Wellbeing, participation and connection in the middle years of childhood

Ensuring the health and wellbeing of children is a fundamental societal goal, which is best achieved when children are connected to their communities, have opportunities for meaningful participation, and enjoy strong and supportive relationships across generations, within and beyond their families. This means investing in individual children and families and in their communities. It also means creating communities that are inclusive of children and actively providing pathways for children to participate in a range of social and civic activities. The purpose of this article is to highlight the relationship between participation, health and wellbeing, for children aged in the middle years.