Australian children's independent mobility levels: secondary analyses of cross-sectional data between 1991 and 2012

Abstract

This study investigated changes in Australian children's independent mobility levels between1991 and 2012. Data from five cross-sectional studies conducted in 1991, 1993, 2010, 2011 and 2012 were analysed. Parent and child surveys were used to assess parental licences for independent mobility and actual independent mobility behaviour in children aged 8–13 years. Findings show declines in the proportion of young children (≤10 years of age) being allowed to travel home from school alone (1991: 68%, 1993: 50%, 2010: 43%, 2011: 45%, 2012: 31%) and travel on buses alone (1991: 31%, 1993: 15%, 2010: 8%, 2011: 6%, 2012: 9%). Furthermore, the proportion of children travelling independently to school decreased (1991: 61%, 1993: 42%, 2010: 31%, 2011: 32%, 2012: 32%). Significantly fewer girls than boys travelled independently to school at each time point (p ≤ .001). Overall, the findings suggest that Australian children's independent mobility levels declined between 1991 and 2012.

Keywords:

• unsupervised travel
• active transport
• prevalence
• trend
• young people

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

The 2010 Children's Independent Mobility Study in Melbourne was funded by the Victorian Health Promotion Foundation. The 2011 Child Friendly Communities Research and Community Engagement Project in Sydney was supported by the Academy of Social Sciences Australia and Stockland Urban Developers. The 2012 Children's Activity, Travel, Connectedness and Health, and Independent Mobility, Active Travel and Children's Health (CATCH/iMATCH) Projects were supported by the Australian Research Council (LP100100344 and DP1094495). Stephanie Schoeppe was funded through an Australian Postgraduate Award (Industry) financed through the iMATCH project. Mitch J Duncan is supported by a Future Leader Fellowship (ID 100029) from the National Heart Foundation of Australia. The authors wish to thank the children, parents, school personnel and research staff who were involved in the 1991, 1993, 2010, 2011 and 2012 studies