Early exposure to diverse story characters, including in ethnicity, gender and ability, helps young people develop a strong sense of identity and belonging. It is also crucial in cultivating compassion towards others, writes Ping Tian and Helen Caple. Children from minority backgrounds rarely see themselves reflected...
The middle years of school are defined as being from 8-14 years of age, writes Lisa Mundy. 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...
Whether at work, school or at home, writes Professor Michael E. Bernard, bullying has the potential to greatly wound victims – in whatever form it takes: physical, verbal, social exclusionary or online. When someone more powerful says derogatory things about you, applies pressure on you to...
Kylie Gray, Glenn Melvin and Sarah Milsome look at the complex issue of recognising mental health problems in young people with an intellectual disability. Fifteen-year-old Melissa* wasn’t acting her usual self, and her parents had become very worried. Melissa, who has a mild intellectual disability, was...
This article is not an argument for or against prenatal screening or testing for Down syndrome. Every week in my work as a clinical geneticist, I witness the trauma couples experience when making decisions about wanted pregnancies in which there is a problem with the...
If you decide to allow your child to drink some alcohol, be aware that the younger they commence risky drinking, the greater the downstream threats. Steve Allsop looks at the impact of alcohol on developing brains. Young Australians are exposed to a range of risks from...
"Should relationships and sex education be mandatory in our schools? " asks Jacqueline Hendriks. The national Australian curriculum...
A recent petition circulated by Sydney school girl Chanel Contos, Jacqueline Hendriks writes, called for schools to provide better education on consent, and to do so much earlier. In the petition, which since Thursday has been signed by more than 5,000 people, Contos writes that her...
The Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) kicked off its quest for Book of the Year by announcing the Notables List. CBCA National Chair Wendy Rapee said it was a year when we needed stories more than ever, and our storytellers came through with a record-breaking...
