As Australian families prepare for the start of a new school year, many parents are asking a quiet but important question: will this classroom really work for my child? For families of children with disability, developmental delay, autism or additional learning needs, inclusion is about more...
Australia introduced new rules on December 10th, 2025 requiring social media platforms to stop children under 16 from creating or maintaining accounts. This extract is from Screen Smart Children, which answers many of the burning questions parents might have. One reason for the new social media...
Strategic thinking is essential today as we navigate social challenges, writes Nelly Liyanagamage If you’re tired of the same old Monopoly, perhaps it’s time to try Settlers of Catan. It’s a strategy board game for three to four players fighting to be the dominant force on Catan...
Kate Gorringe-Smith is concerned at the fickle focus of her son’s night-time nuzzling. I was dizzy with the sudden increase in pace of my son’s relationships, and concerned as to what, if anything, to say. Was it right to just let him churn through bedfellows like...
Melissa Barnes and Kate Lafferty introduce the academic skill of metacognition – and 4 ways to encourage it in children. 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...
When children with disability can learn and participate alongside their peers, everyone benefits, writes Nicole Rinehart Programs such as AllPlay Dance show what’s possible. Developed through research at Monash University and Deakin University, and co-funded by philanthropy, AllPlay Dance creates inclusive school and community dance opportunities...
‘We get bucketloads of homework’: so what do young people think about this crucial time in their lives? ask researchers Katherine Stevens and Peter R. Whipp Starting high school is one of the most significant transitions young people make in their education. Many different changes happen at...
Andres Molina, Esther Doecke and Melinda Hildebrandt look at full service schools? This is why Australia needs them. Inequality is one of the most urgent challenges facing Australian schools. For decades, governments have invested billions of dollars in schools with the promise every child should have...
With the pressure for housing at the moment, the Planning Institute of Australia has a timely reminder that well-maintained public areas, infrastructure and facilities are the building blocks of healthy and vibrant communities. How Our Cities Have Evolved The early planned settlements in Australia were small, and...
Help teens understand these reactions are normal. Social media platforms are designed to keep users hooked, write Christiane Kehoe and Elizabeth Westrupp 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...
