Paediatric Nursing in Australia and New Zealand

This introductory chapter examines the health and wellbeing of children and young people growing up in Australia and New Zealand. Itlooks at the population characteristics of future generations, facilitators and challenges to healthy growth and development, and emerging health and social trends. It considers the health and wellbeing of children and young people as situated within their individual developmental journey. Whether born in New Zealand or Australia, or arriving as a child or young person, growth is nested within the social and cultural traditions of familyduring times of rapid social and environmental change.

The chapter begins by reviewing some of the common demographic and statistical indicator measures used to monitor the health and wellbeing of children and young people across the world. Being aware of the many different ways in which age and other measures are used to describe the health of children and young people can support the best use of the international evidence. The chapter then explores how these principles can be applied to key conditions and societal constructs relevant to the health and wellbeing of children and young people growing up in Australia and New Zealand.