Wave 9 goes online!

The coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) has meant we have not been able to talk to you like we normally would, but it’s really important we capture the impacts this time has had on you and your family. With this in mind, for Wave 9 we are asking our study participants to complete a short online survey – it replaces the intended Wave 9 interview.

About the online survey

The online survey covers a range of topics including your health and well-being, and aspects of your social life. We are also asking you questions about how you have been affected by COVID-19, and recent natural disasters such as floods and bushfires.

We look forward to hearing how you have been doing this year.

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Technical stuff

The online survey

How long will the online survey take?
The online survey will take around 30 minutes to complete.

Do I have to do the online survey?
The online survey is not compulsory, but it does replace your home interview.

Due to health and safety measures in place because of COVID-19, our interviewers are unable to interview face-to-face like they have done in the past. It is important for the Growing Up in Australia study that we hear about how you have been going this year, and a safe way to do that is for you to complete an online survey.

The value of this study comes from having information about the same people collected over time. Your experiences today will help inform policy makers and enable them to improve outcomes for young people in the future.

I don't want to do it all in one go. Can I save it and come back and finish it later?
Yes. You can save your progress and exit at any time. You can then log back in when you are ready to continue. Make sure you submit your survey when finished. Please note you cannot access your survey after it is submitted.

Is my survey confidential?
Your privacy is very important to us. Strict procedures are followed to ensure that only authorised people have access to the information you provide. You can find more information on Privacy here.

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Online survey technical FAQs

Can I use my tablet/smartphone to do the online survey?
For the most user-friendly experience, we recommend completion of the online survey using a PC or laptop. You are able to attempt to complete it on another device, however, it has not been optimised for completion via a tablet/smartphone.

Which internet browser should I use to complete the online survey?
We recommend using Internet Explorer 11 (or later), Chrome 43 (or later), Safari 8 (or later) or Firefox 35 (or later).

How do I log on and access the survey?
Go to Do your online survey.

I have an ABS Survey Account from last time, but I am not sure how to get back into it.
Go to Do your online survey.

You can log into the account you created last time by using the same email address you used as your user ID.

If you have forgotten your password use the link next to ‘Forgot your password?’ on the log-in page to reset it. You will need the email address and mobile number you used to create your account last time.

I can’t remember the email address I used last time!
You will need to create a new ABS Survey Account.

How do I create a new ABS Survey Account?
Go to Do your online survey.

Click the ‘Login or create Survey Account’ button and click 'Create' on the right-hand side of the log in page.

• You will need to provide an email address, a mobile phone number and create a password. You may also optionally provide your name.
• Next you will be asked to validate your email address by entering a security key that we send to you by email.
• Use your Form Access Code to open the online survey by entering the code into the Form Access Code box on the screen.

I haven’t received my security key email yet. What do I do?
Please check your spam or junk mail. Although we have taken measures to ensure the ABS Survey Account request emails get through, occasionally they may be blocked. If there is no confirmation email after 10 minutes, you can start the 'Create' process again to ensure all details have been entered correctly.

If you still experience difficulties receiving your security key email, please call the Growing Up in Australia team on 1800 005 508 for assistance.

I am having trouble completing the ABS Survey Account set-up
This may be because you are using an older browser version which does not fully support HTML. Please try an alternative browser or update your browser to the latest version.

What is a Form Access Code?
Your Form Access Code is unique to you and you will need it to access your online survey. It is made up of 8 alpha-numeric symbols with a hyphen (-) in the middle.

Where will I find my Form Access Code?
You will find your Form Access Code on the back of the postcard and/or an email that was sent to you (if you have provided us with your email address in the past).

If you have lost your Form Access Code, please call the Growing Up in Australia team on 1800 005 508 and we can provide it to you over the phone or via SMS.

I am having trouble entering my Form Access Code, what should I do?
It is important that you include the hyphen (-) as it forms part of the actual code. There should be no spaces when you enter your code.

If you still experience difficulties, please call us on 1800 005 508 for assistance or email us.

What if I don't have an email address or mobile phone number to use for my online survey account?
Please call the Growing Up in Australia team on 1800 005 508 for assistance.

Why do I need to provide a mobile phone number?
The mobile phone number you provide during the account creation process allows you to reset your password if you forget it.

I’m having difficulty accessing the online survey.
If you are having trouble establishing a session or completing the survey account set-up, it may be because you are using an older browser version which does not fully support HTML. Please try an alternative browser or update your browser to the latest version.

If you get an error message and need assistance, you can contact the Growing Up in Australia team on 1800 005 508 for assistance or email us.

I can’t access my online Survey Form or submit my answers.
Please try the following:

• Save and close your internet browser. Then, open a new browser window and try logging back in.
• Opening your Survey Account and Survey Form in a different web browser.
• Clearing your cache/browsing history by referring to your browser’s instructions.
• We may be experiencing a high volume of traffic which can sometimes cause issues. Please wait and log back in at a later time.

If you are still having problems, please contact the Growing Up in Australia team on 1800 005 508 for assistance or email us.

