Emerging Minds Podcast

Supporting the communication needs of children with complex trauma

Emerging Minds — Mon, 11 May 2026 23:00:52 +0000

How can practitioners support the communication needs of children who have experienced complex trauma? In this episode, speech pathologist Kate Headley shares a range of neurodivergent-affirming strategies and examples from her work supporting children in out-of-home care.

Championing infant mental health capability in paediatric care

Emerging Minds — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 23:00:35 +0000

Paediatricians are trusted entry points for families seeking mental health support – but they require the right skills, structures and supports to do this work. In this episode, Dr Victoria Carter and Dr Anagha Jayakar explore how to champion infant mental health through targeted workforce development for junior paediatricians.

Holding infants in mind: Building workforce capacity through a champions approach

Emerging Minds — Mon, 16 Mar 2026 22:00:17 +0000

Early relationships underpin infant mental health and lifelong wellbeing – but not all practitioners in the Australian mental health workforce feel confident in supporting infant mental health. In this episode, we’re joined by Vicky Gilroy, Director of Innovation and Research at the Institute of Health Visiting (iHV). She speaks about how iHV’s Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Champions Programme has helped support workforce development and system transformation to support children’s mental health.

Ways to support young people experiencing loneliness and bullying

Emerging Minds — Mon, 16 Feb 2026 22:12:31 +0000

In this episode, we’re joined by Amber Brock-Fabel and Dr Ben Lohmeyer, the authors of a recent study about young people’s experiences of loneliness and its connection to bullying. They discuss the implications of the study’s results for young people’s wellbeing, the importance of creating safe spaces for young people and what practitioners and families can do to best support them.

How is loneliness impacting young people in Australia?

Emerging Minds — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 22:00:46 +0000

This two-part series focuses on a recent Australian study about loneliness and its relationship with young people’s experiences of bullying and undesirable social connections. In the first episode, we’re joined by youth advocate Amber Brock-Fabel and academic Dr Ben Lohmeyer, who co-designed the study with young people. They share findings from the study that redefine loneliness as being created by social dynamics within school environments, rather than stemming from isolation. Amber and Ben also discuss the process of co-designing the study; the increased incidence of loneliness for young people in Australia; and the connections between bullying, social systems and experiences of loneliness.

Supporting infants with developmental differences

Emerging Minds — Mon, 19 Jan 2026 22:00:54 +0000

When adults are supported to pause, tune in and respond to an infant’s cues, they can build the strong relationships that underpin lifelong mental health and wellbeing. In this episode, Professor Andrew Whitehouse explores ways to foster connection and understanding between infants with developmental differences and their caregivers.

Looking beyond behaviour – part one

Emerging Minds — Mon, 05 Jan 2026 22:00:51 +0000

In this episode from the Emerging Minds Families podcast, Dr Billy Garvey (author, podcaster and developmental paediatrician) explores emotion regulation, how children build resilience and the role parents play in creating safe and supportive environments for children.

From rhetoric to reality: Celebrating 30 years of advancing children’s mental health

Emerging Minds — Mon, 22 Dec 2025 22:00:03 +0000

In this episode, Emerging Minds’ Phil Robinson (Founder and Chair) and Brad Morgan (Director) reflect on how our understanding of and approach to children’s mental health has changed over the past 30 years. They explore how these insights can guide us towards even greater outcomes in the years to come.

Organisational allyship: A non-Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander view

Emerging Minds — Mon, 08 Dec 2025 22:12:24 +0000

In the second episode of this two-part series, Lisa Hillan, a non-Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander social worker, talks about her experience in working with and alongside Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

Perfectly imperfect: Navigating new parenthood and perinatal mental health

Emerging Minds — Mon, 24 Nov 2025 22:09:47 +0000

In recognition of Perinatal Mental Health Week, Amy Mathews joins us to share wisdom gained from her lived experience of perinatal mental health struggles and her subsequent work as a peer support worker. Amy discusses how social pressure and expectations impact the transition to parenting. She also talks about what practitioners can do to support parents and perinatal mental health during this time of rapid change.

Organisational allyship: An Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander view

Emerging Minds — Mon, 10 Nov 2025 22:58:36 +0000

In the first episode of this two-part series, Grant Sarra, a Goreng Goreng man from Queensland, joins us to share an Aboriginal perspective on what organisational allyship looks like for individuals, teams and broader organisations.

How can we do better? Supporting children’s mental health in Australia

Emerging Minds — Mon, 27 Oct 2025 22:58:14 +0000

In this episode, practitioners, researchers, parents and young people explore strategies and shifts to better support infant, child and adolescent mental health in Australia. They discuss the need for better collaboration between professionals and more integrated services; for improving mental health literacy among community members; and for shifting away from using diagnostic thresholds to determine who can access mental health support.

What does the future hold for children's mental health in Australia?

Emerging Minds — Mon, 13 Oct 2025 21:49:22 +0000

To mark the 200th episode of the Emerging Minds podcast, we wanted to look to the future of infant and child mental health in Australia. Practitioners, researchers, parents and young people discuss the key concerns and priorities for supporting infants’ and children’s mental health, common misconceptions about mental health and wellbeing, and systemic barriers to improving outcomes for children and families.

Talking to children and young people about consent

Emerging Minds — Mon, 29 Sep 2025 23:14:33 +0000

In this episode from our Emerging Minds Families podcast, Kirsty (Schools Coordinator, Shine SA) discusses ways to equip children with the knowledge and skills to make informed and empowered decisions about their bodies and relationships. Kirsty shares how parents can start these conversations with their children, how adults can effectively model consent, and how these conversations support children’s wellbeing.

The Australian Child Maltreatment Study: What do the findings tell us?

Emerging Minds — Tue, 16 Sep 2025 02:18:17 +0000

In this podcast episode, Professor Daryl Higgins shares his research insights on child-safe organisational strategies and public health approaches to protecting children. Daryl was involved in the 2023 Australian Child Maltreatment Study (ACMS), which showed how disturbingly common it is for children in Australia to experience abuse and neglect. Daryl shares the findings from this study and its implications for prevention and early intervention policies and practices with children and young people.

Child-centred practice in child protection - part two

Emerging Minds — Mon, 01 Sep 2025 23:00:17 +0000

In the second episode of this two-part series, Dr Carmela Bastian talks with child protection specialists Dr Amy Bromley, Arabella Stravolemos and Chloe Henderson about their approaches to child-centred practice. The conversation explores descriptions of practice that genuinely prioritise children’s safety, emotional needs, wellbeing, voice and rights.

Child-centred practice in child protection - part one

Emerging Minds — Mon, 18 Aug 2025 23:00:18 +0000

In the first episode of this two-part series, Dr Carmela Bastian talks with child protection specialists Dr Amy Bromley, Arabella Stravolemos and Chloe Henderson about their approaches to child-centred practice. The conversation explores descriptions of practice that genuinely prioritise children’s safety, emotional needs, wellbeing, voice and rights.

Creative healing practices to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children

Emerging Minds — Sun, 03 Aug 2025 21:20:41 +0000

In this episode, Dana Shen speaks with Jem Stone, a practitioner with Wayapa Wuurrk, the first internationally accredited Indigenous wellness program. Wayapa Wuurrk combines earth mindfulness, narrative meditation, physical movement storytelling and earth reciprocity to create a holistic wellbeing program for children in education settings. Jem takes listeners on a unique journey of collective wellbeing, encouraging practitioners to connect themselves to nature.

Supporting children who have experienced sexual abuse

Emerging Minds — Mon, 21 Jul 2025 23:23:55 +0000

In this episode, therapist Sophie McEvoy discusses her work with children who have experienced sexual abuse. Sophie describes her practice in helping children to use their own words, communication preferences and meaning-making to describe the trauma events in their lives in ways that are supportive and hopeful. She also shares her experiences in working with non-offending parents to support their children’s recovery.

Building parent-child relationships from behind bars

Emerging Minds — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 23:13:43 +0000

Parental incarceration can have a significant impact on children’s mental health and wellbeing. In this episode, senior mental health counsellor Linh Nguyen shares how she supports incarcerated fathers to overcome barriers and build strong, lasting relationships with their children.

The lived experience of infants in neonatal intensive care - part two

Emerging Minds — Mon, 23 Jun 2025 17:02:58 +0000

In the second episode of this two-part series, neonatologist Dr Natalie Duffy explores the key themes expressed by infants and parents with lived experience of being hospitalised in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). This episode considers how this window into the infants’ world can guide practitioners to engage in ways that are lifesaving and nurturing of both physical and mental health development.

The lived experience of infants in neonatal intensive care - part one

Emerging Minds — Tue, 10 Jun 2025 05:25:33 +0000

In the first episode of this two-part podcast, neonatologist Dr Natalie Duffy provides insight into the impacts of hospitalisation in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) on infants and parents. Natalie shares how she observed, listened to and was guided by the voices of infants in her research into the lived experience of those in NICU.

Documenting and sharing children's knowledge to support their mental health

Emerging Minds — Mon, 26 May 2025 23:00:00 +0000

In this episode, we speak with family counsellor Carolyn Markey about her work gathering and documenting children’s knowledge, and how this knowledge can then be shared with others, particularly fathers.

When I got the news: Research to support Aboriginal fathers through inclusion

Emerging Minds — Mon, 12 May 2025 23:00:47 +0000

In this episode, we are joined by Zaccariah Cox, the Manager for Social and Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health at Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Services (KAMS), and Erica Spry, Senior Aboriginal Research Officer at KAMS and a research fellow at the University of Western Australia. Erica and Zac share what they heard when speaking with expecting and new fathers in rural and remote Western Australia, who often feel overlooked in their journey of fatherhood.

Supporting children and young people through gender-affirming care

Emerging Minds — Mon, 28 Apr 2025 23:00:57 +0000

In this episode, we’re joined by Professor Damien Riggs, a professor in psychology at Flinders University and a psychotherapist who specialises in working with transgender young people. In this conversation, Damien talks about gender-affirming practice. He shares how practitioners in general health and social services can use their skills to work with children and young people in gender-affirming ways that support their mental health and wellbeing. He also explores how practitioners can seek learning opportunities to increase their knowledge and confidence in working with gender diverse children and young people.

How supportive networks enhance the mental health of gender diverse children

Emerging Minds — Mon, 14 Apr 2025 23:00:54 +0000

In this episode, we’re joined by Arianne, a parent of six children between the ages of 8 and 22. Arianne is a strong advocate for her transgender child and the wider transgender community. In this conversation, Arianne shares her family’s experience of supporting their daughter through coming out and transitioning, navigating services, and what practitioners can do to provide gender-affirming support in their practice.

Understanding and supporting children who self-harm: Giving them a voice

Emerging Minds — Mon, 31 Mar 2025 22:00:35 +0000

In this podcast episode, we hear from Dr Lyn O’Grady, a community psychologist, and David Newman, a narrative therapist and social worker, as they share their insights on recognising and responding to self-harming behaviour with children.

Childhood suicidal ideation through a narrative therapy lens

Emerging Minds — Mon, 17 Mar 2025 21:30:51 +0000

In this episode, narrative therapist and social worker David Newman shares his approach to working with children and young people who are experiencing suicidal ideation. Through the lens of narrative therapy, David discusses how he negotiates conversations about distress, despair and suicide.

Collaborating to meet infant mental health needs - part two

Emerging Minds — Mon, 03 Mar 2025 22:08:47 +0000

In the second part of this two-episode series, we continue our conversation with Lyndsay Healy, Dr Rickie Elliot and Dr Louise Wightman about collaboration with families and clear communication between professions to promote children’s mental health in the early years.

Collaborating to meet infant mental health needs - part one

Emerging Minds — Mon, 17 Feb 2025 22:02:34 +0000

In the first part of this two-episode series, Lyndsay Healy, Dr Rickie Elliot and Dr Louise Wightman join us to explore how collaboration with families and clear communication between professions promotes children’s mental health in the early years.

Working with families in neuro-affirming ways

Emerging Minds — Mon, 03 Feb 2025 21:14:39 +0000

In this episode, practitioners and parents of autistic and ADHDer children explore ways to build children’s self-regulation and advocacy skills, foster acceptance of their neurodivergent identity, and uncover the ‘why’ behind their behaviour.

A neurodivergent-affirming approach to children's mental health

Emerging Minds — Mon, 20 Jan 2025 22:23:20 +0000

In this episode, practitioners and parents of autistic and ADHDer children explore the concept of ‘neurodivergent-affirming practice’: what it means to them, how it shows up in their work, and how it supports both children’s and parents’ mental health and wellbeing.

Re-release: Supporting children who have experienced trauma

Emerging Minds — Mon, 06 Jan 2025 23:52:27 +0000

All children deserve to have safe environments where they can thrive. But when a child’s trust is broken and their environment no longer feels safe, this it can have significant ramifications for the child’s life and development. In this podcast episode we talk with Dan Moss, who has a long history of working in support services with children who have experienced trauma. Dan helps us understand what relational trauma is and how it can affect the mental health and wellbeing of the children in our lives.

Re-release: Improving the rights of parents with intellectual disability

Emerging Minds — Mon, 23 Dec 2024 22:30:20 +0000

In this episode, Miranda Bain describes her involvement in developing the Victorian Charter of Rights for parents with intellectual disability. Miranda is a special advisor to the Office of the CEO for Courts Victoria and the Chair of the Disability Advisory Committee. She discusses her journey in working with child protection, non-government organisations and parents with intellectual disability to develop the charter of rights, which is now implemented within courts in Victoria.

Working towards a future without childhood sexual abuse

Emerging Minds — Mon, 09 Dec 2024 22:20:02 +0000

In this episode, Alisa Hall describes her work as Director, Practice Development and Engagement at the National Centre for Action on Child Sexual Abuse. The National Centre was established in recognition of data showing that one in three girls and one in five boys experience some form of sexual abuse before the age of 18. Alisa’s work focuses on prevention and education campaigns to protect Australia’s children while helping children, young people and adults to recover from the effects of sexual abuse.

