A social enterprise providing education and information to protect and enhance the mental health of young people
Bronwyn Milkins, The Kids Research Institute Australia and Helen Milroy, The University of Western Australia You call your teen’s name, but they don’t respond. They’re staring past you. You call again, louder this time. Nothing – how rude. But what if they’re zoning out? For some teens, this can be a sign of dissociation, a [...]
Christiane Kehoe, The University of Melbourne and Elizabeth Westrupp, Deakin University Watching your teenager grieve the loss of their social media account can be confronting. Many are genuinely distressed or struggling with the change, and many parents are unsure how to respond. Australia’s social media ban, which started this week, means teens under the age [...]
Melissa Barnes, La Trobe University and Kate Lafferty, La Trobe University When parents think about their child’s education, they probably focus on basic skills and exam results, the amount a child is trying and their wellbeing. But there is another significant factor influencing their success at school. This is metacognition. What is it? Why is [...]
Jill Colton, University of South Australia Moving from primary to high school is one of the biggest transitions in a child’s education. For some, it can be a really daunting time, moving away from friends, travelling to a new place and starting very different routines. Preparations to start high school can begin long before the [...]
Amy Dawel, Australian National University Young people today are growing up in an increasingly complex world — and arguably suffering as a result. Social media and smartphones provide constant distractions, while the rise of AI and misinformation mean nothing online is straightforward. The pandemic has shown young people the world can be an unpredictable place, [...]
Kylie Trask-Kerr, Australian Catholic University and Steven Lewis, Australian Catholic University Thousands of Year 12 students across Australia are getting ready to sit their final exams. Students may be feeling a lot of things right now – from heightened pressure to excitement it will all be over soon. Families may be seeking strategies to help [...]
Karyn Healy, The University of Queensland Bullying in schools can can have a devastating impact on victims. Research shows it can lead to reduced academic performance depression, anxiety and even suicidal behaviour. So, preventing and reducing bullying is an urgent priority for governments as well as families and schools. However, a common obstacle to addressing [...]
Kristin R. Laurens, Queensland University of Technology; Lauren M. Piltz, Queensland University of Technology, and Linda J. Graham, Queensland University of Technology Suspending or expelling a student is the most serious disciplinary measure available to schools. Research tells us it can have a negative impact on a students’ learning, their connection to school and mental [...]
Micah Boerma, University of Southern Queensland and Daniel You, University of Sydney In less than four months, world-first legislation will ban Australian under-16s from certain social media platforms. Facebook, Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram, X, Reddit and YouTube will all be off limits for children and teens. It’s still not clear exactly how the restrictions will be [...]
Timothy HoYuan Chan, Australian Catholic University My travels with autism started long before my diagnosis at the age of three years and three months. My family noticed autistic features from around 15 months of age. I never looked at people and did not respond when called. I lined up toys instead of playing with them. [...]
