June 2026
The 2025 VCE Health and Human Development exam showed that social justice questions were not asking students to write generally about fairness.
They required specific links.
Students needed to connect programs, initiatives and actions to access, equity, rights, participation, cultural safety, health and wellbeing, and human development. They needed to use respectful language. They needed to show how a program could promote health and wellbeing for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. They also needed to explain how preventing violence against women and girls could promote particular dimensions of health and wellbeing.
The strongest responses did not simply say that a program was “helpful” or “supportive”.
They explained how it created fairer access, stronger participation, safer environments or greater connection.
That is what social justice demands in Health and Human Development.
Respectful terminology mattered
One of the important notes in the 2025 report concerned terminology.
In Question 2a, students compared the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Guide to Healthy Eating with the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating. The report noted that abbreviating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander is considered culturally inappropriate as best practice, even though students were not penalised where general VCAA abbreviation conventions were followed.
This matters beyond one question.
Health and Human Development is a subject that deals with equity, culture, historical and contemporary disadvantage, and social justice. Language should therefore be accurate and respectful.
Students should write Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander in full.
This is not a cosmetic issue. It reflects the care expected when discussing people, culture and communities.
Cultural food examples needed comparison
In the food guide question, students could identify a difference by explaining that the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Guide to Healthy Eating includes cultural foods such as kangaroo, damper or bush foods, whereas the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating uses more generic food examples.
This was a social justice-adjacent point because it showed cultural relevance.
A culturally appropriate health resource may better recognise identity, food practices and cultural connection. When health promotion materials reflect the communities they are designed for, they may be more engaging, respectful and accessible.
The comparison mattered.
A strong response did not simply list kangaroo or damper. It explained how the guide differed from the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating.
VACCA’s Koorie Kids Playgroup needed stimulus use
Question 7 asked students to use material about VACCA’s Koorie Kids Playgroup.
The report stated that students were required to link to the stimulus material. Students were also advised to use quotation marks when drawing directly from the stimulus.
This was important because students could not write a generic answer about playgroups. They had to explain how this particular program could promote health and wellbeing and social justice for this Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.
The stimulus included ideas such as children and families “gathering with other Koorie families”, “hearing stories”, participating in cultural activities such as art, craft and dance, and getting to know other Koorie kids in the area.
These details should have shaped the answer.
The program was not just about childcare.
It was about culture, connection, belonging and community.
Health and wellbeing links needed dimensions
Question 7a asked students to describe how the Koorie Kids Playgroup could help promote health and wellbeing.
The report noted that students needed to show how the program promotes health and wellbeing by linking the program to a dimension of health and wellbeing.
For example, participating in cultural arts, crafts and dance and getting to know other Koorie kids in the area could allow children and parents to form meaningful relationships. This promotes social health and wellbeing because it strengthens connection, belonging and supportive relationships.
The program could also promote spiritual health and wellbeing by strengthening cultural identity, connection to culture and sense of belonging through stories and cultural activities.
The key is the link:
program feature → dimension of health and wellbeing → impact.
A response that simply said “it improves health and wellbeing” was not enough.
Social health and wellbeing needed meaningful relationships
Social health and wellbeing was a natural dimension to use for the Koorie Kids Playgroup.
A strong response could explain that gathering with other Koorie families and getting to know other Koorie kids creates opportunities for parents, carers and children to build supportive social networks. This can increase feelings of connection and belonging, promoting social health and wellbeing.
This response works because it is specific.
It does not just name social health and wellbeing. It identifies the mechanism: social interaction, friendships, support networks and community belonging.
In this subject, dimensions of health and wellbeing need to be unpacked.
Spiritual health and wellbeing could also be powerful
The Koorie Kids Playgroup also invited discussion of spiritual health and wellbeing.
In Health and Human Development, spiritual health and wellbeing can involve ideas such as meaning, purpose, belonging, connection to culture, and connection to a higher power or belief system.
A response could explain that hearing stories and participating in cultural arts, crafts and dance may strengthen Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children’s connection to culture and identity. This may promote spiritual health and wellbeing by increasing a sense of belonging to culture and community.
The word belonging should be made specific.
Belonging to what?
A high-scoring response would identify belonging to community, cultural group, Country or culture rather than using the term vaguely.
Social justice required more than social health
Question 7b asked how the Koorie Kids Playgroup could promote social justice.
This was different from Question 7a.
Social health and wellbeing focuses on relationships, support and social functioning. Social justice focuses on fairness, equity, access, rights and participation.
A strong response needed to show how the program promotes fairness or equitable opportunity for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.
For example, the program may provide culturally safe access to early learning and community participation. By allowing children and families to gather with other Koorie families, hear stories and participate in cultural activities, it recognises their culture and supports their right to participate in community life in a culturally appropriate way.