Prioritising the wellbeing of children in care: A lived experience perspective

Emerging Minds — Mon, 25 Nov 2024 22:20:22 +0000

In this episode, we’re joined by Melanie Renwick. As a child, Melanie lived in several residential and foster care placements. She shares her experience of living in care and discusses some of the things that practitioners can do to support the mental health of children in out-of-home care.

Working with children affected by suicide - part two

Emerging Minds — Mon, 11 Nov 2024 23:01:48 +0000

In the second part of this two episode-episode series, we speak with Ben Shannahan about working therapeutically with children, young people and families impacted by the suicide of a loved one.

Working with children affected by suicide - part one

Emerging Minds — Tue, 29 Oct 2024 02:42:34 +0000

In the first part of this two-episode series, we speak with Ben Shannahan about working therapeutically with children, young people and families impacted by the suicide of a loved one.

Single session family consultations - part two

Emerging Minds — Mon, 14 Oct 2024 01:23:46 +0000

In this second of two episodes, we continue our conversation with Joanne Donne, a practice manager with Relationships Australia South Australia, about the single session consultation service they offer to children and their families.

Single session family consultations - part one

Emerging Minds — Tue, 01 Oct 2024 00:07:55 +0000

In this first of two episodes, we speak with Joanne Donne, a practice manager with Relationships Australia South Australia, about the single session consultation service they offer to children and their families.

Global majority and language empowerment

Emerging Minds — Mon, 16 Sep 2024 04:31:26 +0000

In this episode, Global majority and language empowerment, our host, Rosie, engages in a deep conversation with guest speakers Julie and Nancy about the power of language in shaping identity and empowerment, particularly within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. The discussion explores the complexities of terminology, with a focus on the term "global majority" and its potential to empower individuals by shifting power dynamics. Through personal anecdotes and insights, the speakers explore the nuances of cultural identity, the impact of assumptions and biases, and the importance of courageous conversations in creating inclusive spaces.

Creating safe body image environments for children

Emerging Minds — Mon, 02 Sep 2024 02:32:38 +0000

In this episode, host of the Emerging Minds Families podcast Alicia Ranford talks with Dr Zali Yager, an internationally recognised expert on body image, with a background in health and physical education. Dr Yager co-founded the Embrace Collective with 2023 Australian of the Year, Taryn Bromfield. Dr Yager shares how families, educators and practitioners can help create safer body image environments for children and young people.

Invitational and ethical practice with fathers who use violence (part two)

Emerging Minds — Sun, 18 Aug 2024 23:09:10 +0000

In this episode, psychologist and author Alan Jenkins describes his practice theory for working with fathers who use violence, coercion or threats towards partners and children. Alan’s two books, Invitations to responsibility (1990) and Becoming ethical: Parallel political journeys with men who have abused (2009) are seminal texts for practitioners in behaviour change programs. Alan has been influential in advocating for fair and ethical practice when working with men and fathers who have acted in unfair or unsafe ways.

Invitational and ethical practice with fathers who use violence (part one)

Emerging Minds — Mon, 05 Aug 2024 08:00:05 +0000

Navigating family cultural tensions

Emerging Minds — Mon, 22 Jul 2024 04:45:51 +0000

This episode is the second in a two-part series discussing culturally responsive practice and key considerations for working with culturally diverse families. In this episode, parents and practitioners discuss considerations and responses when navigating family tensions that arise from differing ideas about priorities.

Responding to racism and correcting cultural mistakes

Emerging Minds — Mon, 08 Jul 2024 05:29:00 +0000

This episode is part one of a two-part series discussing culturally responsive practice and key considerations for working with culturally diverse (or CALD) families. We hear from parents and practitioners about responding to experiences of racism and navigating practitioners’ cultural mistakes. Keep an eye out for part two which focuses on navigating intergenerational cultural tensions.

Families: Understanding and supporting children's mental health

Emerging Minds — Mon, 24 Jun 2024 04:13:33 +0000

In this episode, host of the Emerging Minds Families podcast Alicia Ranford talks with Emerging Minds Director, Brad Morgan, and Emerging Minds Manager, Digital Health, Ben Rogers. They take an in-depth look at children’s mental health, including a new suite of resources aimed at supporting parents’ understanding of this important topic.

Promoting child mental health in primary health care

Emerging Minds — Sun, 09 Jun 2024 22:35:02 +0000

In this episode, we’re joined by three guests: Margaret Dempsey (registered nurse), Dr Shereena Sinnayah (general practitioner) and Jacinta Goldenberg (practice nurse). They share their experience of responding to child mental health concerns with families in the primary health care sector and the considerations for practitioners, from systems level to daily practice.

Improving the rights of parents with intellectual disability

Emerging Minds — Sun, 26 May 2024 23:56:46 +0000

Nurturing the wellbeing of Aboriginal youth

Emerging Minds — Mon, 13 May 2024 03:38:57 +0000

In this compelling podcast episode, join us as we explore the vital importance of including Aboriginal youth voices in mental health discussions. Through the heartfelt narratives of Kahli Regan and Tannielle McHugh, two inspiring young Aboriginal voices, you’ll gain profound insights into the challenges faced by Aboriginal communities and the transformative power of cultural connection. Discover the significance of fostering genuine relationships, acknowledging intergenerational trauma, and amplifying the resilience, creativity and self-determination inherent in Aboriginal youth. Journey with us towards a future where practitioners, communities and individuals all actively contribute to the holistic wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people.

Skills for working with dads in the early years of parenting - part two

Emerging Minds — Mon, 29 Apr 2024 01:25:24 +0000

In the second episode of this two-part series, Mark Hoppe and Roger Currie from Family Support Newcastle continue to share their practice wisdom of working with dads in the early years of parenting.

Weaving Indigenous wisdom into wellbeing

Emerging Minds — Sun, 14 Apr 2024 22:42:34 +0000

In this episode, Professor Helen Milroy guides us through the transformative power of Indigenous storytelling and the profound impact it can have on mental health and wellbeing. Drawing on her extensive experience and rich cultural background, Prof. Milroy discusses the ancient knowledge system of Aboriginal culture, emphasising the importance of intertwining it with modern science for the benefit of all. Her wisdom echoes throughout the episode, inviting us to embrace the strengths-based approach, cultural understanding, and a united journey towards the wellbeing of all children in Australia, intertwining Indigenous and Western knowledge for a brighter future.

Skills for working with dads in the early years of parenting - part one

Emerging Minds — Mon, 01 Apr 2024 00:09:13 +0000

In this two-part series, Mark Hoppe and Roger Currie from Family Support Newcastle share their practice wisdom of working with dads in the early years of parenting.

Supporting the mental health of children who stutter - part two

Emerging Minds — Mon, 18 Mar 2024 00:45:27 +0000

This episode is the second in our two-part series on supporting the mental health of children who stutter. We are again joined by Rich Stephens, President of the Stuttering Association for the Young Australia (SAY:Australia), and Mitchell, who has been involved with SAY:Australia for the past four years, first as a participant and now as a mentor to other children and young people who stutter. In this episode, Rich and Mitchell talk about some of the unhelpful things that people can say or do around those with a stutter and how these things can impact their mental health and wellbeing. They discuss what the current therapy options are and their experiences with them, what advice they would give to practitioners, and what support SAY:Australia provides to children, particularly in terms of their mental health and wellbeing.

Decolonising psychology - part two

Emerging Minds — Mon, 04 Mar 2024 01:26:19 +0000

In the second episode of this series, Professor Pat Dudgeon AM, Belle Selkirk and Dr Joanna Alexi delve into the essence of decolonising psychology. The conversation explores hopes for a robust Indigenous psychology workforce and culturally safe mental health spaces; a future where diverse programs cater to universal wellbeing, fostering deep respect. Gain insights into the inspiring efforts reshaping psychology with Indigenous knowledge.

Decolonising psychology - part one

Emerging Minds — Sun, 18 Feb 2024 23:32:14 +0000

In part one of this series, Professor Pat Dudgeon AM, Belle Selkirk and Dr Joanna Alexi, key figures from the Transforming Indigenous Mental Health and Wellbeing research program, share their journey in decolonising psychology. With a focus on the Australian Indigenous Psychology Education Project (AIPEP), they discuss the historical challenges faced by Indigenous people and their persistent efforts to integrate Indigenous world knowledge into the curriculum. Through personal experiences and project milestones, this episode explores the transformative impact of AIPEP: how it’s shaping the future of psychology education in Australia and beyond.

Supporting the mental health of children who stutter - part one

Emerging Minds — Mon, 05 Feb 2024 03:41:19 +0000

This episode is part one of our two-part series on supporting the mental health of children who stutter. We are joined by Rich Stephens, President of the Stuttering Association for the Young Australia (SAY:Australia), and Mitchell, who has been involved with SAY:Australia for the past four years, first as a participant and now as a mentor to other children and young people who stutter. In this episode, Rich and Mitchell talk about the activities of SAY:Australia, how common stuttering is and what it can look like, along with the impacts that having a stutter can have on children’s mental health and wellbeing.

Supporting children when working with separating parents - part three

Emerging Minds — Sun, 21 Jan 2024 22:10:22 +0000

In this episode, practitioners and parents share ideas and practices for supporting parents to understand and respond to their child’s experience of separation.

Re-release: Taking a team approach to managing children's mental health in general practice

Emerging Minds — Mon, 08 Jan 2024 21:41:09 +0000

This episode explores what is meant by collaboration and a team-based approach to the management of children’s mental health in general practice.

Re-release: A story of two-way learning and healing

Emerging Minds — Wed, 20 Dec 2023 23:39:22 +0000

In this episode, Nancy Jeffrey reflects on her own lived experience and wisdom, gained through many years working in and with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, families and children in metro, rural and remote communities throughout Australia.

Families: Supporting children who have experienced trauma

Emerging Minds — Sun, 10 Dec 2023 20:51:45 +0000

This episode comes from the Emerging Minds Families podcast. Host Alicia Ranford talks with Dan Moss, who has a long history of working in support services with children who have experienced trauma. Dan helps us understand what relational trauma is and how it can affect the mental health and wellbeing of the children in our lives.

Positive partnerships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations

Emerging Minds — Sun, 26 Nov 2023 23:17:20 +0000

This episode is part one of a four-part series developed in partnership with and led by the University of Western Australia’s Transforming Indigenous Mental Health and Wellbeing research program and the Centre of Best Practice in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention. In this conversation, Zaccariah Cox and Emma Carlin from Kimberley Aboriginal Medial Services share profound insights into Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander social and emotional wellbeing (SEWB). They discuss historical, political and cultural determinants impacting these communities, emphasising the transformative power of the SEWB framework in practical settings. The conversation highlights the importance of relationships, a strengths-based approach, and integrating Aboriginal leadership into healthcare services for meaningful change.

Understanding brain development

Emerging Minds — Sun, 12 Nov 2023 21:30:06 +0000

In this episode, our guests Michael Hogan (ARACY – Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth), Sally Staton (Queensland Brain Institute) and Vanya (lived experience advisor) describe the contributions that neuroscience can make to practice with children and families. They discuss how common understandings about children’s brain development can be applied to every aspect of a child’s life, and how this can support the work of mental health professionals.

Supporting children when working with separating parents - part two

Emerging Minds — Sun, 29 Oct 2023 23:32:20 +0000

In this episode, we explore ideas and practices for supporting parents to be child-focused in their approach to post-separation parenting.

A storybook approach to supporting children in care

Emerging Minds — Sun, 15 Oct 2023 23:38:49 +0000

In this episode, we’re joined by Natalie Papps, Alice Morgan and Sally Groom, creators of ‘One of a Kind’: a storybook for children who are in foster or kinship care due to their parent (or parents) experiencing mental illness. Natalie, Alice and Sally discuss the process of collaborating on the book with services as well as parents and young people with lived experience of parental mental illness and out-of-home care. They highlight some of the challenges children in care face, including being unaware of why they are in care, and how ‘One of a Kind’ supports practitioners and carers to open up these essential conversations.

Supporting children when working with separating parents - part one

Emerging Minds — Mon, 02 Oct 2023 22:11:13 +0000

One of the most effective ways to support children’s wellbeing during parental separation is to support their parents. In this episode, we talk with practitioners and parents about the importance of supporting parents’ wellbeing during relationship separation, and some ways to do this.

Supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander infants during the first 2,000 days

Emerging Minds — Sun, 17 Sep 2023 23:40:19 +0000

In this episode, cultural consultants Dana Shen and Shirley Young explore practices that support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander infants and families’ wellbeing during the first 2,000 days.

Dismantling interpersonal racism to support culturally diverse families

Emerging Minds — Tue, 05 Sep 2023 22:57:01 +0000

In this episode, practitioners from various backgrounds discuss the impact of racism on culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) children's mental health. They explore concepts such as white privilege, white fragility and decolonising practice, emphasising the need for cultural awareness, humility and active steps to address racism. The practitioners highlight the importance of recognising and challenging biases, promoting equity, and engaging in open conversations to create a more inclusive and supportive environment for children and families.

Using parallel parent-child narratives to support relationships

Emerging Minds — Sun, 20 Aug 2023 23:18:09 +0000

In this episode, we’re joined by Jackie Amos, Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist with Centacare Catholic Family Services. Jackie shares her wealth of experience in using parallel parent child narrative (PPCN) with children and parents. PPCN is an approach that can be used by practitioners in many different settings to support the parent-child relationship. In this conversation, Jackie explains what PPCN is, its key principles, and the benefits it has for children’s mental health and wellbeing.

Supervision for children's wellbeing - part two

Emerging Minds — Sun, 06 Aug 2023 23:15:26 +0000

In this second episode of our two-part series, our guests from The Bouverie Centre – Hanna Jewell, Banu Maloney, Julia Oxley, Nicholas Barrington and Angie Nyland – share supervision strategies that focus on the wellbeing of children. They discuss how supervision can help practitioners to find motivation, avoid judgement, and improve their contextual understandings of the families they’re work with.

