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Children develop in the context of their relational and social environment, mastering increasingly complex cognitive, social, language and emotional regulation skills as they age.

This series of fact sheets, by Dr Sarah McLean, talks through the ages and stages of child development, ranging from ages 0-12 years. They have been produced to help practitioners support parents and children during the course of this journey.

• Understanding child development: Ages 0-3 years
• Understanding child development: Ages 3-5 years
• Understanding child development: Ages 5-8 years
• Understanding child development: Ages 9-12 years

In Australia, there is a difference in the rates of mental health difficulties between people who live in urban versus rural areas, with rural areas showing higher rates of mental illness. This short article by Ingrid Peters and Tonelle Handley looks at findings around the factors which may contribute to psychological wellness in children and young people in rural Australian communities.

How do speech pathologists support children who have experienced trauma? In this latest podcast, we are joined by two speech pathologists based in Victoria, Kerry Holland and Chantele Edlington. Both have worked extensively in the public mental health system and share a passion for addressing the speech, language and communication needs of children who have experienced trauma.

Tune in to learn about the interconnection between speech and language development and children's mental health, how speech and language development is impacted by trauma, and ways to better support children's speech, language and communication needs.

Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and on our website.

With the daily news reports on the COVID-19 pandemic, it is timely to highlight and recognise the role of journalists and media staff. It is important for journalists and media staff who are parents and carers to be aware of their own self-care needs, as well as the needs of their children and families. This fact sheet offers a number of strategies for talking with children about work and looking after one's self during and after reporting on disasters or traumatic events.

Responding to family violence in First Nations families to support children''s social and emotional wellbeing

Wednesday, 9 September 2020, 1:00pm - 2:00pm AEST

Co-produced with Child Family Community Australia, this webinar draws on the voices, experiences and knowledge of First Nations practitioners to explore how services can better listen to, engage with, and support First Nations communities. Facilitated by Dana Shen, our panel of presenters include Craig Rigney, Rachel Abdulla and Tania Sansbury.

Words matter: How to use frames effectively to advance child mental health

Wednesday, 26 August 2020, 12:30pm - 1:30pm ACST

Registrations are open for the second webinar in the two-part series from Child Family Community Australia. This series builds on a past CFCA webinar that focused on changing how we communicate with parents. This webinar will explore better ways of talking about child wellbeing, and review the evidence about what works in framing child wellbeing. Presenters include Nat Kendall-Taylor, Annette Michaux, Vikki Leone and Victoria Parker.

While a parent is away from their child for any period of time, for example, for a hospital stay or travel for work, having a well-informed caregiver can support their child's routine, limit disruptions to their care, and provide tailored social and emotional support. The While I'm Away app is based on our existing paper-based shared care plans and has been designed to help parents support the mental health and wellbeing of their children, should they need to be cared for by someone else. The app creates a more dynamic, portable and easily accessible tool that parents and their nominated caregivers can use anytime via their mobile phone and be updated on any changes to the plans in real time.

While I'm Away is free and can be downloaded from the App Store or on Google Play.

COVID-19 continues to have a significant impact on families and the emotional wellbeing of children. Having access to information that supports parents to support their children is especially important. The National Workforce Centre for Child Mental Health has produced a range of resources to support families during COVID-19 and the following have now been translated into 17 languages to support linguistically diverse communities.

• Helping children cope with stress during Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic
• Using play to support children during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic

Despite the importance of parental mental health, many parents can't or don't have access to supports to help them navigate the rough waters of mental illness. This short article discusses the 2016 Parenting Today in Victoria study by the Parenting Research Centre which provides insights into the support needs of Victorian parents.

Why is it so difficult for children to disclose sexual abuse and how can we make it easier? In this episode, Director of Research at Bravehearts, Carol Ronken, draws on her 17 years of experience working in the field to answer this question and sharing other insights on the issue of child sexual abuse. We explore the topic from multiple angles including the definition of child sexual abuse, what prevention and early intervention looks like, and how adults can get better at recognising signs and indicators.

Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and on our website.

Before considering how to respond to a disclosure of sexual abuse, it is important to acknowledge that it can be incredibly difficult for children to summon the courage to tell an adult about being abused, due to secrecy, shame, and fear of not being believed. This fact sheet has been designed for adults who work with children and provides clear, stepped guidance on how to respond to a disclosure of child sexual abuse.