That is social justice because it promotes access and participation in a way that respects culture.
The answer should not simply repeat the health and wellbeing response.
Equity was central to social justice
Social justice often involves equity.
Equity means recognising that different groups may need different forms of support to achieve fair outcomes.
The Koorie Kids Playgroup could promote equity by providing a program tailored to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families, rather than expecting all families to access generic early childhood programs that may not reflect culture or community needs.
This could help reduce barriers to participation and strengthen access to culturally appropriate early years support.
A strong response might write:
By offering a playgroup specifically for Koorie children and families, the program provides culturally appropriate access to early childhood and community support. This promotes equity because Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families can participate in a program that recognises their cultural identity and supports their needs, rather than being expected to fit into a generic service.
This is more precise than simply saying the program is fair.
Rights and participation could also be used
Social justice also involves rights and participation.
The Koorie Kids Playgroup may promote children’s and families’ right to participate in cultural life, access culturally appropriate services and engage in community activities.
It may also promote participation by creating a setting where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families can gather, connect, share stories and take part in cultural learning.
A strong answer could explain that this supports social justice by giving families opportunities to participate in community life and access culturally relevant support.
The key is to make the social justice principle visible.
Equity.
Access.
Rights.
Participation.
Cultural safety.
These words should not be dropped in randomly, but they help structure a strong response.
Social justice answers needed the community named
Because the question referred to this Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community, responses needed to keep that community in view.
A generic answer such as:
The program promotes social justice because everyone can join and make friends.
is too broad.
A stronger response would say:
The program promotes social justice for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community by providing a culturally safe space where Koorie children and families can connect with each other and participate in cultural activities. This supports equitable access to community support and recognises their right to maintain and celebrate culture.
This directly answers the question.
It is specific to the community and the program.
Violence prevention questions required action, not awareness alone
Question 9a asked students to describe one way people could engage with a non-government organisation to take individual or social action to prevent violence against women and girls.
The report noted that most students could outline a way of taking action, but common issues included not showing how the action engaged with an NGO and not showing how the action could prevent violence against women and girls.
This is a critical point.
A response needed three connected parts:
the action
the NGO link
the prevention mechanism
For example:
People could donate to an NGO that runs education programs in low-income countries to prevent violence against women and girls. This funding could help the NGO educate communities about women’s rights and the harms of child marriage, reducing acceptance of gender-based violence and helping prevent violence against women and girls.
This is stronger than:
People could donate money to help women.
The action must be connected to prevention.
Individual and social action had to be concrete
Possible actions included:
volunteering with an NGO
donating to an NGO
lobbying governments
spreading awareness through social media
signing petitions
protesting to raise awareness
participating in fundraising or education campaigns
But the action needed to be described.
For example, spreading awareness is clearer if the student explains that people could share an NGO’s social media campaign about recognising coercive control and accessing support services, increasing community understanding and encouraging early intervention.
Volunteering is clearer if the student explains that volunteers could support NGO workshops or fundraising events that fund shelters, legal support or education programs.
The action should have a pathway to violence prevention.
Prevention of violence needed outcomes
Question 9b asked students to describe how the prevention of violence against women and girls could promote two dimensions of health and wellbeing.
The report noted that students first needed to identify an outcome of preventing violence, such as:
reduced injuries, harm, abuse or trauma
reduced coercive control
reduced child marriage
reduced sexual assault or domestic violence
increased feelings of safety, empowerment or self-worth
reduced stress or anxiety
increased social connection
reduced gender discrimination
This is important.
Students needed to discuss the impact of preventing violence, not the impact of violence itself.
The direction of the answer mattered.
Physical health and wellbeing needed specific examples
For physical health and wellbeing, the report noted that generic statements such as “complete daily tasks” were too vague.
Students needed more specific examples.
A strong response could explain that preventing violence against women and girls can reduce injuries such as fractures, bruising, burns or sexual violence-related harm. This can promote physical health and wellbeing by allowing the body and its systems to function more effectively and reducing the risk of disability, infection or death.
Another response could explain that preventing practices such as female genital mutilation can reduce the risk of infection, chronic pain and complications, supporting physical health and wellbeing.
The response should be specific about the physical impact.
Mental health and wellbeing needed more than “less stress”
Mental health and wellbeing could also be used effectively.
Preventing violence against women and girls may reduce trauma, fear, anxiety, depression and psychological distress. It may also increase self-esteem, confidence, feelings of safety and belief in one’s abilities.
A strong response could write:
Preventing domestic violence may reduce fear and trauma experienced by women and girls, lowering anxiety and psychological distress. This can promote mental health and wellbeing by increasing feelings of safety, confidence and self-esteem.
This is clear because it links the prevention outcome to mental health and wellbeing characteristics.
