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Childhood, Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Roadmap

The Childhood, Adolescent and Young Adult Roadmap (The Roadmap) is a high-level national guide to help coordinate policy and investment to improve outcomes and experiences for children, adolescents and young adults (up to 24 years old) with cancer.

Childhood, Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Roadmap

Overview

The Roadmap was developed at the request of the Minister for Health and Ageing and informed by people with lived experience, clinicians, researchers, jurisdictions, philanthropy and advocacy groups. The Roadmap is a high-level national guide to help coordinate policy and investment to improve outcomes and experiences for children, adolescents and young adults (up to 24) with cancer.

It outlines three pillars for action: strengthening access to age-appropriate, culturally safe supportive care; improving equitable access to emerging technologies and therapies such as precision medicine; and driving targeted, sustainable research and clinical trials, supported by better data and collaboration. 

The Roadmap aligns with the Australian Cancer Plan and highlights the needs of priority populations, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, people living with disability, and those in regional, rural and remote areas. Implementation is a shared responsibility across governments, services, researchers, philanthropy and the community sector, supported by monitoring and evaluation through the Australian Cancer Plan.

Roadmap structure

The Roadmap contains three interdependent pillars for action: Supportive care; Access to emerging technologies and therapies; and Research and clinical trials.

Within each pillar, the Roadmap sets out clear priorities supported by practical actions with indicative timeframes (within 2, 5 and 8 years). The pillars are intentionally designed to overlap, reflecting shared system enablers such as equity, workforce, data, access and national collaboration across the cancer continuum.

Consultation

We asked

For input and advice from stakeholders across the childhood and AYA cancer sector, including:

  • Advisory committees
  • Ministerial Roundtable (June 2025), bringing together people with lived experience, clinicians, researchers, philanthropic organisations and jurisdictions to identify key unmet needs
  • Expert Reference Group
  • Two online consultation workshops on key priorities
  • Public consultation process.

You said

Key themes raised through consultation included strengthening survivorship and supportive care, improving transitions between paediatric and adult services, addressing workforce and resourcing needs, and ensuring equitable access to emerging technologies and therapies.

We did

The feedback was integral to shaping the Roadmap. Consultation insights were reflected across the Roadmap’s pillars, priorities and actions to ensure alignment with sector needs and to support coordinated policy and investment decision-making.

Cancer Australia would like to thank all stakeholders for their input.

Cancer Australia

Cancer Australia was established by the Australian Government in 2006 to benefit all Australians affected by cancer, and their families and carers. Cancer Australia aims to reduce the impact of cancer, address disparities and improve outcomes for people affected by cancer by leading and coordinating national, evidence-based interventions across the continuum of care.

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