
5 years)
2. A Middle Childhood Survey (cross sectional snapshot at age 11
years)
3. A Record Linkage 2 study spanning birth to middle childhood
(age 11 years)
What is Record Linkage?
What is the Middle Childhood Survey (MCS)?



An online survey that Year 6 students in NSW
will be invited to complete in class in Term 3
2015
Gives students a unique chance to provide
confidential feedback on their thoughts,
feelings, actions, and experiences
An integral component of the NSW-CDS.
Provides an important cross-sectional snapshot
of the mental health and wellbeing of
Australian children at a critical stage of
development
What does the MCS measure?
Social skills
Attitudes
and actions
Thoughts
and
experiences
Sleep
patterns
Emotions
and
behaviours
Family and
community
networks
How will schools and communities benefit?
• Will provide important information to help better
understand the needs of children of this age-group
• Our government partners will have access to
community-level information that will help provide
targeted programs and resources to meet the
diverse needs of all Australian children
• Aggregated summary feedback will be provided to
each participating school, by diocese and by
education sector on the mental health and wellbeing
of their Year 6 students across each of the MCS
domains
What does participation involve for schools?
Prior to survey administration:
Principal (or authorised person) to complete school’s online
Agreement or Decline to Participate form before 13 July 2015
Participating schools provided with their own secure online
myMCS Portal – provides access to the MCS Administration Guide
and other useful information materials. Allows teachers to
manage/update student records, opt-outs & survey administration
Distribute MCS Parent Information Leaflets (includes opt-out form)
and manage opt-outs (written/verbal). Parents may opt out their
child from the study before or after survey administration
What does participation involve for schools?
During survey administration:
Teachers can arrange for students to complete the survey anytime
during their school’s nominated 2-week period in Term 3
Students use their unique MCS-ID to log into survey (teachers can
print these out from myMCS Portal)
Students who usually have a support worker in the classroom may
complete the survey with their assistance. An audio version of the
survey will be available
Provide alternative activities during class-time for those students
who do not wish to participate in the MCS
Provide support for students who may have concerns following
survey completion. ‘Help sheets’ with information for teachers,
students, and parents are available on the NSW-CDS website
Middle Childhood Survey Feasibility Study (MCS-FS)
• Tested procedures to ensure smooth roll-out of MCS this year
• Involved 11 schools with a broad representation across:
• the 3 education sectors (DEC/CEC/AIS),
• socioeconomic status (higher and lower), and
• areas within NSW (metropolitan and rural)
• At survey close, the research team elicited teacher feedback via a
series of teleconferences
• Identified areas of improvement in administration procedures for
the state-wide roll-out this year
MCS-FS: Summary statistics
Response rate: 92% (n=645) of the 701 students eligible to
participate, 645 participated (310 boys; 335 girls)
Completion rate: 98% of the 645 students who participated,
635 completed all 101 survey items (range in incomplete
surveys: 16-94 items)
Incomplete surveys (10 students): No reasons were given
for these students not completing the survey (not opted-out)
MCS-FS: Summary statistics

Opt-outs: 7.9% (n=56)
 42 parent opt-outs (written)
 Reasons for opt-out:
 Didn’t provide a reason (n=27)
 “I’m worried about privacy” (n=11)
 “I don’t have enough information” (n=5)
 14 student opt-outs (8 online; 6 verbal)
 Reasons for opt-out:
 Didn’t provide a reason (n=5)
 “I’m worried about privacy” (n=4)
 “My parent/caregiver said I shouldn’t” (n=3)
 “I don’t have enough information” (n=2)
What did teachers say about the MCS-FS?
MCS Administration Feedback




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School Portal: user-friendly; some schools had technical difficulties
MCS Administration Guide: helpful and easy to follow
Students enjoyed doing the survey
Student didn’t find questions distressing; amused by some of them
Took 15-30 minutes for students to complete
Communication with Schools
 Was problematic - a lot of follow-up necessary
 Lack of communication & sharing of information between Principals and
Year 6 Teachers
Communication with Parents/Caregivers
 Did not receive any complaints or concerns from parents
 Teachers appreciated being able to provide a Parent Information Leaflet
and a written opt out form
 Mixed views on length of the leaflet

Some said “too long”, others said “comprehensive and informative”
MCS Administration Timeline for 2015
MCS Communication Plan 2015
Conferences
and meetings
in Terms 1 & 2
(2015)
Include NSWCDS electronic
media (e.g. our
videos) on your
websites
Distribute
NSW-CDS
leaflets
We need
your help
Include our NSWCDS articles in
your journals/
magazines
Follow us on social
media
(Facebook/Twitter)
for the latest
updates
NSW-CDS Information Video
Find out more
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