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uilt upon, or interventions can assist those who had childhood difficulties to makethe transition to a more positive adulthood.There are strong links between a positive childhood and transition to adulthood andseveral of the headline indicators and other strategic areas for action. Outcomes inthese years can have far reaching consequences. Good educational outcomes foryoung Indigenous people will enhance their opportunities as adults. Young peoplewho avoid the juvenile justice system are less likely to become involved in the adultcorrectional system and a cycle of re-offending.Years 5 and 7 literacy and numeracyResearch has shown that achievement in years 5 and 7 literacy and numeracy is akey determinant of whether children go on to year 12 and higher education. A lackof basic literacy and numeracy skills also results in poor employment prospects.Other research has found that low literacy is one of the biggest hurdles to improvingthe health of Indigenous people.Box 1.36KEY MESSAGES• Between 1999 and 2005, year 5 Indigenous students’ performance against thenational reading, writing and numeracy benchmarks fluctuated, with no statisticallysignificant trend (figures 7.1.1, 7.1.3 and 7.1.5).• Between 2001 and 2005, year 7 Indigenous students’ performance against thenational reading, writing and numeracy benchmarks also fluctuated, with nostatistically significant trend (figures 7.1.7, 7.1.9 and 7.1.11).• In 2005, the proportion of year 5 Indigenous students who did not achieve thenational benchmark was substantially higher than the proportion of all students for:– reading (37 per cent compared to 13 per cent) (figure 7.3.2)– writing (26 per cent compared to 7 per cent) (figure 7.1.4)– numeracy (34 per cent compared to 9 per cent) (figure 7.1.6).• In 2005, the proportion of year 7 Indigenous students who did not achieve thenational benchmark was substantially higher than the proportion of all students for:– reading (36 per cent compared to 10 per cent) (figure 7.1.8)– writing (28 per cent compared to 8 per cent) (figure 7.1.10)– numeracy (51 per cent compared to 18 per cent) (figure 7.1.12).• As Indigenous students progress through school the proportion who achieve thenational minimum benchmarks decreases (figures 7.1.13 and 7.1.15).36 OVERCOMINGINDIGENOUSDISADVANTAGE 2007