Families and gambling: helping parents and improving outcomes for children

Wednesday, 14 October 2020, 1:00pm - 2:00pm AEDT

Don't forget to register for our webinar with Child Family Community Australia held this Wednesday! This webinar will explore the links between gambling-related harm and other adversities, and how practitioners can support parents in ways that offer an alternative to shame and stigma to further improve outcomes for them and their children.

Be You in Focus: Supporting recovery after trauma. How a learning community can lead through protective practice

Thursday, 15 October 2020, 3:30pm - 4:30pm AEDT

Our first webinar with Be You will be held this Thursday and there's still time to register! Join us as our panel of presenters discuss how children and young people can be impacted by the devastation caused by recent events including drought, bushfires, floods and COVID-19, and strategies that can support community trauma recovery.

In order to best meet the needs of the health, social and community services workers across a range of professions all over Australia, Emerging Minds, with its delivery partners, is conducting the National Workforce Survey for Family, Parent and Child Mental Health. We believe this survey is the first of its kind and will give us a baseline measure for improving the way we support children's mental health.

If you work with adults who might be parents, with families and/or with children, we would love to hear from you! The survey is online and takes about 15 minutes to complete. We're hoping to gain as many responses as possible so that we can better help professionals across Australia to support children's mental health in their everyday work.

There are also six iPads to be won! The first draw (3 iPads) will be in early February 2021 and the last draw in early March 2021.  So be sure to complete the survey early to have a chance in both draws.

Emerging Minds' family and domestic violence (FDV) and alcohol and other drug use (AOD) conversation guides (PERCS-FDV and PERCS-AOD) aim to provide a set of questions that will support practitioners to consistently ask about children's social and emotional wellbeing when working with parents who are perpetrating or being subjected to violence, or using alcohol or other drugs in harmful ways. This pilot involved asking 19 practitioners across FDV and AOD services to evaluate the contribution of the conversation guides to their child-focused practice with parents affected by violence or substance use issues. Findings suggest the conversation guides can be used as part of an overarching framework that supports practitioners to ask child-focused questions of parents who are experiencing FDV and/or substance use issues, as part of a prevention and early intervention strategy. The outcomes are presented in a practice paper and two short articles

Research has shown family and domestic violence (FDV) can have profound impacts on children's social and emotional development, relationships, education and safety. Negative outcomes are more likely to occur if service systems are unable to identify the signs of FDV early, and don't take steps to reverse its effects on children. This short article is based on a pilot evaluation which engaged a group of 13 practitioners to analyse the contribution of the PERCS-FDV conversation guides to their child-focused practice with parents affected by violence, with findings which suggest that the use of these guides can form part of a prevention and early intervention strategy.

Data shows parents who attend services often experience co-existing issues including family and domestic violence (FDV), substance use, child protection involvement, mental health difficulties, poverty, and a history of trauma. Practitioners are well-placed to provide critical prevention and early intervention support for children's safety and mental health, however many service providers feel they lack the skills to engage in these kinds of conversations. This short article looks at the PERCS-AOD conversation guides developed by Emerging Minds to support child-focused conversations between practitioners and parents/pregnant women with substance use concerns.

Check out our latest podcast release: ''2009 Victorian Bushfires: Supporting recovery.'' In this episode, April Harrison reflects on her experience of the 2009 Victorian Bushfires and the impacts they had on her and her community. April, who was 8 at the time of the fires, shares how her school and the community played a big role in supporting her recovery.

April and host Natalie Rutstein also discuss the potential impacts of natural disasters on children's mental health; the powerful role that schools and educators can play in helping communities heal; and the importance of including young people in bushfire recovery efforts.

Some people may find the stories in this podcast distressing. If you or someone you know requires assistance, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyondblue on 1300 22 4636. If life is in danger, call 000.

Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and on our website.

It's been a huge year for us at the Emerging Minds: National Workforce Centre for Child Mental Health along with this year's extraordinary circumstances. Earlier in the year we met with organisations, practitioners and families across the country; introduced new resources, including the launch of our new learning management system, Emerging Minds Learning; launched ten e-learning courses; and continued to build a vast network of professionals, researchers and Child and Family Partners, whose invaluable feedback helps ensure our work remains relevant and applicable to your work.

