Joining a local playgroup can give your child the best start. As Australian schools prepare to gather the nation’s latest data on early childhood development next month, early childhood advocates are emphasising the importance of taking action to set children up for success well ahead of...
From whiteboard work to random groups, write Tracey Muir and Peter Liljedahl, these simple fixes could get students thinking more in maths lessons Australian students’ performance and engagement in mathematics is an ongoing issue. International studies show Australian students’ mean performance in maths has steadily declined since...
Two English neuroscientists, Sarah-Jayne Blakemore and Suparna Choudhury, point to a remarkable occurrence during infancy that might have echoes in adolescence. Similar to adolescence, during the first 18 months of life there is a surge and then pruning of the brain’s neural connections. Curiously, this sculpting process...
Does the government’s new draft do enough to help those in crisis? Asks Andrew Whitehouse The Australian government released its draft National Autism Strategy yesterday. It aims to power a “coordinated national approach, supporting Autistic people at each stage of life”. The strategy is the fulfilment of...
"Research suggests early intervention is linked with better outcomes for children later in life,” said Kirrilie Smout, clinical child psychologist and founder of Calm Kid Central. Recent research commissioned by HCF, Australia's largest not-for-profit health fund, sheds light on the mental health struggles encountered by Australian...
With many families travelling around Australia over Easter and the school holidays, the NSW Health Department is advising people to be alert for signs and symptoms of measles after being originally notified in early February of a woman with the illness in Sydney. Since measles has...
Many Australians are struggling to pay for everyday essentials. Researcher Dr Ana Gamarra Rondinel reports but some of us are feeling the pinch more than others As we head into the Easter period, many Australians are facing a long-term cost-of-living crisis. Thanks to inflation and incremental interest...
What ‘psychological warfare’ tactics do scammers use, and can you protect yourself? by Mike Johnstone and Georgia Psaroulis Not a day goes by without a headline about a victim being scammed and losing money. We are constantly warned about new scams and staying safe from cybercriminals....
Parents say the mental load is crushing, report researchers Kimberley Baxter and Rebecca Byrne. Feeding babies and toddlers can be challenging at the best of times. But when families can’t afford enough food, let alone the recommended range of different coloured vegetables or iron-rich meats, it’s...
On 'World Autism Understanding Day', April 2nd, Professor Andrew Cashin looks at the diversity and the definitions and what has changed. Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg describes herself as having Asperger’s while others on the autism spectrum, such as Australian comedian Hannah Gatsby, describe themselves as...