Social health and wellbeing could be linked to connection
The report’s high-scoring example for Question 9b explained that preventing violence can allow women and girls to safely attend school or work, where they can socialise and develop supportive networks of friends.
This promotes social health and wellbeing.
This is a strong chain:
prevention of violence → increased safety to attend school or work → social interaction and supportive networks → social health and wellbeing.
The answer does not simply say violence prevention improves relationships.
It explains how opportunities for connection increase.
Spiritual health and wellbeing needed specific belonging
The report noted that in relation to spiritual health and wellbeing, a common example was “increased sense of belonging”, but this was not clear unless students specified who or what the belonging related to.
A stronger response would write:
Preventing violence against women and girls may allow women to participate more safely in community and cultural activities, increasing their sense of belonging to their local community or cultural group. This can promote spiritual health and wellbeing.
This is more precise.
Belonging needs an object.
Belonging to family.
Belonging to community.
Belonging to culture.
Belonging to a faith group.
Specificity matters.
Emotional health and wellbeing could be developed through safety
Emotional health and wellbeing could also be promoted through violence prevention.
Preventing violence may reduce fear, helplessness and emotional distress. It may increase the ability to recognise, express and manage emotions because women and girls are living in safer environments.
A strong answer could explain that reduced exposure to violence may allow women and girls to feel more secure and better able to manage emotions such as fear or anger, promoting emotional health and wellbeing.
Again, the prevention effect must be clear.
The response should not only describe the harm caused by violence.
It should describe the benefit of preventing it.
Social justice and SDGs were connected
Question 9 introduced the issue by stating that many NGOs work to combat violence against women and girls to support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
This context mattered.
Preventing violence against women and girls links strongly to SDG 5: Gender Equality, especially the aim to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls. It can also support SDG 3 by promoting health and wellbeing, and SDG 4 by allowing girls to attend school safely.
Students did not necessarily need to discuss all these SDGs unless the question required it, but recognising the connection could deepen the response.
Violence prevention is not only an individual health issue.
It is a social justice and development issue.
Students needed to avoid reversing the question
The report noted that some students discussed the impact of violence against women and girls rather than the impact of preventing violence.
This is a subtle but important error.
The question asked how prevention could promote dimensions of health and wellbeing.
Therefore, the answer should be framed positively:
Preventing violence reduces injuries.
Preventing violence reduces trauma.
Preventing violence increases feelings of safety.
Preventing violence allows school or work participation.
Preventing violence increases social connection.
A response that only describes violence causing harm does not fully answer the prevention question.
Students need to follow the direction of the command.
Social justice questions rewarded pathways
Across these questions, strong responses built pathways.
For the Koorie Kids Playgroup:
culturally safe program → connection to culture and community → belonging and participation → health and wellbeing or social justice.
For NGO action:
individual or social action → engagement with NGO → prevention program or support → reduced violence.
For violence prevention:
prevention outcome → dimension-specific effect → improved health and wellbeing.
This pathway structure helps students avoid vague claims.
It makes the answer assessable.
Why social justice marks were lost
Marks were likely lost when students:
- abbreviated Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
- used generic language about fairness without naming equity, access, rights or participation
- described playgroups generally without using the VACCA stimulus
- linked the Koorie Kids Playgroup to health and wellbeing without naming or explaining a dimension
- repeated the same answer for health and wellbeing and social justice
- named an individual or social action without explaining the NGO link
- described violence rather than prevention of violence
- gave generic dimension examples, such as “complete daily tasks”
- referred to belonging without specifying belonging to whom or what
- failed to explain how the action or program produced the outcome
These are not large content gaps.
They are linking problems.
What future Health and Human Development students should learn from 2025
The 2025 VCE Health and Human Development exam shows that social justice preparation should focus on precise application.
Students should practise:
- using respectful terminology for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
- comparing culturally relevant resources accurately
- linking program features to dimensions of health and wellbeing
- explaining social justice through equity, access, rights and participation
- using stimulus material directly
- distinguishing social health and wellbeing from social justice
- describing concrete individual and social actions
- linking NGO engagement to violence prevention
- framing violence questions around prevention, not only harm
- linking prevention outcomes to specific dimensions of health and wellbeing
- making examples specific, especially for physical and spiritual health and wellbeing
These skills help students write with care and precision.
Social justice is not a vague value in Health and Human Development.
It is an applied framework.
How ATAR STAR teaches social justice in Health and Human Development
At ATAR STAR, social justice is taught through specific examples and applied pathways.
Students learn how equity, access, participation, rights and cultural safety connect to health and wellbeing, human development and the SDGs. They practise applying these concepts to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander programs, NGO action, violence prevention and stimulus-based case studies.
The 2025 Examination Report confirms why this matters. High-scoring students did not simply write that programs were fair or helpful.
They explained how social justice was promoted.