Priority Wellbeing Issues
The following issues are documented as the most significant wellbeing challenges for students in Queensland, based on national and state-level Australian data.
Bullying in Schools
46,000+ incidents (2023)The Queensland Auditor-General (Report 6, 2024–25) recorded over 46,000 bullying and harassment incidents in Queensland state schools in 2023 — the most documented in any Australian jurisdiction.
Attendance Decline
Steep remote gradientAttendance drops sharply in Queensland's outer regional and remote zones per RoGS 2026, with significant equity implications for students away from the south-east.
Cyberbullying
38% in past 12 monthsCyberbullying crosses between school and digital spaces. Queensland schools are adapting policies, but online harm remains a critical ongoing challenge.
Racism & Discrimination
Mission AU 2024 top concernDiscrimination is a top concern among Queensland youth, particularly in outer suburban and regional schools per Mission Australia 2024.
Stress & Academic Pressure
PISA 2022 correlatedATAR pressure intensifies in Years 11–12. Queensland students show elevated stress-related learning barriers in PISA 2022 Australia data.
Who attends school in Queensland?
1,000 schools · 338,577 students — ACARA National School Profile 2025
These indicators highlight student groups that research shows are at higher risk of wellbeing challenges and may require additional support. Averages are across all schools in Queensland.
of students in schools fall in the lowest quarter of socio-educational advantage nationally
average proportion of Indigenous students across schools — a group with documented higher wellbeing needs
of students have a language background other than English (LBOTE) — requiring culturally aware wellbeing approaches
Source: ACARA National School Profile 2025. ICSEA (Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage) ranges from ~500 to ~1300; national average is 1000. Equity figures are school-level averages, not student-weighted.
Cities & Regions in Queensland
Select a city or region to explore a detailed wellbeing report for that specific area, including local data, priority issues, and prevention insights.
The challenge schools in Queensland face
Schools across Queensland are doing their best with the resources and information they have. But wellbeing challenges like anxiety, disengagement, and self-harm are often invisible until they become urgent. Teachers and principals are not mental health specialists — and without systematic data, they are working without a map.
When schools measure student emotional readiness to learn regularly and systematically, the warning signs become visible weeks before a crisis. That window is where prevention lives.