Supervision for children's wellbeing - part one

Emerging Minds — Mon, 24 Jul 2023 01:58:41 +0000

In this episode, our guests from The Bouverie Centre – Hanna Jewell, Banu Maloney, Julia Oxley, Nicholas Barrington and Angie Nyland – share supervision strategies that focus on the wellbeing of children. They describe their reflective practice with practitioners and how supervision can improve practitioners’ skill and confidence in supporting children.

Families: Learning how to parent when you weren't parented well yourself

Emerging Minds — Sun, 09 Jul 2023 23:58:58 +0000

This episode comes from the Emerging Minds Families podcast. Host Alicia Ranford talks with Flick, a mother of four about how she learnt to parent when she wasn’t parented well herself.

A national workforce survey of children's mental health

Emerging Minds — Sun, 25 Jun 2023 23:34:18 +0000

In this episode, Dr Melinda Goodyear and Claire Marsh discuss the results of the Emerging Minds National Workforce Survey of Parent, Family and Child Mental Health 2020–21. They discuss the growing commitment among professionals to support child and family mental health, and the themes and challenges that stood out to them among survey responses. In particular, they explore the ways that organisations can help practitioners to support the mental health and wellbeing of infants in their work with parents and families.

Using cue-based infant massage to support infant mental health

Emerging Minds — Mon, 12 Jun 2023 23:33:14 +0000

In this episode, we’re joined by Kerryn Roberts, coordinator of infant massage at Relationships Australia South Australia (RASA). Kerryn shares her knowledge and experience in delivering cue-based infant massage to families in various settings. She explains the value of cue-based infant massage for infant mental health and the emphasis this program places on relationship development, encouraging parents to follow the infants’ lead. She also explores the importance of working alongside the parent-infant relationship and how this contrasts to intervening in the relationship.

Co-design lessons from the Lived Experience Network - part two

Emerging Minds — Mon, 29 May 2023 07:00:24 +0000

In episode two of this two-part series, Dana Shen, Mel Lambert and Yasmin Sinclair share practical tips to support effective co-design with lived experience families.

Co-design lessons from the Lived Experience Network - part one

Emerging Minds — Mon, 29 May 2023 06:24:32 +0000

In episode one of this two-part series, Dana Shen, Mel Lambert and Yasmin Sinclair share what establishing the Department of Human Services’ Lived Experience Network has taught them about co-design.

Using genograms in infant mental health assessments

Emerging Minds — Mon, 15 May 2023 00:30:34 +0000

In this episode, psychologist Lauren Keegan explores how genograms provide a structure for collaborative and relational assessment conversations with parents. Lauren discusses how the development of a genogram provides a visual map of a family’s generational relationships, and how genograms can be useful in infant mental health assessments.

The importance of deep listening when working with parents

Emerging Minds — Sun, 30 Apr 2023 23:15:35 +0000

In this episode, Belynda Smith shares her considerable experience in practicing deep, unhurried and supportive listening with parents, and how this process helps to build safe, healing and reflective environments. Belynda Smith is a parenting facilitator at Meerilinga Young Children's Foundation in Western Australia, as well as a certified Hand in Hand parenting instructor. Belynda has listened to many thousands of parents in her work at Meerilinga, helping them to provide their children with rich, safe and supported experiences. Belynda is committed to creating time and space for parents to consider their relationships with their children, their preferences, challenges and stories of success. It is through this reflective process that parents begin to understand more about their relationship with their children, growing their confidence and allowing them to move beyond challenges.

Exploring children's relationship with video gaming

Emerging Minds — Mon, 17 Apr 2023 00:52:47 +0000

In this episode, we talk with Nikki Taranis, a social worker and therapeutic specialist, about working with children and caregivers to explore children’s relationship with video gaming.

Supporting children who engage in bullying

Emerging Minds — Sun, 02 Apr 2023 22:23:24 +0000

In part two of this two-part series on bullying, we’re joined again by Jessica Staniland, clinical psychologist and Director of Counselling and Psychological Services at Trinity Grammar School, who shares some of the key considerations for supporting the mental health of children who engage in bullying behaviour. She discusses how practitioners can work through children’s protests and support them to engage in conversation. Jessica talks about the importance of recognising children’s preferences and values, and how practitioners can help children to draw these out.

Supporting children who experience bullying

Emerging Minds — Mon, 20 Mar 2023 00:03:08 +0000

In part one of this two-part series on bullying, we’re joined by Jessica Staniland, clinical psychologist and Director of Counselling and Psychological Services at Trinity Grammar School, who shares some key considerations for supporting the mental health of children who experience bullying behaviour. She discusses how practitioners can open up conversations with children to explore their experiences of bullying sensitively. Jessica talks about the importance of moving away from self-blame and how practitioners can support children to do this.

Navigating the first year of parenting

Emerging Minds — Mon, 06 Mar 2023 00:29:54 +0000

The period from pregnancy to the infant’s first birthday brings major life changes for parents, as they navigate the emotional and practical tasks of parenting. In this episode, Emerging Minds Child and Family Partners, Sarah and Claudius share an honest account of navigating the first year of parenting. They discuss the parenting joys and hopes they discovered and the challenges they faced in the first twelve months of parenting their son.

Graduate discoveries in infant mental health

Emerging Minds — Mon, 20 Feb 2023 03:07:45 +0000

In this episode, we speak with two social work students, Rachael and Megan about their career aspirations and discoveries about infant mental health. Rachael and Megan (who have since graduated) reflect on their placement experiences and how peer learning has increased their knowledge and confidence in working with infants and families.

Child-focused approaches to complex problems - part two

Emerging Minds — Mon, 06 Feb 2023 03:10:05 +0000

For the past five years, Emerging Minds has worked in partnership with Flinders University’s Social Work Innovation Research Living Space (SWIRLS) to develop a range of resources for health and social services workers. This includes a series of practice papers which support child-focused practices where children and families face disadvantage, trauma or adversity. In episode two of this two-part series, Professor Sarah Wendt and the SWIRLS team describe child-focused approaches to working with children and families affected by family violence and trauma. They describe the specialist knowledge about trauma that all practitioners should hold, so they can help children and families to maintain safety and wellbeing.

Child-focused approaches to complex problems - part one

Emerging Minds — Mon, 23 Jan 2023 03:17:27 +0000

For the past five years, Emerging Minds has worked in partnership with Flinders University’s Social Work Innovation Research Living Space (SWIRLS) to develop a range of resources for health and social services workers. This includes a series of practice papers which support child-focused practices where children and families face disadvantage, trauma or adversity. In episode one of this two-part series, you will hear from Professor Sarah Wendt, Director of SWIRLS, and her team including Dr Kate Seymour, Kirsty Lowe and Nicola Trenorden. They describe their structural approach to child-focused practice and how they work to support emerging practitioners to engage with families facing complex problems.

Re-release: Positive post-separation parenting

Emerging Minds — Fri, 06 Jan 2023 00:14:54 +0000

In this re-release episode, Dr Priscilla Dunk-West joins the series again to discuss what separation and divorce look like when it goes well for children.

Re-release: Reflections on culturally competent practice with Mthobeli Ngcanga

Emerging Minds — Thu, 22 Dec 2022 01:13:44 +0000

This re-release episode provides an insight into what culturally competent practice with children and families looks like from the perspective of Mthobeli Ncganga, a practitioner who works with families from migrant and refugee communities with experiences of torture and trauma.

The gift of resilience - the hopes of an Aboriginal father

Emerging Minds — Fri, 09 Dec 2022 03:55:09 +0000

Lou Turner is a proud Anangu father with Pitjantjatjara connections to Docker River and Mutitjulu communities. In this episode, Lou shares his journey of ‘walking in two worlds’, and the hopes and challenges he faces as an Aboriginal father in contemporary Australia. He provides insights into his experience as a descendant of the Stolen Generation and shares the hopes that he has for his children and community. This conversation will help to develop your understandings of and ability to connect with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander fathers in your work.

Higher weight and neurodivergence in childhood

Emerging Minds — Sun, 27 Nov 2022 23:30:14 +0000

Emerging Minds has recently launched the 'Supporting the mental health of children with higher weight' online training course. In this episode, Bec Edser speaks with child and family partner Annie Crowe, a proud Autistic ADHD-er who is a strong advocate for body diversity and neurodivergent inclusion. They discuss Annie’s own lived experience of childhood higher weight and neurodivergence, along with the expertise she has gained through her advocacy work in this space.

Young people and adversity: The Looking Back project - part two

Emerging Minds — Sun, 13 Nov 2022 22:13:02 +0000

The Looking Back 2020 project invited six young people (aged 20–27) with lived experience of adversity to share an inspiring story about their childhood. The result is a series of powerful short videos, conceived by each young person and produced with the help of artistic mentors and filmmakers. Largely taking place online during the Melbourne lockdown in 2020, the process was co-facilitated by artists Sylvie Meltzer and Melinda Hetzel for Artist Made Productions and Emerging Minds. It followed on from the first Looking Back project in 2019, which invited four young people to share what they wish practitioners had known or understood about their experiences of childhood adversity. The Looking Back videos were created for children and young people who may be experiencing struggles or worries in their lives. They’re designed to be shared by health professionals who work with families and children. These stories aim to give ideas, inspiration and hope to children and young people experiencing adversity. In part two of this series, four of the six young participants discuss the process of developing the Looking Back videos and what they hope they will achieve. In part one, artists Melinda Hetzel and Sylvie Meltzer reflect on what it was like to facilitate the creative process. In this episode you will learn:

how the young people managed both the creative process and the challenges of sharing their own personal story [11:07]
what it was like for the young people co-creating a video with professional film makers [19:52]
what the young people would now want to tell their inner child about their experiences [22:22]
the young people’s hopes for the children watching these videos [23:18]

Further information and resources: Young people and adversity: The Looking Back project - part two (podcast) Looking Back series (videos)

Young people and adversity: The Looking Back project - part one

Emerging Minds — Sun, 13 Nov 2022 22:11:29 +0000

The Looking Back 2020 project invited six young people (aged 20–27) with lived experience of adversity to share an inspiring story about their childhood. The result is a series of powerful short videos, conceived by each young person and produced with the help of artistic mentors and filmmakers. Largely taking place online during the Melbourne lockdown in 2020, the process was co-facilitated by artists Sylvie Meltzer and Melinda Hetzel for Artist Made Productions and Emerging Minds. It followed on from the first Looking Back project in 2019, which invited four young people to share what they wish practitioners had known or understood about their experiences of childhood adversity. The Looking Back videos were created for children and young people who may be experiencing struggles or worries in their lives. They’re designed to be shared by health professionals who work with families and children. These stories aim to give ideas, inspiration and hope to other children and young people experiencing adversity. In this episode, artists Melinda Hetzel and Sylvie Meltzer reflect on the experience of facilitating this process with the young people. In part two of this series, four of the six young participants discuss the process of developing the Looking Back videos and what they hope they will achieve. In this episode you will learn:

why the creative process is a great way to explore deeply personal experiences [03:02]
how Melinda and Sylvie created a safe space and supported everyone’s wellbeing during the project [05:33]
how partnerships were set up with the young people involved [10:31]
the relationship between co-design and collaborative artistic processes [12:05]

Further information and resources: Young people and adversity: The Looking Back project - part two (podcast) Looking Back series (videos)

A new mental health podcast for Australian parents

Emerging Minds — Fri, 28 Oct 2022 01:47:19 +0000

For the past five years, Emerging Minds has been creating podcasts for professionals that explore effective ways to support infant and child mental health. Now, the new Emerging Minds Families podcast aims to do the same for parents and families. Over the past 12 months, Emerging Minds has been working with families across Australia to learn more about the kinds of resources they need to best support their children’s mental health. These conversations, along with insights from practitioners and researchers, have guided the development of Emerging Minds Families: an online resource hub designed to help families better understand and support infant and child mental health. As part of this program, the Emerging Minds Families team will be delivering a fortnightly podcast, starting 22 November 2022. Parents, families and practitioners will discuss infant and child mental health, offer advice, debunk myths and provide understanding for families who are striving to do the best for their children. In this episode, you will meet the hosts of the Emerging Minds Families podcast: Ben Rogers, Alicia Ranford and Nadia Rossi. They will share how they’ve spent the past 12 months working with families to develop this podcast series, what they learned during this process, as well as the important role of co-design in developing resources for families. The team will also describe the ‘knowledgeable best friend’ approach that guides their work, how it evolved, and how it will support both families and practitioners. In this episode:

Find out how the Emerging Minds Families podcast came about and what listeners can expect to learn (1:34)
Unpack the ‘knowledgeable best friend’ tone and how it was developed as a way to help families consider their child’s mental health support needs (2:49)
Hear some examples of the podcasts that will be delivered through the Emerging Minds Families channel (11:23)
Discover the importance of helping families to attempt strategies to help their children, but also to seek help from professionals where they need extra support (14:29)
Learn why it’s important to create content that benefits all families, including those that are currently facing adversity (27:20)

Further links and information:

Emerging Minds Families (website)
Introducing Emerging Minds Families (video)

Trauma-informed perinatal care for people who have experienced sexual trauma

Emerging Minds — Sun, 16 Oct 2022 21:30:07 +0000

This podcast discusses experiences of working with mothers who have experienced sexual trauma, have been subjected to child sexual abuse or sexual assault. Please be aware of your own emotional safety as you listen to this podcast, and if at any point you find you are struggling, or if you need to seek other help, please call lifeline on 13 11 14, Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636, or SANE Australia on 1800 187 263. The National Perinatal Mental Health Guidelines recommend that as part of normal care, all pregnant people be asked questions around psychosocial factors as early as practical in pregnancy and 6–12 weeks after birth. One of the questions within this screening process asks if the person has experienced past physical or sexual abuse. It then recommends that support be offered to people who acknowledge this past trauma. In this episode, Vicki Mansfield (Social Worker and Practice Development Officer at Emerging Minds) discusses the importance of trauma-informed pregnancy and post-natal care for people who’ve experienced sexual trauma. Vicki draws on her experience working within antenatal clinics, maternity wards and perinatal infant mental health services. She explores how a safe and empathic relationship with pregnant people can support their agency and choices in preparing for birth and promote emotional wellbeing for both parent and infant as they transition through this major life change. In this episode, you will learn:

how past sexual trauma may increase physical and psychological vulnerability during pregnancy, birth and the transition to parenting [05:21]
why it is important to explore pregnant people’s feelings and concerns about birth and becoming a parent, and how to establish plans that strengthen their choices, consent and build a safe and collaborative antenatal care team [07:40]
how to consider parents’ postnatal needs, including debriefing after birth and being aware of trauma responses that can increase anxiety [09:41]

Further information and resources: Keeping the infant and toddler in mind online course Healing the Past by Nurturing the Future online course Intergenerational mental health online course Best practice in perinatal care - COPE

Childhood bullying and mental health - part two

Emerging Minds — Fri, 30 Sep 2022 05:52:07 +0000

This is the second episode in a two-part series on childhood bullying and mental health. In this episode, we continue our conversation with Dr Lesley-Anne Ey, Senior Lecturer and Researcher at Education Futures and the Australian Centre for Child Protection at the University of South Australia. Dr Ey broadens the scope from part one to focus on the common attitudes and myths about childhood bullying that exist in Western society. She explains the significance of a child’s context to their experiences of bullying, the role that health and social service professionals can play in responding to bullying, and the importance of supporting children if they make a disclosure of bullying involvement.

