A social enterprise providing education and information to protect and enhance the mental health of young people
Mandie Shean, Edith Cowan University Starting school is an important event for children and a positive experience can set the tone for the rest of their school experience. Some children are excited to attend school for the first time, yet others feel anxious. Back to school anxiety is a widely accepted phenomenon, but there is [...]
The disruption and stress of 2020 resulted in a spike in mental health problems that are likely to continue into 2021. Mental illness accounts for 16% of the global burden of disease and injury for youth aged 10-19. One in seven Australian young people are affected by a mental disorder, with a recent report finding that [...]
David Armstrong, RMIT University The Victorian government has announced an investment of nearly A$1.6 billion for public schools to ensure students with disability are supported in the classroom. The money will double the number of students with disability receiving extra support to 55,000. Further detail on the funding is imminent. But this seems to be [...]
Lisa Mundy, Murdoch Children's Research Institute The middle years of school are defined as being from 8-14 years of age. These were often described as a latent or quiet phase of development. We now understand this is not the case — the middle years are a foundational period for development. But there is not enough [...]
Elin Thordardottir, McGill University; James Law, Newcastle University, and Susan Roulstone, University of the West of England Developmental language disorder (DLD) is one of the most common disorders affecting children but is relatively unknown. Affecting more than seven per cent of children, DLD is 20 times more common than autism. Ninety per cent of people [...]
Australia is gradually emerging from an unprecedented lockdown, where we continue to face major threats to our health and economy. Schools have acted as shock absorbers during this period, switching in a short period of time to online learning, and supporting children and their families to learn from home while simultaneously attempting to remotely manage [...]
John Munro, Australian Catholic University How can we concentrate on a particular thing (like studies) without getting distracted? Melvina, aged 14 Thanks for this great question, Melvina! Many students are probably wondering the same thing as end-of-year assessments approach. To concentrate best we need to resist distractions. To do this, it helps if you know [...]
Umesh Sharma & Fiona May COVID-19 has disrupted education systems on a global scale, creating unexpected challenges. Approximately 1.6 billion children around the world have been unable to attend school due to COVID-19 lockdowns, with schools required to make rapid adjustments in the move to online teaching and learning. The pandemic has increased the educational divide [...]
As Victorian schools, teachers and students adapt to the pressures of stage four lockdowns, questions have been raised about how inclusive education can be provided during remote learning. Inclusive education means providing high-quality schooling that's fair and equitable for all students. It means every child is welcomed and valued without exception. However, COVID-19 has created, [...]
Emily Berger, Monash University and Karen Martin, University of Western Australia Mental health issues among children are on the rise due to the impacts of the COVID pandemic, including lockdowns. Recent reports show there has been a 28% spike in calls to the phone counselling service Kids Helpline between March and July 2020 compared with [...]
