The recent Four Corners investigation into Australia’s childcare system has uncovered deeply troubling gaps in child safety. Experts say it’s a wake-up call for all of us — parents, carers and educators — to do more to protect children from harm. When Systems Fail, Communities Must...
Unpaid ‘women’s work’ is worth $427 billion, writes researcher Leonora Risse All those thousands of hours that Australians put towards unpaid household work and care – cooking, cleaning and caring for family members – are an essential thread that keeps our economy stitched together. But they’re not recognised...
Do kids cost more now? Asks expert, Ben Phillips. Calculating the cost of raising kids is complicated. Australians are having fewer children than ever. At 1.5 babies per woman, the fertility rate is at a record low. Many attribute this to the cost of having and...
A UK hack shows Australia needs to be very careful about its CCTV trial for daycare centres, reports Lauren Brocki, Alicia Phillips and Kelli-Anne Price It has been a horror year for early childhood education and care in Australia, amid ongoing reports and allegations of abuse...
Education experts say flexible school models could curb teacher burnout and boost student success — it’s time to rethink the school day. Reimagining the School Day The traditional 8:30 am to 3:15 pm school day was designed for another era — and it’s no longer serving modern...
Many children who resist school aren’t being defiant — they’re overwhelmed. Learn how to spot the signs of school refusal and support your child with empathy and early help. When school mornings turn into battles As Term 4 begins, many parents are bracing for the return of...
Here’s what to do instead, writes Nick Fuller the author of Healthy Parents, Healthy Kids It’s a tactic many parents know well: “eat two bites of broccoli, and then you can have dessert”. It seems like a practical solution for encouraging kids – especially picky eaters – to...
Parents play an important role in teaching their children about sex and relationships, write researchers Jennifer Power, Alexandra James and Thomas Norman. But their new report shows many parents – fathers in particular – find it mortifying. Our national survey of 1,918 parents shows they are...
In Part 1, we met Ben — a shy six-year-old who struggled to believe in himself. Here, psychologist Renee Mill shows how his parents helped him build true confidence through “mastery experiences” — and how it changed their family for the better. Turning Understanding into Action When...
For some families, the long wait for a diagnosis ends early — but that moment can be as confronting as it is clarifying. In Part 2, Clinical geneticist Dr Susan White explores what happens when a label finally arrives, and how parents and children learn to...