Childhood bullying and mental health - part one

Emerging Minds — Fri, 16 Sep 2022 00:53:32 +0000

This episode is part one of a two-part series on childhood bullying and mental health. We’re joined by Dr Lesley-Anne Ey, Senior Lecturer and Researcher at Education Futures and the Australian Centre for Child Protection at the University of South Australia. In this episode, Dr Ey shares how definitions of childhood bullying vary and the impact this can have on children. She also discusses the influence of bullying on children’s mental health and the role of prevention and early intervention in reducing these effects. She explores the mental health impact of labelling children as ‘bullies’ or ‘victims’ and links these considerations to practice for health and social services professionals.

Child mental health implementation strategies - part two

Emerging Minds — Thu, 01 Sep 2022 23:59:56 +0000

In this episode, we explore strategies for when children and families experience setbacks in dealing with problems. We also look at ways of future-proofing children’s skills in dealing with problems.

Child mental health implementation strategies - part one

Emerging Minds — Fri, 19 Aug 2022 05:46:11 +0000

In this episode, we explore ways of working with children that combine their experience and expertise with practitioners’ own wisdom and strategies.

Homelessness and child mental health

Emerging Minds — Tue, 09 Aug 2022 00:46:14 +0000

This episode looks at how homelessness impacts upon child mental health. It outlines strategies that services can adopt to improve outcomes for children and families, and explores practical skills to help practitioners better engage and support the mental health of children experiencing homelessness.

How holistic pregnancy care promotes infant mental health

Emerging Minds — Fri, 22 Jul 2022 01:12:27 +0000

In this episode, Dr Lyndal Harborne shares her personal and professional insights into holistic pregnancy care and how it benefits both parent and infant mental health. She discusses the importance of taking the time to understand parents’ psychosocial context, and how providing choices can help parents to navigate through pregnancy and beyond. She also explores how having a team of supportive professionals helps parents to adjust to parenting, and the positive impacts this has on children’s wellbeing across the lifespan.

Supporting children who disclose trauma - part two

Emerging Minds — Fri, 08 Jul 2022 01:54:37 +0000

David Tully is a therapist, supervisor and manager at Relationships Australia, South Australia. In the second episode of this two-part series, David offers ways to help children who have experienced trauma discover new identities built on their stories of protest, resistance and resilience. He also shares some insights from his work with men who perpetrate violence and children who’ve been impacted by men’s violence.

Supporting children who disclose trauma - part one

Emerging Minds — Fri, 24 Jun 2022 01:42:05 +0000

David Tully works with children and families who have been affected by sexual abuse and physical trauma. In the first episode of this two-part series, David shares how trauma-informed processes can help children to overcome the effects of self-blame and secrecy. He also discusses how helping children to understand the contexts of power in which the trauma occurred, is critical in supporting their recovery.

Responding to complex developmental trauma

Emerging Minds — Thu, 09 Jun 2022 00:39:42 +0000

In this episode, we talk with Kathryn Lenton of the Australian Childhood Foundation about working therapeutically with children and families who are living with the impacts of complex developmental trauma.

Mental health support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families

Emerging Minds — Fri, 27 May 2022 02:38:34 +0000

In this episode, you’ll meet two new members of the Emerging Minds Partnerships and Implementation team: Lou Turner and Nancy Jeffrey. Lou and Nancy will be working with organisations to support the social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander infants, children and families, and promote the needs of First Nations communities. They discuss what is important to them when it comes to support services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, how mental health relates to First Nations concepts of social and emotional wellbeing, and what they hope to achieve in their new roles within Emerging Minds.

Engaging children: Naming and framing the problem

Emerging Minds — Fri, 13 May 2022 00:30:12 +0000

When talking with children in a therapeutic setting, how do you lessen their likelihood of feeling shame or blame for the problems they’re dealing with? Naming and framing the problem in their own terms can not only lessen children’s sense of shame and blame; it can also create space for their creativity, imagination and agency in responding to the issues they’re facing. In this episode (the third in our Engaging children series), hosts Jen Ly and Chris Dolman are joined by practitioners Annette Flanagan, Kate Headley, Melinda Vardanega, Lisa Johnson, Aerinn Morgan, Jamie Lee and Liz Lodge. Together, they share their ideas, reflections and strategies for enabling children to describe problems in their own terms and in ways that are meaningful and useful for them. In this episode you will learn:

the importance of helping children to describe problems in their own terms and in ways that are meaningful for them [02:02]
some practice ideas for engaging with children that focus on naming and framing the problem [05:43]
what other professionals have found helpful in this work [11:33]

Further information and resources: Engaging children: Shrinking problems (online course) Practical strategies for engaging children in a practice setting (practice paper) An overview of child participation: Key issues for organisations and practitioners (practice paper) Shrinking problems with children and families (webinar)

Equine therapy for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children

Emerging Minds — Fri, 29 Apr 2022 01:13:50 +0000

In this podcast, you’ll hear from Juli Coffin about the Yawardani Jan-ga (‘horses helping’) program in Broome. Juli discusses how the program connects the healing power of horses with innovative experiential learning. She shares how equine therapy can help to heal trauma, enhance social and emotional wellbeing, nurture leadership, and promote positive relationships for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people.

The team around the child: A mum's story of her son's neurodiversity

Emerging Minds — Thu, 14 Apr 2022 04:17:59 +0000

Bec Edser is a Child and Family Partnerships Coordinator at Emerging Minds. She is also the mother of a six-year-old son with neurodiversity. Bec has worked closely with practitioners over the years to develop a team around her child. In this episode, she shares the benefits of establishing a team around the child, along with practical examples of child-centred engagement.

Engaging children: Exploring children's strengths and interests

Emerging Minds — Sun, 03 Apr 2022 22:39:54 +0000

Research shows children like adults to be interested in what they’re into, what they need, and how they respond when things are happening around them (Moore, 2017; Griffiths-Cook & Fenn, 2018). Talking with children about what they enjoy and what they’re good at can create a context for understanding the child’s perspective on the problems they’re facing. Conversations exploring children’s strengths and interests can also provide a foundation from which to build further skills to respond to these problems. In this episode (the second in our Engaging children podcast series), hosts Jen Ly and Chris Dolman are joined by practitioners Lisa Johnson, Sally McLaren, Annette Flanagan, Liz Lodge and Ali Chisholm. Together, they share their ideas, reflections and strategies around exploring children’s strengths, skills, know-how and interests. In this episode you will learn:

the importance of practitioners opening up conversations with children about their strengths, skills and interests [02:41]
some strategies for exploring children’s strengths, skills and interests in your practice [03:42]
what other professionals have found helpful in this work [09:44]

Further information and resources: Engaging children: Rich pictures (e-learning course) Practical strategies for engaging children in a practice setting (practice paper) An overview of child participation: Key issues for organisations and practitioners (practice paper) References Griffiths-Cook, J., & Fenn, L. (2018). Kids have big thoughts too. Life Transitions: what children say about change. Canberra: ACT Human Rights Commission. Moore, T. (2017). Protection through participation: Involving children in child safe organisations. CFCA Practice Paper. Melbourne: Child Family Community Australia, Australian Institute of Family Studies.

Engaging children: Opening the door to the problem

Emerging Minds — Fri, 18 Mar 2022 00:42:05 +0000

Taking care to describe things in ways that make sense to the child and inviting them to share their understanding of why you’re meeting with them can make a big difference. These practices can enable children to contribute to the conversation and participate fully in your work together. They can also potentially ‘open the door’ to a conversation with the child about the problem they’re facing. In this episode (the first in our Engaging children podcast series), hosts Chris Dolman and Jen Ly are joined by practitioners Kate Headley, Liz Lodge, Jackie Amos, Jessica Warren and Mthobeli Ngcanga. Together, they share their ideas and reflections on the key skills for working effectively with children. In this episode you will learn:

the importance of understanding the child’s perspective on why you’re meeting [02:27]
what to consider in regard to transparency when beginning to work with children [06:04]
what other professionals have found helpful in this work [10:49]

Further information and resources: Engaging children: Good beginnings e-learning course Hervatin, M. (2020). Practical strategies for engaging children in a practice setting. Adelaide: Emerging Minds.

Child mental health assessment and engagement strategies

Emerging Minds — Thu, 03 Mar 2022 04:03:20 +0000

In a previous episode, psychologist Penny Sih shared her thoughts about child mental health assessment and engagement and ways to support a child to live their ‘best life’. In this episode, social worker Ali Knight and child and family partners Jess and Emi continue this conversation. They explore child mental health assessment and engagement practices that help families feel more confident and engaged in the therapeutic process, which in turn helps them to live their ‘best lives’. When a child and parent first arrive to meet with a professional, they often feel anxious or even reluctant. They might feel like they’re going to be told off, or lectured, or made to discuss subjects that make them feel uncomfortable. Ali, Jess and Emi discuss the practices that help children to overcome this initial anxiety, to engage fully within the practice environment, and to become holistically involved in the decisions that affect their lives. In their role as Emerging Minds Child and Family Partners, Jess and Emi have made a significant contribution to Emerging Minds’ online training courses, webinars and practice papers. Ali Knight is a social worker with 25 years’ experience, specialising in work with infants and children in child protection, child development and trauma-related services. All three were instrumental in the development of Emerging Minds’ online course, Practice strategies for assessment and engagement. In this episode you will learn:

how to set the scene with children who might not be happy about coming to a professional environment, so that you can increase their sense of comfort and confidence and give them the time and space that they need [02:52]
how to help children and parents consider the strategies that already work well for them, rather than focusing only on the problems that they are facing [05:37]
how a holistic understanding of the ‘whole child’ – their preferences, relationships and hopes – can influence practice [14:16]
how to pick up on cues that children provide throughout the engagement, to ensure sessions are flexible enough to cater for the child’s needs [18:29]
why it’s important to include children in strategies that can be replicated at home or at school [23:15]

Further information and resources: Practice strategies for assessment and engagement (online course) Practice strategies for formulation (online course) Helping children to live their ‘best life’ – part one (podcast) Helping children to live their ‘best life’ – part two (podcast)

Professional roles in child mental health support

Emerging Minds — Fri, 18 Feb 2022 01:33:25 +0000

In this episode, we explore the roles of different types of professionals who work with children and families in the child mental health support space.

Family perspectives on childhood physical illness - part two

Emerging Minds — Fri, 04 Feb 2022 04:55:50 +0000

In the second of this two-part podcast series (listen to part one here), you’ll continue to hear from Kimberley, Brad and Bec, parents of children who have experienced different chronic childhood physical illnesses. You'll hear how practitioners have been able to support not just the children’s physical conditions, but also the social and emotional wellbeing of these children and their families while they are undergoing treatment. Many children experiencing a childhood physical illness require regular trips to hospital and medical interventions that can be traumatic for both the child and their family. However, the negative impacts on everyone’s wellbeing can be minimised by taking a family-focused and trauma-informed approach. We would like to acknowledge and thank our child and family partners, Kimberley, Bec and Brad for taking the time to share their hard-earned wisdom and expertise with us. In this episode you will learn:

the types of supports families find helpful while their children are undergoing treatment for childhood physical illnesses [01:17]
the strategies that practitioners use to support the mental health of children throughout the treatment processes [08:36]
the importance of taking a trauma-informed approach to caring for a child with a chronic physical illness [13:45]
how to support the wellbeing of siblings of children with chronic childhood physical illnesses [19:25]

Further information and resources: Understanding child mental health and chronic physical conditions e-learning course Childhood physical conditions and mental health fact sheets

Family perspectives on childhood physical illness - part one

Emerging Minds — Fri, 04 Feb 2022 04:52:14 +0000

In the first of this two-part podcast series, Emerging Minds Child and Family Partners Kimberley, Brad and Bec share how they manage their children’s social and emotional wellbeing while dealing with the challenges of chronic physical illness. They describe some of the ways that practitioners have been able to support their children’s mental health throughout the treatment process, and how these strategies have also helped them to support their child. Managing ongoing symptoms of chronic physical illness and undergoing medical treatment or procedures can have significant impacts for children and families. Promoting self-care strategies for parents and caregivers will lead to improved wellbeing outcomes for the children they are caring for. We would like to acknowledge and thank our child and family partners, Kimberley, Bec and Brad for taking the time to share their hard-earned wisdom and expertise with us. In this episode you will learn:

more about the chronic physical illnesses experienced within these families [01:36]
how a diagnosis of chronic physical illness impacts on the child and family [04:22]
the impacts of managing ongoing symptoms and undergoing medical treatment/procedures [06:29]
how self-care is important for parents and caregivers of children experiencing a chronic physical illness [16:06]

