34 years of the Life Chances Study

On 6 June, we held an event at the Fitzroy Town Hall to launch the final report into the Life Chances longitudinal study. It was a wonderful celebration with many participants from the study in attendance.

Beginning in 1990 with 167 babies and their parents, this study has contributed important insights into the experience and persistence of inequality in Australia. 

“Tracking the babies and their parents at critical moments gave us great insights into how social policies can even the odds,” said Dr. Dina Bowman, BSL’s Principal Research Fellow and co-author of the final report. 

The final report, Inequality in Australia: Insights from the Life Chances study 1990-2024, was launched by Dr Rebecca Huntley. This was followed by a special BSL Talks with Professor Roger Wilkins (Deputy Director of the Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research), along with Dr Huntley, Dr Dina Bowman (BSL’s Senior Research Fellow and co-author of the study) and two Life Chances participants, Isabel Walker and Vinh Tran. 

The release of the report received widespread news coverage which included ABC TV News , Guardian Australia , ABC News Radio, ABC’s The World Today, Channel 10’s The Project and Channel 9’s Today Show. 

Read the final report here by Dr Dina Bowman and Dr Ursula Harrison: https://www.bsl.org.au/research/publications/inequality-in-australia-insights-from-the-life-chances-study/

You can also watch this terrific clip with the researchers providing an overview of the study here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0cCVJBfDj0&feature=youtu.be    

To view the recording of the event you can now watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3k28U6aqJ-c&feature=youtu.be