We're incredibly grateful for your continued support and engagement, and look forward to sharing an even bigger year with you in 2021. In the meantime, our office will be closed from 21 December to 4 January and we wish you a safe and happy holiday.

Stay up to date by following us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

This short course replaces the longer Building Blocks for Children's Social and Emotional Wellbeing and explores important concepts and ideas related to child mental health and development. The course investigates the child's social and emotional wellbeing within the context of their family, community, and networks.

Extension courses aimed at Allied Health professionals and Child Health Nurses will be launched later in the year. Learners who have already completed the original Building Blocks course will receive an automatic completion certificate for both the new short course and the forthcoming extension courses.

We are currently working on exciting improvements to our e-learning platform and can't wait to share them with you. In a few weeks you'll discover a system that is both easier to use and looks so much better. The updates won't be available for a little while yet, but we'll keep you updated with progress in the meantime. Watch this space!

It is common for young children to experience a range of worries as they develop, such as being away from their parents or being in the dark. When these worries persist over time and impact on children's abilities to do activities common for their age, they may be experiencing anxiety.

This practice guide, co-developed with the Parenting Research Centre, provides information about anxiety in childhood. It aims to help generalist services support parents to address mild to moderate anxiety for children aged approximately 4-8 years. Three parent guides are also included:

• Parent guide 1: What is anxiety?
• Parent guide 2: Gathering information about your child's experience of anxiety
• Parent guide 3: Supporting your child

The COVID-19 pandemic has shifted the way practitioners interact with their patients, and for many organisations, the transition to Telehealth consultations may have been challenging. We have created a resource aimed to support your knowledge and confidence in using Telehealth with children and families, including practical ideas on where to start, ways to prepare and things to do during a session.

Service providers believe that the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic''s isolation period is likely to have long-term effects on children's mental health. Children living in households where there may be family and domestic violence, alcohol and other drug use or increased parental stress have had limited access to support networks during this isolation period. This article written by Dan Moss explores these effects and how they may impact practice in the future.

Approximately 1 in 4 Australian children will experience parental divorce or separation prior to the age of 18. Research has demonstrated that for children, parental separation may be associated with an increased risk of mental health difficulties. Based on a study investigating the characteristics, traits and qualities of young people aged 13-18 following parental separation in childhood, this short article suggests that future research into other factors impacting the mental health outcomes in younger age groups (0-12 years) could help to determine whether similar patterns exist and improve the mental health outcomes for infants and younger children.

How can parents separate or divorce in a way that supports their children? After discovering that there was no specific research in this area, Dr Priscilla Dunk-West conducted a study to find out for herself. Priscilla is a social worker and sociologist, and currently teaches at Flinders University. Join us for an exploration of her findings, and a discussion of the key elements that support positive parenting after divorce or separation.

Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or online.

This webinar with RACGP Specific Interests is now available to watch at any time. Presented by Dr James Best, Dr Nick Kowalenko and Dr Penny Burns, it explains the current environment for GPs, families and children during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and describes appropriate management options, including when to refer, for a child experiencing mental health concerns during the pandemic.

Check out the latest in child mental health research. April's highlights include:

• Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and children
• Socioeconomic disadvantage: Resilience and child mental health
• The link between childhood trauma and mental health: A transdiagnostic model

We have released four new episodes that sit alongside the new e-learning course, A GP Framework for Child Mental Health Assessment (5-12 years). Featuring Dr Aaron Chambers, Prof. Geoff Mitchell, Dr Matthew Ruhl and Dr Andrew Leech, we discuss topics around the key skills in engaging children during a child mental health assessment, the role of GPs in this process, biopsychosocial formulation, and how to take a team approach to managing children's mental health in general practice.

• Key skills in engaging children during a mental health assessment with Dr Aaron Chambers
• Transferable skills and the role of GPs in child mental health assessment with Prof. Geoff Mitchell
• Taking a team approach to managing children's mental health in general practice with Dr Matthew Ruhl
• Biopsychosocial formulation and the key phases of child mental health assessment with Dr Andrew Leech

Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and on our website.