Further information and resources: Family perspectives on childhood physical illness - part two Understanding child mental health and chronic physical conditions e-learning course Childhood physical conditions and mental health fact sheets

Reflecting on 100 episodes

Emerging Minds — Sat, 22 Jan 2022 01:57:58 +0000

In this episode, Emerging Minds Practice Development Manager, Dan Moss joins Senior Cultural Development Officer, Rosie Schellen and Senior Practice Development Officer, Chris Dolman to reflect on what has made the infant and child mental health podcast series so effective over the past four years and 100 episodes. Rosie reflects on Emerging Minds’ collaborative work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to help bring to the fore stories of strength, resilience and hope, as well as those of hardship and systemic disadvantage. Chris describes how practitioners have helped change the way we think about infant and child mental health, in ways that make challenging work feel more possible and motivating. He also describes some of the ways that children and families with lived experience have contributed so richly to the podcast series. In this episode you will learn:

how Rosie has worked with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, leaders and practitioners to respectfully bring forth stories of hope, resilience and connection, and the considerations that are important within this process [04:23]
how practitioners have contributed to understandings about infant and child mental health through stories of their everyday practice, and the strategies we can all use to help children and families tell their stories [06:52]
how hurt and connection, strength and wisdom have been so powerfully interwoven in the stories of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander guests, in ways that generously assist all practitioners to consider how they can make room for these stories in their work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families and communities [09:56]
how discussions with parents about their hopes for their children can become a great antidote for the experiences of shame and blame that families often feel when working with a practitioner, and the kinds of strength-based practices that have helped families find new ways to connect and overcome adversities [17:28]
about the people that have contributed to the evolution of the Emerging Minds podcast series over the past 100 episodes! [20:50]

Re-release: The mental health of refugee children in Australia

Emerging Minds — Fri, 07 Jan 2022 23:55:15 +0000

This episode is a conversation with Dr. Sonia Terhaag about the Building a New Life in Australia study and what it can tell us about the social and emotional wellbeing of children from refugee backgrounds.

Re-release: Inclusive practice with rainbow families

Emerging Minds — Wed, 22 Dec 2021 23:40:02 +0000

What does the evolving nature of sexual and gender identities mean for working with families? Tune into this episode with Dr Priscilla Dunk-West to explore this question and learn about shifts you can make in your practice and organisation to become more inclusive of rainbow families. Priscilla is a sociologist and social worker and has worked in academia in both Australia and England. She practiced social work firstly in child protection and later went on to specialise in sexual health counselling. Her research interests include identity, sexuality, intimate relationships and parenting. She has produced five books and her bestselling text 'How to be a Social Worker: A Critical Guide for Students' has been translated into Swedish and is now in its second edition. In this episode you will learn:

The social and cultural context of sexuality (02:47)
Asking questions to understand family configuration rather than making assumptions (07:43)
What child-focused and parent-sensitive practice looks like (12:44)
What services can do to promote inclusivity with rainbow families (23:32)

Supporting children through school transitions during COVID-19

Emerging Minds — Mon, 13 Dec 2021 02:04:54 +0000

In this episode, Dr Kathryn Hopps, a researcher and educator, reflects on ways in which families can support children through school transitions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Kathryn also draws on her expertise in primary and high-school transitions to provide practical advice for parents and carers.

Responding to child anxiety in general practice

Emerging Minds — Thu, 25 Nov 2021 23:55:08 +0000

Dr Andrew Leech is a GP based in Perth with an interest in child physical and mental health. Andrew has an advisory role within the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) and Emerging Minds. He works as an educator for medical students and GP registrars and is the host and creator of the Kids Health Network podcast. In this episode, Andrew joins us for a conversation about childhood anxiety. He looks at the prevalence and presentations of child anxiety, ways of working sensitively with children and families, and the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on children’s mental health.

Diet, lifestyle, relationships, and wellbeing: A holistic approach to working with mums

Emerging Minds — Fri, 12 Nov 2021 22:30:38 +0000

Dr Angie Willcocks is a psychologist with a rich history of supporting mothers throughout the fertility, pregnancy and postnatal periods. Angie has developed a practice approach that focuses on a holistic understanding of all of the domains of a woman’s life – not only those that are connected to her baby. In this episode, Angie describes her assessment and formulation strategies, which support mothers to consider every aspect of their lives, and the supports they need to maintain social and emotional wellbeing. She is interested in how mothers can look past society’s expectations, and make the lifestyle, relationship, and parenting choices that support their long-term mental health and wellbeing. As part of her commitment to holistic understandings of women, Angie completed a PhD that examined the effects of diet on mothers’ mental health. Through this study, Angie found that diet significantly impacted the risk of depression and anxiety during pregnancy and postnatally. She discusses the possible implications for practice that have stemmed from her research, and how professionals can introduce discussions about lifestyle into their everyday engagements. In this episode you will learn:

how to work collaboratively with mothers who are attempting to juggle parenting, work, relationships, and family members with mental health issues (02:45)
why it is important to provide space for a mother to come into a session with her infant, and the information that you can provide to a practitioner for later conversations (06:00)
how to begin a conversation with a mother about the holistic supports she requires to parent in her preferred ways (08:05)
the opportunities that can arise for women when they can stop judging themselves so harshly and start prioritising their own mental health, diet, exercise, and relationships (14:52)
the findings from Angie’s PhD study, which examined the effect of diet quality on mothers’ mental health (16:13)
the importance of women prioritising their own mental health for themselves, not just for their children or their partner (23:08)

Helping children to live their 'best life' - part two

Emerging Minds — Fri, 29 Oct 2021 23:18:27 +0000

In this second episode in our two-part series, clinical psychologist Penny Sih expands upon her description of the ‘best life’ approach: a way of engaging positively with children by discussing the relationships, routines and activities that sustain and energise them.

Helping children to live their 'best life' - part one

Emerging Minds — Fri, 15 Oct 2021 23:07:35 +0000

Penny Sih is a clinical psychologist who has spent 17 years working with children, teens and their families. During that time, Penny has developed engagement processes with children that focus on an understanding of their ‘best life’. In this episode, Penny shares how the ‘best life’ approach can help practitioners to better understand the ‘whole child’ and the problems that affect them; and enable children and parents to be active participants in the therapeutic process.

Supporting children who have lost a parent

Emerging Minds — Sat, 02 Oct 2021 00:23:21 +0000

Dr Gill Murphy is a lecturer at the School of Nursing and Midwifery at the Western Sydney University. She has worked as a mental health nurse for twenty years, with experience in forensic, in-patient, community and emergency mental health services. Her engagement with mental health research led her to found the Childhood Parental Death Ambassador Program. As founder of the Childhood Parental Death Ambassador Program, Gill hopes to raise awareness around the needs and experiences of children when a parent is dying or has died, and to really make children visible within that process. As part of this, the program has delivered the Childhood Death Study, in which they interviewed adults who'd experienced the death of a parent during their childhood. The study found that a lack of information provided to children during and after their parent’s death meant that they often thought about it in distressing or unhelpful ways. Additionally, it found that children were often not supported to celebrate or remember their parent’s legacy, causing them to lose touch with the supporting and nurturing rituals they had enjoyed with that parent. In this episode of the Emerging Minds podcast, Gill discusses the need for practitioners to develop preparedness in their work with children who have lost a parent, and to be able to have conversations with them that are supportive and reconnecting. In this episode you will learn: Learning 1 (01:30) the key objectives of the Childhood Parental Death Ambassador Program. Learning 2 (02:36) the key findings of the Childhood Death Study, and what these mean for any practitioner working with a child whose parent is dying or has died. Learning 3 (04:17) the effects of secrecy or a lack of information on children’s ability to positively think about their deceased parent, and to stay connected with their legacy. Learning 4 (09:53) what some services are doing to actively involve children in memory making when a parent is dying or has recently died. Learning 5 (17:44) how practitioners can overcome anxiety to talk to children in ways that are supportive and attentive, and to ensure they are listening to what the child needs at the time.

Including children and young people in practice and policy decisions

Emerging Minds — Fri, 17 Sep 2021 00:00:39 +0000

Children and young people have historically been seen as passive and incapable of participating in the decisions that affect their lives. But as society has become more aware of child’s rights and the importance of inclusive citizenship, opportunities have arisen for children to become involved and considered in decision-making processes. Dr Ben Lohmeyer is a writer, researcher and lecturer in social policy at Flinders University. Much of his work has focused on children and young people, and popular discourse which has minimised or disqualified their potential contributions to social policy. In this episode of the Emerging Minds podcast, he discusses society’s ‘exclusionary’ attitudes towards children and young people, and looks at the ways in which practitioners, organisations and institutions can collaborate with children to make their views, preferences, hopes and concerns a central part of decision-making and problem-solving approaches. Ben is interested in the ways that children and young people have become increasingly involved in activism – around climate change, for example. He believes there are still many ways that children’s voices get minimised or disqualified by society but is deeply interested in the ways that children have persevered and been able to make protest, despite these obstacles. In his work as a social policy lecturer, Ben is committed to the ethic of inclusion. This moves away from the traditional, ‘banking’ notion of teaching, where wisdom and truth are owned by the teacher (or the most powerful), towards learning strategies that focus on the student’s own know-how, reflections and preferences. In this way, Ben hopes that these future social workers will themselves favor practices with children and young people that are based on principles of co-creation and privileging the child’s voice. In this episode you will learn:

the dangers of excluding children’s voices from important decisions like social policy, overcoming problems, or creating safe and nurturing spaces (05:59)
how moving towards more participatory teaching and service intervention models can benefit children and enhance your engagements with them (10:49)
how the voices of people with lived experience are now being prioritised in research and co-design processes (21:18)
how to create spaces for children and young people to provide feedback; and the importance of adults being able to accept feedback that might be difficult to hear, or uncomfortable, or even unexpected (27:32)
the importance of understanding the different ways of communicating that children and young people have, and using their own reference points, rather than judging them from your own point of view (32:18).

Narrative therapy with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families

Emerging Minds — Sat, 04 Sep 2021 23:30:06 +0000

In this episode of the Emerging Minds podcast, Bill Wilson and Chris Dolman discuss how working within a narrative therapy framework can support connections and resilience for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families.

Overcoming adversity in work with mothers and children - part two

Emerging Minds — Sun, 22 Aug 2021 22:10:18 +0000

This episode is the second in a two-part series exploring work with women and children who have experienced trauma and disadvantage throughout their lives (you can find the first episode here). In this episode, we speak with Lisa Hofman and Gaby Munro, who work with mothers and their children (under the age of eight) while they undergo treatment for substance use. Many of the children who attend the Jarrah House residential treatment service have experienced child protection involvement and past trauma, and are affected by developmental or behavioural issues. In this conversation, Lisa and Gaby explore the impacts of significant adversity and child removal on mothers and their children, and share examples of ways children may behave following experiences of trauma. Lisa and Gaby also share how they strengthen and rebuild the mother-child relationship and reduce child protection risk by:

increasing the mother’s emotional availability to her child
transforming how mothers think about and understand their children
helping mothers to respond better to their children’s cues; and
showing mothers how to delight in their children

Gaby describes how she uses reflexive practice and modelling to help parents consider what their child is feeling, in order to better understand and respond to them. Lisa discusses how mothers are supported with emotional regulation and distress tolerance, and how this growing ‘mindful awareness’ helps them to respond to their child from a calmer space. In this episode you will learn:

about the developmental issues that affect many of the children at Jarrah House, as a consequence of past trauma, domestic violence, or parental substance use [2:59]
how Lisa and Gaby used the Key to Interactive Parenting Scale to help a mother recognise her child’s cues and the ways that she offered her child warmth and recognition, so that she could replicate that behaviour more consistently [6:03]
the importance of treating the child as a client, as well as the mother, in services like Jarrah House, and the difference this can make for a child [10:32]
how Lisa and Gaby use the Circle of Security approach to focus on the importance of routines and help children and mothers feel safer and more confident [16:05].