I’m having problems viewing the Survey Form, what can I do?
If your online survey is not displaying correctly or you are having trouble moving to the next screen it may be because you do not have JavaScript enabled in your web browser.

This is most common for older versions of web browsers. In most instances, JavaScript can be enabled in 'Options', under the 'Tools' menu. If you need web browser assistance, you can try the 'Help' menu in your web browser.

My online survey closed before I had finished it!
Your online survey will close after 20 minutes of inactivity. This is to protect your privacy. You may need to close the browser session to re-access your survey. The survey should re-open at the page you were last on.

What should I do if I get an error message?
Please contact the Growing Up in Australia team on 1800 005 508 or email us.

How do I know if I’ve lodged my survey correctly?
Once you have finished your survey form you need to click 'Submit' on the last page to ensure your data is submitted correctly. The final page will include a confirmation message that you can print or save.

You can check this has been done by logging into your Survey Account and checking that your form is in the ‘My survey form history’ section. If the form status is 'In Progress' you can click 'Resume' and ensure the survey form has been correctly submitted.

I’ve submitted my survey, but I’ve received a reminder. Why?
There is often a delay between when the list of who needs a reminder is prepared and when the reminders are actually sent out. If you have received a reminder from Growing Up in Australia, it could be that you submitted the form after the reminder list was compiled. You can check your survey has been submitted properly by logging into your Survey Account and checking the “My survey form history” section. If this is the case, you do not need to take any further action.

What do I do if I can't finish the online survey because of a technical issue?
If you have technical issues, please contact the Growing Up in Australia team on 1800 005 508 or email us.

For any other questions about your online survey or the Study, please contact the Growing Up in Australia team on 1800 005 508 for assistance or email us.

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Other FAQs

I am a Young Person

Why do you still want to ask my parents questions?
Continuing to capture family information allows for more detailed and more accurate longitudinal data. For example, it is useful to understand how parents’ well-being is related to the well-being of their adult children.

Will you be sharing my answers with my parents?
No. We do not share any of your information with your parents. All of the answers you give are confidential and only authorised people have access to your information. Even if your parents ask us, we do not share your answers with them.

Are my parents doing an online survey, too?
Yes. In Wave 9 we are asking all young people and their parents to complete an online survey, instead of the usual interview.

When will I get my eGift card?
You will receive an email approximately 4 weeks after completing your online survey with a link and instructions on how to redeem your eGift card. To be eligible, you must complete your online survey before 7 December 2020.

Where can I spend my eGift card?
Your eGift card will be a ‘Flexi’ eGift card – an electronic gift card that allows you to choose from a wide range of gift cards or vouchers from different retailers and service providers. You can choose to convert your ‘Flexi’ eGift card into a $20 card or voucher of your choice, or into any combination of gift cards or vouchers up to the $20 value.

I am part of the Growing Up in Australia study, why haven’t I been asked to do the online survey?
Wave 9 interviews commenced in mid-2019 but were stopped in March 2020 due to COVID-19. We are asking participants who have not yet been approached for Wave 9, to complete this online survey instead of their usual interview. If you have not been contacted at all about doing a Wave 9 survey, and think you should have been, please call the Growing Up in Australia team on 1800 005 508 or email us.

I don’t want to participate in the study anymore.
Participation in the study is voluntary. Growing Up in Australia study participants may withdraw from the study at any time or choose not to take part in some aspects of the study. However, information collected prior to withdrawal continues to be used and forms part of the Growing Up in Australia data.

Although you can withdraw at any time, we would be really pleased if you decided to continue to participate. The value of this study comes from having information about the same people collected over time. Your experiences when you were younger helped to make changes that benefit children and their families today. Your experiences today, like opportunities for work and further study, will help to inform policy makers to improve outcomes for young people in the future.

Being in Growing Up in Australia gives you a chance to be part of a unique study that helps develop better services for young people and their families.

I am a Parent

My child is over 18. Why do you still want to ask me questions?
Continuing to capture family information allows for more detailed and more accurate longitudinal data and enables us to understand the ongoing connection that parents have with their adult children. For example, it is useful to understand how parents’ well-being is related to the well-being of their adult children.

Will you be sharing my answers with my child?
We do not share any of your information with your child. All the answers you give are confidential and only authorised people have access to your information. So, even if your child asks us, we do not share your answers with them.

How much longer will I be interviewed?
Growing Up in Australia: The Longitudinal Study of Australian Children was made an ongoing project by the Australian Government in 2007 and will continue to keep providing valuable information about Australian young people and their families.

As a Parent who completes the online survey and is entered into the random draw to receive a $50 eGift card, how will I know if I have been selected?
Parent participants who complete their online survey prior to 8 November 2020 will go into two random draws to receive a $50 eGift card. There are 100 eGift cards in each draw. Parents who complete their online survey after 8 November 2020 but before 7 December will go into one random draw for a $50 eGift card. The selected recipients of a $50 eGift card from Draw 1 will be excluded from Draw 2.

The participants who are randomly selected to receive a $50 eGift card will be notified by email which will include the link to the eGift card and instructions on how to redeem this.

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