Young Minds: Our Future (YMOF) is a national household survey of Australian families. YMOF will explore the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people. It will also examine how this impacts their daily lives, what influences their mental health, and what support services they access.
The third Australian child and adolescent survey of mental health and wellbeing
YMOF involves:
- A survey examining the mental health of 6,500 families with children aged 4-17 years through face-to-face interviews.
- Parents or primary carers will be interviewed by skilled interviewers, and
- Adolescents aged 11 years and older will complete a questionnaire on a tablet while the parent interview is happening. One child will be randomly chosen in each family
Learn more about YMOF by watching the below video from the Lead Investigator, Professor David Lawrence
The study has five core aims
Research With Purpose
To determine the number of children and young people in Australia with common mental disorders as well as those who experienced suicidality, and self-harm
Measure how mental health problems can impact the daily functioning, relationships and academic performance of children and young people
Investigate how often children and young people with mental health problems seek help and use services and government-subsidised medicines, as well as types of services and barriers to care
Determine educational outcomes of children and young people with mental health problems
Identify factors that can strongly influence poor, as well as positive, mental health in children and young people
Background & History
Young Minds: Our Future (YMOF) is the Third National Child and Adolescent Mental Health and Wellbeing Study, complementing the 2020-22 National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). The investment reflects a Government commitment to improving the mental health and wellbeing of all Australians, beginning by supporting our children and young people to thrive.
See the timeline below of the YMOF history:
1998/99
The Child and Adolescent Component of the National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing
The 1998 Australian Child and Adolescent Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing was the first national survey anywhere in the world to focus on the mental health of children and adolescents.
The survey found that mental health problems were relatively common. Since 1998, there have been substantial changes to the way mental health care is provided in Australia. There have also been significant changes in people’s understanding of mental health.
A range of new programmes and services have been developed in the education and health sectors that provide information, support, and specialist help for young people and their families.
Programmes such as KidsMatter and Mind Matters promote mental health through the school environment. While each jurisdiction has taken its own approach, schools are generally providing higher levels of support, including access to specialist counselling
2013/14
Young Minds Matter
Young Minds Matter (YMM), the second Child and Adolescent Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing was the last national survey of child and adolescent mental health and wellbeing. It identified the high prevalence of mental disorders across Australian society and the contrasting low levels of service use.
Watch the video below to learn more about the YMM findings.
2024/25
Young Minds: Our Future
Young Minds: Our Future (YMOF), the third National Child and Adolescent Mental Health and Wellbeing Survey will explore the current mental health and wellbeing of Australian children and adolescents and provide the opportunity to investigate changes over the past decade.
The study will also look at how risk and protective factors that influence mental health and service use have changed over time. We expect results will be released in 2027.
Advisory Groups
Learn more about our advisory groups.
These groups help shape the study’s design, ensure ethical and inclusive practices, and support how findings are shared and used.
YMOF Follow-Up Study
Learn more about the follow-up study.
The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing has funded the YMOF Follow-Up Study (FUS). The FUS will explore what has changed in families’ lives and what supports have made a difference.
As part of the FUS, a small number of parents, carers, and young people who took part in YMOF will be invited to complete an online 20-minute survey.