Further information and resources: KIT Menu

Re-release: Supporting children and families through telehealth

Emerging Minds — Sat, 07 Aug 2021 23:30:06 +0000

How do you engage children when working with them remotely via video? In this episode, Tayla Iellamo, an occupational therapist who works for Royal Far West, shares her experience of delivering telehealth services to children in rural and remote areas. Tayla has worked as an OT for five years and has been delivering telehealth services through the Windmill and Telecare programs at Royal Far West for the past year. She has a passion for working with children and families in remote areas and finds telehealth a valuable and dynamic approach to delivering therapy. Tayla shares her experience of 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. In this episode you will learn:

What a family can expect from the first telehealth session (07:15)
Helping families become comfortable with technology (10:38)
Keeping the child’s context in mind in telehealth service delivery (18:19)
Suggestions for practitioners new to telehealth (24:22)

Further information and resources: A practical guide to working with children and families through telehealth: https://emergingminds.frmdv.com/resources/a-practical-guide-to-working-with-children-and-families-through-telehealth/

Re-release: Children's mental health during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic

Emerging Minds — Sat, 24 Jul 2021 23:30:21 +0000

How might children’s social and emotional wellbeing be affected by the changes brought about in response to the COVID-19 pandemic? In this bonus episode, Brad Morgan, Director of Emerging Minds, discusses some challenges that might be coming up for families at this time as they navigate spending more time at home together. Tune in to this discussion to hear about what infants, toddlers, and children are needing from their parents right now and some suggestions on how parents can have child-centred conversations about coronavirus that are supportive of their mental health as well as what’s important to consider in relation to maintaining routines during home isolation. In this episode you will learn:

Why talking to children about the coronavirus pandemic is important (03:49)
What support babies and toddlers are needing (10:16)
What to consider in terms of the way parents’ mental health may be impacting on the wellbeing of their children (18:08)
What to consider in maintaining routines under isolation (22:00)
How news and media might be impacting children (23:14)

Further information and resources:

Overcoming adversity in work with mothers and children - part one

Emerging Minds — Sun, 11 Jul 2021 00:25:06 +0000

Women who have experienced trauma and disadvantage throughout their lives are much more likely to develop mental health difficulties and substance use issues. This can seriously affect their ability to parent in safe and consistent ways, and can have significant negative impacts on children. In the first episode of this two-part podcast series, Christine Watson, Clinical Director at Kamira Alcohol and Other Drug Treatment Services, talks about Kamira’s rehabilitation work with women experiencing substance use, and their children. At Kamira, practitioners are interested in the contextual reasons that have made it more difficult for women to parent in safe and nurturing ways. Kamira’s residents are generally affected by their own experiences of trauma, as well as cultural, institutional and social discrimination. Many have also had children removed from their custody. Christine discusses how she and her staff work with these women on ways to provide safe and consistent care for their child. She also explores their strategies for helping women overcome historical issues which have prevented them from providing this care. At the same time, Kamira’s programs focus on children’s mental health and wellbeing needs, in ways that can help enhance the lives of both mothers and children. Christine discusses the importance of therapeutic interventions that encourage women to see their children’s needs as a motivation for change. She considers how this focus can reduce the negative effects of stigma, and allow women to develop practical strategies for safe and secure parenting. In this episode you will learn:

about the background of trauma, institutional and social discrimination experienced by many of the women in substance use programs, and the impact intergenerational disadvantage has on the lives of these women and their children [1:06]
how to talk with women about their parenting in ways which avoid stigma, build trust and joy in the parent-child relationship, and help women to recognise the possibilities for change [8:32]
how to help mothers understand their children’s experience, focusing on what the child might be feeling, thinking, or observing, and offering practical examples of how to support the communication between mother and child [14:55]
the importance of routine in the lives of children and mothers, and how strong routines can be the key to establishing safer and more consistent environments for children [20:41].

Parent voices: Supporting children with disability - part two

Emerging Minds — Sun, 27 Jun 2021 01:30:18 +0000

This two-part podcast series features a collection of parents talking about their children who live with disability. In part two, Chris, Jacqui and Lisa discuss some of the ways in which professionals can support their children’s wellbeing.

Parent voices: Supporting children with disability - part one

Emerging Minds — Sat, 12 Jun 2021 01:30:06 +0000

Children are shaped and influenced by a range of individual, social and environmental factors, all of which go into making the ‘whole child’. Children living with disability experience the same range of emotions as every other child; and their mental health and wellbeing are influenced by the same factors as other children’s. Parents and professionals might see a child’s social and emotional wellbeing, communication, and behaviour as just an outcome of their disability. But children living with disability can experience positive mental health too. It is important to support children living with disability to express their hopes, preferences, and concerns, just like all children. We would like to acknowledge and thank our child and family partners, Chris, Lisa and Jacqui for taking the time to share their wisdom and expertise with us. In this episode you will learn:

how deeply parents who have children with disability understand their children’s unique needs, how fiercely they love them, and how by listening to and reflecting on their stories, we can learn a great deal about supporting the mental health and wellbeing of children with disability
how a child-focused approach encourages professionals to focus on the ‘whole child’, including their strengths, hopes and abilities, rather than just their physical and medical needs
how children’s social and emotional wellbeing can be supported by creating space for them to explore and express aspects of their lives other than disability; and
how living with disability can provide children with the opportunity to nurture a range of strengths and abilities. These can include positive qualities such as being loving and affectionate, being persistent, and being adaptable, resilient and determined.

Further information and resources: Parent voices: Supporting children with disability - part two Understanding child mental health and disability (e-learning course)

Shared practice in the family violence sector

Emerging Minds — Mon, 31 May 2021 00:35:09 +0000

Colleen Lovegrove and Diana Uribe describe their approach to working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait families as part of the Kornar Winmil Yunti team (KWY).

Using self-determination to support family violence interventions

Emerging Minds — Mon, 31 May 2021 00:30:05 +0000

In this podcast, Craig Rigney, CEO of KWY shares how he walks alongside families in his work to provide a holistic family model of care.

Building connections in the out-of-home sector

Emerging Minds — Sat, 29 May 2021 23:30:07 +0000

In this podcast, Sue-Anne Hunter talks about her work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in the out-of-home care system. She discusses ways to heal trauma through evidence-based practices, and how integrating these practices within a cultural framework can benefit both children and practitioners.

Using Elders’ wisdom to guide your practice

Emerging Minds — Sat, 29 May 2021 03:30:31 +0000

In this podcast, Aboriginal Elder, Millie Penny and Carol Michie from Telethon Kids explore Millie’s story of resilience and ongoing fight to support the needs of Aboriginal children, and how they have informed their work on the Ngulluk Koolunga Ngulluk Koort (Our Children, Our Heart) project.

Healing the past by nurturing the future

Emerging Minds — Fri, 28 May 2021 23:30:02 +0000

In this podcast, Catherine Chamberlain talks about her perinatal work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander parents, through the ‘Healing the Past by Nurturing the Future’ project.

Insights on infant sleep with Dr Pamela Douglas

Emerging Minds — Sat, 15 May 2021 23:30:00 +0000

Dr Pamela Douglas is a general practitioner and medical director of Possums & Co., a charity which educates health professionals in evidence-based neuroprotective developmental care, including the Possums Baby and Toddler Sleep Program. Pamela is an adjunct associate professor with the Maternal Newborn and Families Research Group at Griffith University, and Senior Lecturer with the Primary Care Clinical Unit at The University of Queensland. She is also the author of The discontented little baby book: all you need to know about feeds, sleep and crying. In a society where one third of parents seek help regarding their baby’s sleep, Pamela has spent her career researching ways to support babies and parents to develop effective and nurturing sleeping habits. She has worked with parents to develop evidence-based neuroprotective developmental care as a crucial understanding in providing responsive or cued care for babies. An important part of Pamela’s work has focused on how babies can initiate and participate in a synchronised relationship with their mother. Pamela works with parents to synchronise their sleep as much as possible with the patterns of the baby. Pamela discusses parents’ anxiety in creating regimented and formulated sleep times, and how she has attempted to shift the focus on enjoying awake times with babies and the creation of rich and enjoyable sensory experiences. In this episode, we discuss what the latest insights from neuroscience, anthropology and maternal and infant research tell us about infants’ needs around sleep, and how sleep can become a more harmonious experience for families. In this episode you will learn:

why the responsive or cued care of our babies is important if we are to optimise developmental outcomes and secure attachment [5:09]
the key principles of the first wave behavioural approach to babies’ sleep, and how these might affect a parent’s ability to experiment with sleep times and patterns [9:22]
how to trust a baby’s sleep regulators and focus on providing the baby with rich and changing sensory input [19:47]
how an evolutionary context helps us to understand what babies and parents need to enjoy positive sleep patterns [26:16]

Co-design: Disrupting business as usual - part two

Emerging Minds — Sun, 02 May 2021 01:30:34 +0000

How can the voices of people with lived experience be authentically incorporated into resource and service design?  This episode continues the conversation from part 1, exploring the process of co-design through the case study of Emerging Minds’ practice paper, Supporting children and families: How does co-design invite us to think differently? Child and family partner coordinator, Lydia Trowse is once again joined by co-authors Jason Tyndale (child and family partner), Jackie Amos (psychiatrist), and Rhys Price-Robertson (researcher). Together, they reflect on their experiences and share advice for people looking to integrate co-design into their work with children and families.   In this episode you will learn:

the value of authentic human relationships [02:00]
strategies for managing disagreements or conflict [06:02]
about the need to balance different perspectives  [07:00]
how to balance power [14:05]
how co-design processes might help families and children more broadly [27:00]

Further information and resources: Supporting children and families: How does co-design invite us to think differently? - practice paper: https://emergingminds.frmdv.com/resources/supporting-children-and-families-how-does-co-design-invite-us-to-think-differently/

Co-design: Disrupting business as usual - part one

Emerging Minds — Sat, 17 Apr 2021 23:30:12 +0000

In this conversation, we explore the process of co-design through the case study of Emerging Minds’ practice paper, Supporting children and families: How does co-design invite us to think differently? Child and family partner coordinator, Lydia Trowse is joined by co-authors Jason Tyndale (child and family partner), Jackie Amos (psychiatrist), and Rhys Price-Robertson (researcher) to discuss how the process of co-design informed the conceptualisation, design and development of this resource, and to share practical tips for people looking to integrate co-design into their work with children and families. In this episode you will learn:

how removing your ‘expert hat’ can allow for authentic engagement [4:00]
the value of stepping away from traditional roles and instead meeting as people [11:20]
how co-design can be achieved when organisational constraints exist [18:32]
how to support people with lived experience throughout the co-design process [20:22]
the importance of acknowledging and balancing power [28:28]
tips to incorporate children’s voices in your work [30:43]

Further information and resources: Supporting children and families: How does co-design invite us to think differently? - paper: https://emergingminds.frmdv.com/resources/supporting-children-and-families-how-does-co-design-invite-us-to-think-differently/

Breaking the cycle of intergenerational disadvantage

Emerging Minds — Sat, 03 Apr 2021 01:09:10 +0000

In this episode, we are joined by Danielle Abbott from The Australian Centre for Social Innovation (TACSI). Dani has worked with TACSI for 10 years, exploring innovative ways of working with tough and complex issues. She is the Quality Implementation Lead for Family by Family and the Virtual Village programs, which have been codesigned with families for families. These programs combine the lived experiences of families with proven social theory and evidence-based practice to create confidence, self-agency and resilience for participants. Families that have been involved attest to the programs’ helpfulness in shifting the negative effects of intergenerational disadvantage.  Dani describes the issues that families with experiences of intergenerational disadvantage face and the impacts it has on children’s mental health and wellbeing and on parents and parenting. She discusses the type of deeply human and compassionate therapeutic relationship that will support practitioners to truly walk alongside families and help effect deep and long-term change. Dani also shares some of the key things that are helpful for practitioners to know about in supporting families to ‘chip away’ at cycles of intergenerational disadvantage, based on her many years of experience. Though it deals with a difficult issue, this episode is inspirational and optimistic, providing real-life examples of families experiencing intergenerational disadvantage and some of the significant changes they have made. In this episode you will learn:

how trauma and toxic stress impact on the child and intergenerational cycles [00:07]
how to develop authentic therapeutic relationships and compassionate, trauma-informed practice [09:38]
the importance of personal agency, supportive relationships, modeling of parenting skills and interactions, and taking a strengths-based approach [16:00]
how to support parents and children with emotional regulation [23:19]
the importance of early intervention and support to break the cycles of intergenerational trauma. [37:37]

Further information and resources: Intergenerational Mental Health e-learning course https://learning.emergingminds.com.au/course/intergenerational-mental-health The impact of trauma on the child e-learning course https://learning.emergingminds.com.au/course/the-impact-of-trauma-on-the-child Supporting infants and toddlers e-learning course https://learning.emergingminds.com.au/course/supporting-infants-and-toddlers The impact of parental substance use on the child e-learning course https://learning.emergingminds.com.au/course/the-impact-of-parental-substance-use-on-the-child Parental substance use and child-aware practice e-learning course https://learning.emergingminds.com.au/course/parental-substance-use-and-child-aware-practice The impact of family and domestic violence on the child e-learning course https://learning.emergingminds.com.au/course/the-impact-of-family-and-domestic-violence-on-the-child Family and domestic violence and child-aware practice e-learning course https://learning.emergingminds.com.au/course/family-and-domestic-violence-and-child-aware-practice-1 Engaging with parents when there are child protection concerns: Key considerations https://emergingminds.frmdv.com/resources/engaging-with-parents-when-there-are-child-protection-concerns-key-considerations/?_gl=1*je1wkz*_ga*MTcxOTM1ODczMy4xNTcyMzk3MTU1*_ga_Y4RHXYLTXV*MTYxNzA3MTk0MS4xMC4xLjE2MTcwNzIxNzMuNjA.&_ga=2.2030961.1930085463.1617001705-1719358733.1572397155 Working with mothers affected by substance use: Keeping children in mind https://emergingminds.frmdv.com/resources/working-with-mothers-affected-by-substance-use-keeping-children-in-mind/?_gl=1*je1wkz*_ga*MTcxOTM1ODczMy4xNTcyMzk3MTU1*_ga_Y4RHXYLTXV*MTYxNzA3MTk0MS4xMC4xLjE2MTcwNzIxNzMuNjA.&_ga=2.2030961.1930085463.1617001705-1719358733.1572397155

Working with children with high sensitivity

Emerging Minds — Sun, 21 Mar 2021 21:38:38 +0000

In this episode, Rachel describes how she has developed schema therapy and understandings of attachment to help parents and children in her practice, particularly those who experience high sensitivity. Rachel’s work is informed by research which suggests that 31% of people fall into the highly sensitive category, and that high sensitivity makes people more aware and reactive to the environment around them. In her practice, Rachel has helped parents and children to reflect on how they react in stressful or worrying situations, and how this might affect their relationships and mental health. She is careful to explore both the strengths and vulnerabilities that are associated with high sensitivity, in ways that can help make parents and children more aware of their reactions to certain events and to support co-regulation. Rachel describes the connection between unstable environments for children with high sensitivity and poorer mental health outcomes in the short and long term. She believes that practitioners who are attuned to the specific needs of children with high sensitivity are well placed to work with children and parents to develop shared understandings of their support needs. In this episode you will learn:

what high sensitivity is, how common it is, and how it can affect children and parents [7:28]
how an understanding of high sensitivity can help practitioners and parents to better support children's wellbeing, and how this relates to mental health [14:06]
some of the signs of high sensitivity in children [24:53]
messages that will support parents to help their child with high sensitivity to flourish [28:13]

Further information and resources: Autism, neurodiversity, and child-centred practice - part 1 - Emerging Minds Autism, neurodiversity, and child-centred practice - part 2 - Emerging Minds Supporting children through understanding regulation - part 1 - Emerging Minds Supporting children through understanding regulation - part 2 - Emerging Minds

Supporting the communication needs of children with complex trauma - part two

Emerging Minds — Sat, 06 Mar 2021 22:30:34 +0000

This is part 2 of our conversation about using speech pathology to support children who’ve experienced complex trauma. Speech pathologist, Kate Headley, continues to explore the approaches she uses to ensure her work is child-centred, and elaborates on the role of speech pathology in a multidisciplinary complex trauma service.

