A social enterprise providing education and information to protect and enhance the mental health of young people
In this episode, GP Dr Mick Tong explores young people's screen use and its place in education: Weigh technology’s benefits against its impact on learning Consider the role of hands-on experiences in development Hear a GP’s perspective on screen-related concerns Explore screen use, sleep, behaviour and physical symptoms Consider why some schools are [...]
In Part 2 of this episode, Dr Brad Marshall and Meg Tidyman reflect on the changing role of play and technology: Notice where children may need support with social communication Learn how to make space for flexible, unstructured play Understand ways to encourage turn-taking, negotiation and conversation repair Use children’s interests to invite [...]
Join host Dr Brad Marshall as he speaks with Speech Pathologist Meg Tidyman about how screens affect young children’s social connection and the importance of real-world interaction. Explore how screens affect opportunities for communication Consider gaps between concept knowledge and everyday language use Understand how play supports communication and connection Learn how [...]
Vivienne Lewis, University of Canberra Formal is one of the most exciting events on the school calendar for many senior students. Young people can spend months choosing outfits, planning a hairstyle and trialling different makeup looks. For some teens, it may even be their first time wearing a suit or a more “dressy” dress. But [...]
Tianyi Ma, The University of Queensland School holidays mean more free time and less structure. School drop-offs and pick-ups disappear, bedtimes may shift, and families may need to organise childcare, travel or visits with extended family to fill out the days. It means everyone in the household is adjusting to changes in how each day [...]
Narendar Manohar, Black Dog Institute; Hiroko Fujimoto, Black Dog Institute, and Peter Baldwin, Swinburne University of Technology; UNSW Sydney Many Australian children struggle with their mental health. Recent data shows around one in seven children (13.9%) aged 4–17 experiences a diagnosable mental illness. So what can actually help? Our research shows the most [...]
Fotini Vasilopoulos, University of Sydney Pretend play is a significant and often magical part of childhood. Children have huge imaginations and use these to turn rocks into spaceships, tables into forts or pens into fairies. They might pretend to be “mum” or to “cook dinner”. Or they may invent their own characters, worlds and concepts [...]
Shane Rogers, Edith Cowan University Students’ mental health is one of the biggest challenges facing schools. In Australia, half of all adult mental health challenges emerge before the age of 14. It is also estimated that more than 50% of children experiencing mental health challenges are not receiving professional help. Schools are increasingly being asked [...]
Annabel Blake, University of Sydney; Eduardo Velloso, University of Sydney, and Marcus Carter, University of Sydney In 2022, the founders of chatbot startup Character.AI launched a platform where anyone could create interactive characters powered by artificial intelligence (AI). The app exploded, quickly growing to more than 20 million users who created more than 10 million [...]
Catherine Page Jeffery, University of Sydney From December 10, those under 16 will only be able to see publicly available content on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, X and YouTube. They will not be able to have their own accounts. For example, they could look up Taylor Swift’s latest music video on YouTube, [...]
