Child Wellbeing Data Asset

The initial iteration of the CWDA proposes to include the Australian Early Development Census, Child Protection National Minimum Data Set, Youth Justice National Minimum Data Set, National Community Mental Health Care Database, Medicare Benefits Schedule and Pharmaceuticals Benefits Scheme data collections.

Currently, the Australian Early Development Census, Medicare Benefits Schedule and Pharmaceuticals Benefits Scheme data collections are available for approved pilot projects, with access to the Child Protection National Minimum Data Set, Youth Justice National Minimum Data Set, and National Community Mental Health Care Database expected in 2026.

Planning for second iteration of the CWDA is underway, informed by feedback from key stakeholders and experts. 

Time periods covered vary across data collections. See Data and data Items for more information.

To protect individuals’ privacy, the CWDA is being developed for access by researchers (for example, government or academic) with the expertise and ability to safely access sensitive, de-identified person-level data.

Data outputs and findings of research conducted using the CWDA may be made available to the public with appropriate approvals, where they do not breach privacy and confidentiality requirements (for example, by identifying anyone).

Details on accessing the CWDA will be made available once it is established.

Details on accessing the CWDA will be made available once it is established. See Accessing the CWDA for further information. 

Access to the CWDA will be available through a secure access environment. This will provide a virtual workspace which requires a two-factor authentication to log in.

Before accessing the CWDA, you will need to complete onboarding training that covers information on confidentiality and privacy and sign a confidentiality undertaking.

Costs for access to the CWDA are to be determined. Any fees charged would be on a cost-recovery basis. That is, fees will cover the costs AIHW incur to provide access to researchers.

Details on costs will be available once the CWDA has been established.

Yes, the AIHW is working towards having more datasets included in the CWDA over time. If you have a suggestion for data you would like to see included in the CWDA, please email [email protected].

Details on access, including requirements on ethics approvals, will be made available once the CWDA is established.

The AIHW has responsibility to establish the CWDA as an initiative under the First National Action Plan of the National Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Child Sexual Abuse (National Strategy).

Formal decision making on the CWDA’s development are made by National Strategy governance groups. AIHW has established 2 CWDA-specific groups to provide ongoing governance and advice on the operation and ongoing development of the CWDA.

• CWDA National Committee (CNC), including representatives from key Australian, state and territory government agencies, data owners, and a First Nations representative, provide ongoing strategic oversight on the CWDA’s operation and future development of the CWDA.
• CWDA Advisory Group (CWDA AG), including academic, priority group and sector representatives, provides advice to CNC.
• The CWDA Development Working Group (DWG), a time-limited group, guided the CWDA’s development process, supported by advice from CWDA AG.  The DWG was disbanded in 2025 following completion of its workplan.

Details on who can access the CWDA will be available once it is established.