Supporting the communication needs of children with complex trauma - part one

Emerging Minds — Sat, 20 Feb 2021 07:30:34 +0000

This is the first part of a conversation exploring the role of speech pathology in supporting children who’ve experienced complex trauma. Speech pathologist, Kate Headley, provides rich examples of how she builds trusting relationships with children to support their language and communication needs.

Identifying developmental concerns in school-aged children

Emerging Minds — Mon, 08 Feb 2021 05:10:40 +0000

Identifying developmental concerns in children can be challenging for practitioners, especially after the early years. Work by speech pathologist, Susan Pagel has led to the Red Flags Guide: a guide to support practitioners and parents to discuss children’s development and more easily identify where they might need specialist support.

An interview with Resilience

Emerging Minds — Mon, 25 Jan 2021 00:30:22 +0000

Resilience is a crucial part of positive mental health in infants and children. It is important that people who work with children have a sound understanding of the factors that help children grow, stay strong and remain present.

An interview with Shame

Emerging Minds — Sun, 24 Jan 2021 23:30:15 +0000

Children who experience violence or trauma at home commonly experience increased feelings of shame over time. Without support, these feelings can have significant negative effects on children’s mental health, and can convince them that they are responsible for adult perpetration of violence.

An interview with Secrecy

Emerging Minds — Sun, 24 Jan 2021 23:00:54 +0000

In this candid interview, Secrecy shares the role they play in preventing children from accessing the services they need after experiencing sexual abuse. They discuss the history of their role in suppressing community awareness of child sexual abuse, and the ways in which they deprive children and adults of the information they need to prevent and respond to abuse. Secrecy shares with us their concerns regarding the developing practice skills of many professionals who help children to disclose their abuse, and to recover from the effects. However, Secrecy still has many tricks up their sleeve to prevent practice confidence and competence in encouraging and responding to disclosures of abuse, such as convincing practitioners ‘not to open a can of worms.’ Secrecy also explores the long-term implications for children’s mental health if they do not access the support that they need, and explains how they work together with Self-blame and Shame to ensure poorer relationship, educational, financial and health outcomes for victims of abuse. In this episode you will learn:

how Secrecy tricks children into believing they should keep child sexual abuse to themselves, and how perpetrators help Secrecy to prevent disclosures [1:34]
the tricks that Secrecy uses to take away children’s voices [3:15]
the difference that it can make for children when adults shine a light on Secrecy, and help children have important conversations about safety [5:50]
how Shame and Self-blame convince children that they don’t deserve support for their experience of abuse, and that the abuse was their fault [12:15]

Further information and resources: Emerging Minds Learning Making use of practitioners’ skills to support a child who has been sexually abused - Emerging Minds Responding to the challenge of child sexual abuse - Emerging Minds

Re-release - Substance use and child-aware practice - part two

Emerging Minds — Sat, 09 Jan 2021 22:54:18 +0000

In this episode we learn more from experienced practitioners about working with parents with substance use issues in child focused ways. What are the other background or coexisting factors for these families? How can child focused practice help break intergenerational cycles of substance use issues in the family and find out more about what practitioners can do to help.

Re-release - Substance use and child-aware practice - part one

Emerging Minds — Sat, 26 Dec 2020 22:38:58 +0000

In this episode, we will be talking with practitioners and listening to their experiences in working with parents with substance use issues. We will be learning about how children can be impacted by their parent/s’ substance use and about how practitioners can help improve outcomes for children’s mental health and wellbeing by adopting a child-focused approach in their practice.

Reflecting on 2020

Emerging Minds — Wed, 16 Dec 2020 04:41:13 +0000

What might children be experiencing this Christmas, in light of the unique and challenging year that 2020 has been? In this episode, three of our team members share their perspectives on how the events of 2020 might affect children and families this holiday season, and offer suggestions for ways families can support each other during this time. Tune in to hear from Emerging Minds’ director, Brad Morgan, as well as two of our Child Mental Health Consultants, Angela Scuderi in Melbourne and Ania Mazurkiewicz in Sydney. In this episode you will learn:

many of us may be feeling mixed emotions and it’s okay to feel anxious and worried [05:17]
how maintaining routines can create a sense of safety for children [06:38]
developing a plan for the holidays and including children in the planning can be helpful [14:30]
why nurturing relationships and connections is especially important this year [19:12]
2020 may have taught us to slow down and value simplicity [21:22]

Further information and resources: Resources for parents: COVID-19 resource summary: https://emergingminds.frmdv.com/resources/covid-19-resource-summary/ Managing routines for children during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic: https://emergingminds.frmdv.com/resources/managing-routines-for-children-during-the-covid-19-pandemic/ Resources for practitioners: The long-term effects of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and what they might mean for practitioners: https://emergingminds.frmdv.com/resources/the-long-term-effects-of-the-coronavirus-covid-19-pandemic-and-what-they-mean-for-practitioners/ Bonus podcast episode: Children’s mental health during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic: https://emergingminds.frmdv.com/resources/podcast/childrens-mental-health-during-covid-19/

2009 Victorian Bushfires: Supporting recovery

Emerging Minds — Sat, 05 Dec 2020 03:04:36 +0000

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. In this episode you will learn:

the range of emotional presentations that may emerge in children post bushfires [03:41]
how learning communities and educators can be helpful in the immediate aftermath of a bushfire [12:04]
how to support children experiencing distress in a tailored and flexible way in the classroom [18:04]
the role of peer support in bushfire recovery [23:04]
the importance of normalising the whole spectrum of emotional responses post bushfire [25:01]
the role and power of youth-led recovery resources and workshops [29:40]
key messages for learning communities in their bushfire recovery [31:42]

Further information and resources: Community Trauma Toolkit: https://emergingminds.com.au/resources/toolkits/community-trauma-toolkit/ Trauma sensitive behaviour management: https://emergingminds.com.au/resources/trauma-sensitive-behaviour-management/ More water than fire: A poster showing ways parents and carers can build safety with children touched by fire Children need to not feel alone: https://media.digistormhosting.com.au/woodleigh/content/MoreWaterThanFire.pdf?mtime=20200129130339

Supporting children through understanding regulation - part two

Emerging Minds — Fri, 20 Nov 2020 22:30:50 +0000

This episode is part two of our conversation about regulation and how understanding the way the body regulates different states of arousal can support children’s social and emotional development.

Supporting children through understanding regulation - part one

Emerging Minds — Sat, 07 Nov 2020 03:16:40 +0000

This episode is part one of a conversation that explores the topic of regulation. It looks at how understanding the way the body regulates different states of arousal can support children’s social and emotional development.

Biopsychosocial formulation and the key phases of a child mental health assessment

Emerging Minds — Tue, 27 Oct 2020 07:20:55 +0000

This episode is part of our upcoming e-learning course, A GP Framework for Child Mental Health Assessment. What are the key phases of a child mental health assessment in general practice? Dr Andrew Leech joins the Emerging Minds podcast to discuss these phases and the principal role that biopsychosocial formulation plays in conducting a child mental health assessment. Andrew is a GP based in Perth, Western Australia, and has a passion for paediatric general practice as well as the role that GPs can play in positively influencing a child’s life trajectory. He has a diploma in child health and holds advisory roles at the RACGP and Emerging Minds. In this episode, Andrew summarises the four key phases of a child mental health assessment that are articulated in the e-Learning course, ‘A GP Framework for Child Mental Health Assessment (5-12 years)’, and explains the important role that a biopsychosocial approach to formulation plays in supporting the child and family. In this episode you will learn:

key phases of a child mental health assessment [1:14]
how a biopsychosocial formulation help with understanding the needs of a child and family [9:50]
the difference between formulation and diagnosis [21:00]
the challenges GPs face in forming an understanding of a child’s mental health needs [27:33]
advice for completing a child mental health assessment [32:21]

Further information and resources: A GP Framework for Child Mental Health Assessment e-learning course: https://emergingminds.com.au/online-course/a-gp-framework-for-child-mental-health-assessment-5-12-years/ Supporting Children’s Resilience in General Practice e-learning course: https://emergingminds.com.au/online-course/supporting-childrens-resilience-in-general-practice/ Supporting child mental health in general practice with Dr Sara Whitburn podcast: https://emergingminds.com.au/resources/podcast/supporting-child-mental-health-in-general-practice/

Taking a team approach to managing children's mental health in general practice

Emerging Minds — Sat, 24 Oct 2020 22:30:20 +0000

This episode explores what is meant by collaboration and a team-based approach to the management of children’s mental health in general practice.

Transferable skills and the role of GPs in child mental health assessment

Emerging Minds — Tue, 20 Oct 2020 00:30:00 +0000

This episode examines the role of the GP in child mental health assessment and identifies the transferrable skills that can support GPs in this work.

Key skills in engaging children during a child mental health assessment

Emerging Minds — Sat, 17 Oct 2020 20:30:59 +0000

This episode explores the skills of engagement in the general practice environment as part of conducting a child mental health assessment.

Responding to the challenge of child sexual abuse

Emerging Minds — Sat, 03 Oct 2020 05:08:21 +0000

Why is it so difficult for children to disclose sexual abuse and how can we make it easier? This episode we're joined by Carol Ronken, Director of Research at Bravehearts. Carol draws on her 17 years of experience working in the field to answer this question, as well as share other insights on the issue of child sexual abuse. As well as overseeing research at Bravehearts, Carol is a Visiting Fellow in the School of Justice, Faculty of Law, at Queensland University of Technology and sits on a number of working groups including the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation Research Working Group, the Twitter Trust and Safety Council (Australia), and the Australian Child Rights Taskforce. In this conversation, 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. In this episode you will learn:

how to define what is meant by ‘child sexual abuse’ [07:42]
how sexual abuse differs from other forms of abuse and neglect [12:45]
what prevention looks like with young children [19:15]
how to open up the conversation about child sexual abuse [27:04]
what is important for practitioners to know about child sexual abuse [27:04]
how to make sense of 'red flags' [32:18]
how children are particularly vulnerable in online environments [37:46]

Further information and resources: Responding to a disclosure of child sexual abuse: https://emergingminds.com.au/resources/responding-to-a-disclosure-of-child-sexual-abuse/ Responding to children and young people's disclosures of abuse: https://emergingminds.com.au/resources/responding-to-children-and-young-peoples-disclosures-of-abuse/ Making use of practitioners’ skills to support a child who has been sexually abused: https://emergingminds.com.au/resources/making-use-of-practitioners-skills-to-support-a-child-who-has-been-sexually-abused/ Information and resources for parents on the Bravehearts website: https://bravehearts.org.au/what-we-do/education-and-training/for-parents/ Ditto’s Keep Safe Adventure program: https://bravehearts.org.au/keepsafe eSafety Commissioner: https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents

Tuning in to Kids and the value of emotionally connecting with children

Emerging Minds — Sat, 19 Sep 2020 07:24:21 +0000

What happens when we welcome children’s emotions rather than minimising or dismissing them? This episode explores the benefits of an emotion-focused approach to parenting with associate professor and clinical psychologist, Sophie Havighurst. Sophie has spent her career developing, implementing, and evaluating the program, Tuning in to Kids, which was designed to teach parents how to support their children's emotional development. Sophie discovered the impact that an emotionally disconnected childhood can have while working in mental health and forensic settings early in her clinical career. This discovery set her on a course of wanting to change the way parents respond to children’s emotions and the development of the suite of Tuning in to Kids programs. In this episode, we discuss why connecting with children’s emotions is so important for their development, along with some of the fundamental principles taught in Tuning in to Kids. In this episode you will learn:

about the Tuning in to Kids parenting program [06:20]
why understanding emotions is so important [09:50]
how to help parents identify their automatic reactions [12:28]
why it’s important to use minimal language when children are upset [17:25]
what changes were observed in the children and parents who took part in the Tuning in to Kids program [24:50].

Further information and resources: Tuning in to Kids website

Supporting dads in their role as fathers

Emerging Minds — Fri, 04 Sep 2020 05:18:30 +0000

This episode explores dads’ views on fatherhood and the support they need in their role as fathers.

Supporting children and families through telehealth

Emerging Minds — Sat, 22 Aug 2020 05:30:17 +0000

What a family can expect from the first telehealth session (07:15)
Helping families become comfortable with technology (10:38)
Keeping the child’s context in mind in telehealth service delivery (18:19)
Suggestions for practitioners new to telehealth (24:22)

Further information and resources: A practical guide to working with children and families through telehealth: https://emergingminds.com.au/resources/a-practical-guide-to-working-with-children-and-families-through-telehealth/

The role of speech pathology in child mental health

Emerging Minds — Fri, 07 Aug 2020 08:30:01 +0000

Two mental health speech pathologists join this episode to talk about the relationship between children’s speech, language, and communication needs and their wellbeing.

Autism, neurodiversity and child-centred practice - part two

Emerging Minds — Fri, 24 Jul 2020 07:47:14 +0000

In the second part of this episode, Dr Erin Bulluss discusses the overlap between Autism, developmental trauma, and high sensitivity, and explores ways of practicing with Autistic children that are child-centred and honouring of their uniqueness.

Autism, neurodiversity and child-centred practice - part one

Emerging Minds — Thu, 09 Jul 2020 23:46:06 +0000

Dr Erin Bulluss is a clinical psychologist with lived experience of autism. In this episode, we discuss what autism is from an autistic perspective, why there can be a lot of variation in presentation and the reason that early diagnosis for autistic girls tends to get missed.