Engaging other services and healthcare providers is an important part of providing high quality care to children and families. Continuity and coordination of care can be enhanced through timely and appropriate referrals. This resource has been developed to help GPs who are setting up a new practice or who wish to review their clinical processes around referral. It provides practical guidance related to key areas of the referral process. Accompanying this resource is the Pathways of Care template which provides GPs with an opportunity to audit and map out new or changing services within the community.

The pre-teen years (9-12 years old) are a critical period of vulnerability for bullying behaviours. The association between bullying and later mental health difficulties is well established. In order to reduce poor mental health outcomes in adolescents and adults, effective prevention and intervention regarding childhood bullying is needed. This paper focuses on the pre-teen years and explores how primary health care providers can play a role in a public health response to bullying, and what is currently known about this role.

Mental health literacy refers to knowledge and beliefs about mental health that seek to promote recognition, management or prevention of mental health problems for oneself and others. In an Australian context, research has shown that mental health difficulties can be evident in children as early as four years of age, with early markers of mental health challenges seen in infants and toddlers. This short article explores a study aimed to develop a mental health literacy model for children aged 8 to 12 years which can guide those working in child mental health services to create intervention programs that are best suited to the specific needs of younger children.

Practice skills of working with children who have experienced trauma

Thursday, 19 November 2020, 7:15pm - 8:30pm AEDT

Registrations are open for our next webinar with Mental Health Professionals'' Network (MHPN) as part of the Infant and Child Mental Health Professionals Development webinar series. Through a facilitated panel discussion, our panel of guest speakers will describe the skills practitioners can use to engage children who have experienced trauma and therapeutic theories that underpin these skills.

The panel includes Kate Headley (Speech Pathologist), Dr Jacqueline Amos (Psychiatrist), Chris Dolman (Social Worker and Senior Workforce Development Officer at Emerging Minds) and will be facilitated by Dan Moss (Manager, Workforce Development at Emerging Minds).

This week we celebrated Children''s Week and this year's theme was Children have the right to meet together and to join groups and organisations, as long as this does not stop other people from enjoying their rights. Children's Week is a wonderful opportunity to promote the rights of children and young people, and to celebrate their capacity to actively contribute to the world around them.

During the week on our social channels, we shared resources that focus on child inclusivity, child and family practices and developing relationships that are collaborative and honouring of children's voices. Make sure to follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter for regular updates on resources, events and more.

Check out the latest in child mental health research. September's highlights include:

• Impacts of screen time and nature on children's psychological wellbeing
• Role of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and resilience in child mental health
• Impact of polyvictimisation on children's mental health.

A growing number of Australian families are impacted by natural disasters or community trauma, particularly following the Black Summer bushfires and COVID-19 pandemic.

This course has been specifically designed for GPs working with families and children affected by natural disasters such as fire, floods, or storms, or by community trauma events, as these can have a profound impact on children's social and emotional wellbeing. It will assist you in supporting families and children in the immediate aftermath, the short-term and long-term following a natural disaster or community trauma.

Last week we celebrated NAIDOC Week and this year's theme was Always Was, Always Will Be, which recognises that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are the first peoples to have occupied and cared for this continent for over 65,000 years. Across our social media channels, we shared resources that focus on working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families and children and supporting their social and emotional wellbeing, and exploring the deep connections First Nations peoples have to Country.

During NAIDOC Week and every week, we are committed to ensuring that the voices of children, families and community members are incorporated into all of our work, and committed to supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Explore our resources for more information.

Children are not immune to the effects of uncertainty. While research has shown they can recognise and respond to uncertainty from as young as 20 months old, children need support and guidance from the adults in their lives to help them to understand and cope with change and uncertainty. This short article outlines six simple, easy ways in which parents can help their child to navigate uncertain times.

Surveys show that most children know about climate change and are worried about its impact on their future. This short article looks at common emotional reactions that children may have towards climate change and ways in which professionals and parents can respond to children's concerns with strategies to support children's emotional wellbeing.

What is regulation and why is it important to children's social and emotional wellbeing? In this episode, we're joined by Ben Rogers, an occupational therapist and Manager of Community Trauma at Emerging Minds. As part of his current role, Ben works with Be You's Bushfire Response Program to support learning communities following the 2019/20 bushfires in Australia.

In part one of this conversation, Ben shares his understanding of what regulation is, why practitioners might want to know about it, and what children need to develop healthy regulation. Look out for part two next fortnight.

Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and on our website.

We have included a new case study which reviews our use of family participation (the involvement of more than one member from a family) to advance the practices of co-design and co-delivery. It illustrates the value of family participation, explores the process, and highlights key learnings to ensure it is safe and beneficial for family partners, the organisation, and attendees.

Practice skills of working with children who have experienced trauma

Thursday, 19 November 2020, 7:15pm - 8:30pm AEDT

There's still time to register for our webinar with Mental Health Professionals' Network (MHPN) happening this Thursday. Our panel of guest speakers will describe the skills practitioners can use to engage children who have experienced trauma and therapeutic theories that underpin these skills. Facilitated by Dan Moss (Manager, Workforce Development at Emerging Minds), the panel includes Kate Headley (Speech Pathologist), Dr Jacqueline Amos (Psychiatrist) and Chris Dolman (Social Worker and Senior Workforce Development Officer at Emerging Minds).

Dear Isaac

The Emerging Minds e-learning platform is changing and as a valued member of this community, we wanted to update you on its progress. 

At the end of July, we'll be launching a new system that looks great and introduces a range of exciting new features. We've been working on some substantial enhancements to improve your experience. The new system will be tailored to your work, making it easier for you to structure your professional development and further your learning.

What do I need to do?

All of your existing assessments will be transferred to the new system but if you're currently working through a course, please make note of where you''re up to as this progress won''t be carried over into the new system.

What happens next?

We'll continue to share updates on the end of July launch via email and on social media, so make sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. 

Until then, please continue to use our current system by logging in now.

Dear Isaac,

Emerging Minds'' e-learning platform launches next week!

The new-look system includes a number of new features including:

• A learning pathway, based on your sector, with tailored courses and resources
• Phone and tablet compatibility
• The ability to save related resources from the Emerging Minds resource library
• Plus much more.

We'd like to remind you of a couple of important points related to the new system:

What do you need to do?
All of your existing assessments will be transferred to the new system, but if you're currently working through a course, please make note of where you're up to as this won't be bookmarked when you first log into the new system. Once you've logged into the new system, your progress from then on will be saved. But if you're close to completing a course, now is a great time to jump in and get that certificate!

What can you expect next?
We will be launching the e-learning system ready for you to log in on Tuesday, 28 July. Your existing login details will give you access to the new system but you''ll be asked to reset your password for added security.

Until then, please continue to use our current system by logging in now. Thank you for continuing to support our resources.

Effective professional practice combines both proactive and protective approaches to participation for children and young people. Recent research conducted by the Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS) investigated the experiences and needs of children and young people whose parents had separated and had accessed family law system services. It aimed to understand children and young people's experiences of family law system services and how, from their perspectives, the family law system could better meet their needs.

This short article outlines key characteristics of effective professional practice, based on the insights provided by children and young people in this research.

How do you engage children when working with them remotely via video? In this episode, Tayla Iellamo, an occupation therapist who works for Royal Far West, shares her experience of delivering Telehealth services to children in rural and remote areas, including what helps families prepare for a Telehealth service, what to consider when engaging children through a video platform, and troubleshooting tips and tricks for when things don't go as planned.

Transcripts are now available for all of our podcasts on our website. To access the transcript, click ''View transcript'' under each episode.

Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and on our website.

A practical guide to working with children and families through Telehealth

The COVID-19 pandemic has shifted the way practitioners interact with their patients, and for many organisations, Telehealth consultations may be ongoing. We have created a resource aimed to support your knowledge and confidence in using Telehealth with children and families, including practical ideas on where to start, ways to prepare and things to do during a session.

Responding to family violence in First Nations families to support children''s social and emotional wellbeing

Wednesday, 9 September 2020, 1:00pm - 2:00pm AEST

Co-produced with Child Family Community Australia, this webinar draws on the voices, experiences and knowledge of First Nations practitioners to explore how services can better listen to, engage with, and support First Nations communities. Facilitated by Dana Shen, our panel of presenters include Craig Rigney, Rachel Abdulla and Tania Sansbury.

Check out the latest in child mental health research. July's highlights include studies with Australian children on:

• Sleep and wellbeing
• Inequalities in exposure to childhood adversity
• Infants of parents with mental health problems