CYP Matters

Respect and listening

The young Australian who changed trans rights for children
Assigned male at birth, Georgie Stone won a landmark case in the Australian courts at the age of 10 that meant she became the youngest person in Australia to start the first stage of gender-affirming healthcare. Fuelled by the trauma and frustration of the process, she started a national petition to ensure no other Australian trans teen would have to endure what she had and to remove the courts from such a personal decision. More >

Respectful Relationships Education in Australia: National Stocktake and Gap Analysis
Strengthening positive, equal and respectful relationships between school students through Respectful Relationships Education (RRE) is a feature of national policies to address violence against women and children. This report outlines a roadmap for improving RRE in Australian schools through a consistent approach. More >

KidsRights Index 2022
On the 10th Anniversary of the KidsRights Index, it has been revealed that there has been no significant progress in the standards of children’s lives over the past decade. More >

Enjoying and achieving

Study suggests watching TV with your child can help their cognitive development
This study examined the impact passive screen use has on a young child’s cognitive development and found screen exposure, from TV or mobile devices, can be beneficial depending on the context in which it’s viewed. More >

Macleay Vocational College, Kempsey, helps teenage mothers complete year 12 and HSC exams
Kempsey’s Macleay Vocational College caters for school-aged students who have fallen out of mainstream education and its Ginda Barri Mums and Bubs program provides a flexible education environment for young mothers of babies and toddlers. In addition to helping young mothers complete their HSC exams, the school also provides housing and welfare assistance, transport to school, daily meals, and the opportunity to get their drivers’ licences. More >

What is DLD – the most common disorder you have ‘never heard of’?
Developmental language disorder (DLD) is a lifelong disorder that affects language comprehension and expression. People with DLD find it more difficult to say what they mean and to understand others. About two students in every classroom of 30 will have DLD; it’s about as common as ADHD and much more common than autism. More >

Participation

Young people aren’t volunteering as much. But it’s not for the reasons you think
Volunteering has been on the decline, particularly among 15-24-year-olds, with difficulties fitting it around paid work or family commitments often cited as an explanation. More >

Maintaining relationships with birth families after adoption: what are adopted adults’ views?
This briefing of the findings from a survey of 392 adopted UK adults calls for contact planning that features scheduled reviews to account for the changing needs and circumstance of the adopted young people and their families. More >

Prepared for adult life

Traineeship presents Fitzroy Crossing businesses and community with ‘amazing’ opportunity
Taking on a trainee can be a significant step for any business, but in remote parts of Australia, it can be hugely challenging. For Fitzroy Crossing business owners Chris and Sally Towne and their new management trainee Faith Atwell it has been a life-changing decision. More >

 Young people in Australia are mapping viable futures
In Australia, rising numbers of young people are engaging in ‘side hustles’ to make ends meet, highlighting how young people are actively and creatively responding to unprecedented social, economic, political and environmental challenges. They are often doing so with particular reference to the question of what constitutes a viable life. More >

Health and wellbeing

Growing up grieving
Being bereaved is difficult at any age, but for children and young people who are at a key stage in their development, it can be particularly hard to navigate growing up while grieving. More >

Report calls for children’s voices to be included in Australian government urban design policy
The BEACHES project examined how Western Australian and national policies address the health of children through the built environment’s influence on physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and diet. More >

InBrief: Connecting the Brain to the Rest of the Body
A child who is living in an environment with supportive relationships and consistent routines is more likely to develop well-functioning biological systems that promote positive development and lifelong health. More >

A Fair Chance for All – Breaking the cycle of persistent disadvantage
This report from New Zealand defines disadvantage over three inter-related domains: being income poor (poverty), doing without (deprivation) and being left out (exclusion). More >

How to talk about and support young people with their well-being
It can be difficult to strike up a conversation with a young person about how they are truly feeling. The UK Children’s Society spoke to young people in schools and youth groups to find out what well-being means to them and how adults should approach them about it. More >

 One in eight people in Australia are living in poverty
One in eight people in Australia, including one in six children are living in poverty as cost of living pressures continue to put households under strain according to the Poverty in Australia 2022 report. More >

Safe and nurtured

How do you teach a primary school child about consent? You can start with these books
There is no such thing as ‘too young’ to start the conversation, in fact, the earlier the better when it comes to understanding how to have respect for your body and other people’s. Books can provide a safe, engaging way to discuss the tricky but vital topic of consent. More >

Why language matters: ‘hidden’ in plain sight
At every stage in a child’s life, male caregivers such as fathers, stepfathers, or mother’s partners, play an important role in a child’s cognitive, emotional, and physical development. They may be primary caregivers or provide support by sharing caring responsibilities. Thinking about who is ‘unseen’ or ‘unknown’ can help professionals to focus on how to identify and engage with the men in a child’s life and consider any support or protection needs. More >

1 in 3 children with disabilities have experienced violence in their lifetime, research finds
A systematic review of research involving more than 16 million young people from 25 countries conducted between 1990 and 2020 has found children and adolescents with disabilities experience physical, sexual, and emotional violence, and neglect at considerably higher rates than those without disability. More >

A thematic review of outcomes for girls in custody
HM Inspectorate of Prisons for England and Wales has published a thematic report looking at outcomes for girls in custody. Findings include; girls were 83% more likely than boys to be assailants; and girls in custody were 12 times more likely to self-harm than boys, with staff often resorting to restraint to prevent this. More >

National plan to end violence against women and children 2022-2032
This strategy document is the overarching, national policy framework that will guide actions towards ending violence against women and children over the next 10 years. It highlights how all parts of society must work together to achieve the shared vision of ending gender-based violence. More >

Putting a roof over the heads of young people at risk of homelessness
Kids Under Cover, a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to preventing youth homelessness, is teaming up with families and organisations to help fund and build 51 backyard studios across South Australia. The three-year project is for people aged 12 to 25 who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. More >