Monash University gives paramedics a playful helping hand: new kits to calm kids in crisis Why calming children matters in an emergency Children being rushed to the hospital often face more than physical pain – they also experience fear and distress that can complicate treatment. To address...

Each year, thousands of babies are born with congenital anomalies — structural or functional differences that can affect development. While modern medicine has advanced dramatically, many families still face the uncertainty of a child’s undiagnosed condition. In Part 1, Clinical geneticist Dr Susan White reflects on...

From cooperative space adventures teaching neurodivergent teens collaboration to VR taking biology students inside the human body, educators are harnessing the power of play.  Educators Ben Loveridge, Matthew Harrison, Dr Alexander Bacalja, and Jess Rowlings each look at different ways to encourage student motivation, engagement, and collaboration...

‘I was 170th on their list’. Marg Rogers, Margaret Sims and Michelle Gossner report on the growing regions in “childcare deserts”. Imagine living in a town where three or more families are competing for a single early learning place. This is the reality for many families in...

We tracked 72,000 NSW public school students over a decade and found 19% had been suspended or expelled. Report by researchers Kristin R. Laurens, Lauren M. Piltz and Linda J. Graham Suspending or expelling a student is the most serious disciplinary measure available to schools. Research tells us...

Sing, Learn, Connect: Indigenous Songbook for Young Children A new children’s songbook, Buga Yanu Junba: Songs for Young Children, has just been released alongside an album of the same name. Launched at the Baya Gawiy Early Childhood Centre in Fitzroy Crossing, the project celebrates the rich...

Soaring house prices may be locking people into marriages, reports Stephen Whelan and  Luke Hartigan House prices continued to rise across Australia in June, recent data shows. Nationally, prices have risen about 38% in the past five years. Higher housing prices are simply one contributor, albeit a...

Emphasising function over form will help to encourage a positive body image in children, writes clinical psychologist Renee Mill. Why Body Image Matters At a mums’ group late last year, Grace shared she had read the government was planning to monitor magazines for their depiction of skinny...

‘Thriving Kids’ could help secure the future of the NDIS, report Helen Dickinson, Anne Kavanagh and Catherine Smith Mark Butler, the minister for Disability and the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), announced a new plan to “secure the future” of the NDIS. Central to this plan is...