A new report by MCRI & RMIT researchers explores how features of the neighbourhood built environment may influence children’s health and development.
Children grow and develop in multiple contexts, including their local neighbourhood.
Certain features of the neighbourhood built environment, such as walkability, and access to facilities and parks, have been shown to influence health and wellbeing across the lifespan.
Global and Australian place-based initiatives advocate for and seek to create healthy neighbourhoods for children and families. Yet often lack the evidence-based data needed to inform the interventions and policy changes required for healthier and fairer child development.
This report explores the links between features of the built environment and early childhood disadvantage to help identify opportunities to improve neighbourhoods and reduce inequities for children and families.
This project is a collaboration between researchers at Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (The Royal Children’s Hospital) and the Centre for Urban Research, RMIT University. We acknowledge the people of the Woi Wurrung and Boon Wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nations on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University.