Rural children's voices - episode eight

Emerging Minds — Thu, 25 Jun 2020 07:50:06 +0000

South Australia’s first Commissioner for Children and Young People, Helen Connolly, shares advice on engagement, how we can better listen to this age group and insights on what it is like for rural children and young people during time of adversities, such as drought. In this episode, Helen Connolly, South Australia’s first Commissioner for Children and Young People, shares her experiences and what she has leant from talking and working with thousands of children and young people from all over South Australia. Some of the stories in this podcast may be distressing to some people. If you or someone you know require assistance, please call LifeLine on 13 11 14 or beyondblue on 1300 22 4636. If life is in danger, call 000. Reflections:

Reflection 1: Commissioner’s role [00:47]
Reflection 2: Commissioner’s approach in engaging children and young people [01:20]
Reflection 3: Commissioner’s insight of regional and rural children and communities [03:32]
Reflection 4: Commissioner’s advice for adults [04:48]
Reflection 5: Commissioner’s insight on how to better listen to children and young people [06:17]
Reflection 6: Commissioner’s on how children and young people voices can be heard [08:15]
Reflection 7: Commissioner’s on how to support a positive future for children and young people in their lives [10:02]

Further information and resources:

Commissioner for Children and Young People SA: https://www.ccyp.com.au/

The SA commissioner’s role is to promote and advocate for the rights, interests and wellbeing of children and young people. This is done through: making recommendations to government and examining systemic issues relating to children and young people; conducting research and producing reports; and ensuring that South Australia meets its international obligations. The commission also seeks to engage children and young people to encourage their participation in decision making that affects their lives (Government of South Australia, 2018; The Children and Young People (Oversight and Advocacy Bodies) Act 2016).

List of all the Australian, State and Territories Children's and Young People Commissioners and Guardians via the CFCA website: https://aifs.gov.au/cfca/publications/childrens-commissioners-and-guardians

Focus on the positive future - episode seven

Emerging Minds — Thu, 25 Jun 2020 07:47:04 +0000

In this episode, three rural parents share their experiences on how they focus on a positive future to support them during tough times, such as drought. Clinical psychologists John Dean and Andrea Baldwin provide their practice wisdom for parents and caregivers on why it’s important to have hope, and to focus on fun and looking forward in a positive way for their children and themselves.

Give your child the opportunity to make decisions - episode six

Emerging Minds — Thu, 25 Jun 2020 07:45:03 +0000

In this episode, two rural parents share their experiences in how they support their children to make decisions and have their voices heard. Clinical psychologists John Dean and Andrea Baldwin provide their practice wisdom for parents and caregivers on why it’s important to support a child on their own decision-making, and some practical strategies on supporting a child to achieve this.

Support your child's social connections - episode five

Emerging Minds — Thu, 25 Jun 2020 07:42:05 +0000

In this episode, four rural parents share their experiences on how they support their child's social connections with family, friends, school and communities during tough times, such as drought. Clinical psychologists John Dean and Andrea Baldwin provide their practice wisdom with some tips for parents and caregivers on why social connections are important for children, with some practical strategies during difficult times.

Be on the lookout for changes in your child's behaviour - episode four

Emerging Minds — Thu, 25 Jun 2020 07:40:01 +0000

In this episode, three rural parents share their experiences on how they have been on the lookout for mood changes in their children during tough times, such as drought. Clinical psychologists, John Dean and Andrea Baldwin, provide their practice wisdom with some tips for parents and caregivers on practical strategies, and when to seek support for their children during drought.

Keep an open conversation - episode three

Emerging Minds — Thu, 25 Jun 2020 07:38:00 +0000

In this episode, three rural parents share their experiences on how they have encouraged their children to talk about their feelings during tough times, such as drought. In addition, John Dean and Andrea Baldwin, two clinical psychologists, provide their practice wisdom with some tips for parents and caregivers in how they can support open conversations during and after these difficult times.

Try looking at things through your child's eyes - episode two

Emerging Minds — Thu, 25 Jun 2020 07:35:59 +0000

In this episode, two rural parents share their experiences on how they look at things from their children’s perspective and what they are seeing, hearing, and feeling during tough times, such as drought. In addition, clinical psychologists John Dean and Andrea Baldwin provide their practice wisdom on how parents and caregivers can help their children by understanding their reactions and behaviours during and after these difficult times.

Try to look after yourself - episode one

Emerging Minds — Thu, 25 Jun 2020 07:30:43 +0000

Try to look after yourself so you can look after your children. Parents play a vital role for children in times of drought. Your capacity to cope during drought impacts your children's response to stress and their wellbeing during and after the event. Self-care is vital, so it is important that you seek out any help you need so you are better able to support your kids. In this episode, three rural parents share their experiences on how they look after themselves during tough times such as drought. Clinical psychologists John Dean and Andrea Baldwin provide their practice wisdom gained over many years in how parents and caregivers can establish self-care routines and the importance in doing this during and after these difficult times. Some of the stories in this podcast may be distressing to some people. If you or someone you know require assistance, please call LifeLine on 13 11 14 or beyondblue on 1300 224 636. If life is in danger, call 000. Reflections:

Reflection 1: Amy (parent) [00:56]
Reflection 1a: Andrea (clinical psychologist) [01:50]
Reflection 2: Belinda (parent) [05:32]
Reflection 2a: John (clinical psychologist) [06:36]
Reflection 3 : Jane (parent) [10:37]
Reflection 3a: John (clinical psychologist) [11:00]

Further information and resources:

The big dry: the impact of drought on children and families: https://emergingminds.com.au/resources/the-big-dry-the-impact-of-drought-on-children-and-families/
Self-care plan – completed: https://emergingminds.com.au/resources/self-care-plan-completed/
Self-care plan – blank: https://emergingminds.com.au/resources/self-care-plan-blank/

Acknowledgements: Hosts: Events On Air (Drew and Leigh Radford). The Radford brothers previously work for the ABC and held various roles from Journalist, Executive Producers and Directors in both the urban and regional settings in Australia. Drew Radford is passionate about rural issues and need for respectful and authentic storytelling to ensure that the essence of people’s experiences and stories are captured. Podcast voices: Emerging Minds thanks the parents for Isolated Children’s Parent’s Association SA, School Link and Got It! Programs, NSW Health Murrumbidgee Local Health District and Queensland Centre for Perinatal and Infant Mental Health, Children’s Health Queensland Hospital and Health Service, for contributing to this podcast. Development committee: This podcast series has been co-designed with support from executive members from Isolated Children’s Parent’s Association SA and NSW Branches, Remote Isolated Children’s Exercise, South Australia Government Drought Response program, Department of Rural Health, University of South Australia and Emerging Minds staff. Funders: This podcast series has been made possible by funding from Country SA PHN under the ‘empowering our communities SA’ grant and the National Workforce Centre for Child Mental Health, led by Emerging Minds. The National Workforce Centre for Child Mental Health is funded by the Australian Government Department of Health under the National Support for Child and Youth Mental Health Program. Music: Podcast music theme for this series has been created by Stu Day Music: https://studaymusic.com/ Photos and Drawings: Postcard images courtesy SA Commissioner for Children and Young People’s “Tell Helen Postcard Project” Visit ccyp.com.au for details.

Substance use and child-aware practice - part two

Emerging Minds — Fri, 19 Jun 2020 04:20:09 +0000

What are the types of factors that underpin substance use in families and how can practitioners support parents to make changes that will improve outcomes for themselves and for their children? Suzie Hudson, Sarah Watson, Melissa Shee, Lisa Hofman and Sally Field generously share their valuable insights about why practitioners should ask their clients about their children; how practitioners of drug and alcohol and generalist services are in a unique position to be able to support parents with substance use issues to improve outcomes for children. And how a child focused approach can help to break intergenerational cycles of substance use as a coping mechanism for people with background histories of trauma and disadvantage. In this episode you will learn:

Can substance use be used by mothers as a way to mask other issues, such as family violence or past trauma?  (01:40)
The benefit of working directly with children who are affected by substance use in their family  (13:52)
What does inclusive family practice look like with parents who are using substances? (16:07)

Further information and resource:

e-learning: Parental substance use and child-aware practice, principles and practices https://emergingminds.com.au/online-course/parental-substance-use-and-child-aware-practice-principles-and-practices/
e-learning: The impact of parental substance use on the child- foundation https://emergingminds.com.au/online-course/the-impact-of-parental-substance-use-on-the-child-foundation/

Substance use and child-aware practice - part one

Emerging Minds — Fri, 19 Jun 2020 04:19:58 +0000

Have you always wanted to adopt a child-focused approach when working with parents with substance use issues but perhaps you have been a bit unsure as to what this might actually look like in practice? In this podcast we will hear from four practitioners who will talk us through how children are impacted by their parent’s substance use, how practitioners can open up supportive conversations with parents about their children, how asking about children is helpful in harnessing motivation for clients to make positive changes and the impacts of stigma and shame, particularly for mothers seeking treatment for substance use. Featuring: Sally Riley, Suzie Hudson, Melissa Shee, Sarah Watson, and Lisa Hofman. In this episode you will learn:

The effects of parental substance use on children (00:43)
Why is it important to help parents notice these effects? (04:28)
Are children a motivating factor in parents’ recovery? (08:59)
Is stigma an obstacle for mothers who have substances? (11:34)

Further information and resource:

e-learning: Parental substance use and child-aware practice, principles and practices https://emergingminds.com.au/online-course/parental-substance-use-and-child-aware-practice-principles-and-practices/
e-learning: The impact of parental substance use on the child- foundation https://emergingminds.com.au/online-course/the-impact-of-parental-substance-use-on-the-child-foundation/

Positive post-separation parenting

Emerging Minds — Sat, 06 Jun 2020 05:20:05 +0000

In this episode, Dr. Priscilla Dunk-West joins the series again to discuss what separation and divorce look like when it goes well for children.

A story from Community

Emerging Minds — Mon, 25 May 2020 02:30:07 +0000

In this podcast, Clyde Rigney Sr and Rose Rigney share their story of their community, Raukkan. Raukkan is a Ngarrindjeri community on the banks of Lake Alexandrina, whose historical church takes pride of place on the Australian fifty-dollar note. Established in 1859 as Point McLeay mission, and finally being handed back to the Ngarrindjeri people in 1974, and renamed Raukkan in 1982.

Culturally informed trauma-integrated healing practice - part 2

Emerging Minds — Sat, 23 May 2020 23:45:08 +0000

This is the second part of a two-part series where we are joined by Emeritus Professor Judy Atkinson and Dr. Caroline (Carlie) Atkinson, CEO of ‘We Al-li’, two extraordinary women who have dedicated their lives to the healing of trauma for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, families and communities. Judy and Carlie share stories of practice through a culturally informed trauma-integrated healing framework which can assist practitioners in their building of relationships and support with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families and children in healing.

Culturally informed trauma-integrated healing practice - part 1

Emerging Minds — Sat, 23 May 2020 23:30:30 +0000

This is the first part of a two-part series where we are joined by Emeritus Professor Judy Atkinson and Dr. Caroline (Carlie) Atkinson, CEO of ‘We Al-li’, two extraordinary women who have dedicated their lives to the healing of trauma for First Nations children, families and communities. Judy and Carlie share stories of practice through a culturally informed trauma-integrated healing framework which can assist practitioners in their building of relationships and support with First Nations families and children in healing.

A story of resilience

Emerging Minds — Fri, 22 May 2020 23:00:24 +0000

In this podcast, you will meet Darryl Bingapore, a strong Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander man who has faced many struggles since his removal as a member of the Stolen Generations era. Darryl shares his experiences of diversity and healing, and hopes that his story helps to inform trauma-integrated practice for practitioners.

A story of two-way learning and healing

Emerging Minds — Fri, 22 May 2020 22:30:20 +0000

Family violence and child-aware practice - part two

Emerging Minds — Sat, 09 May 2020 02:13:25 +0000

Tune in to hear experienced family violence practitioners and other leaders in the field discuss some of the possible entry points into conversations about children’s wellbeing with mothers experiencing family violence and fathers who are using violence. They’ll also address themes of safety, complexity, and organisational support. This episode is the second in a two-part series on family and domestic violence and child-aware practice. Featuring: Aerinn Morgan, Joanne Allen and Philip Martin from Uniting Communities Specialised Family Violence Service, Sarah Wendt - Professor of Social Work at Flinders University, and Megan Hughes from Women’s Safety Services SA. In this episode you will learn:

The importance of generalist practitioners having the skills and confidence to work with parents who are living with family violence.
Listening for cues that can open up conversations with mothers who may be experiencing coercion, threats, put-downs, control, and fear of violence.
The many facets of safety considerations when working with mothers living with family violence.
Two key areas of conversation with fathers are asking what is important to them as a parent, and inviting him to be considering the impact of his violence and abuse on the children.

Further information and resources: e-Learning courses

Podcasts

Webinars

Practice Papers

Family violence and child-aware practice - part one

Emerging Minds — Fri, 08 May 2020 16:12:59 +0000

This episode is the first in a two-part series on family and domestic violence and child-aware practice. Tune in to hear experienced family violence practitioners and other leaders in the field discuss the impact of family and domestic violence on children and the mother-child relationship, and some of the practice dilemmas that accompany conversations with mothers about their children’s wellbeing in a context of family violence, and some ways of having conversations with mothers that respond to these dilemmas. Featuring: Aerinn Morgan, Joanne Allen and Philip Martin from Uniting Communities Specialised Family Violence Service, Sarah Wendt - Professor of Social Work at Flinders University, and Megan Hughes from Women’s Safety Services SA. In this episode you will learn:

Recognising the climate of fear is vital to understanding the impact of family and domestic violence on children.
An understanding the potential impacts of family and domestic violence on children and the mother-child relationship can inform practitioner’s curiosity when working with parents and children.
Non-blaming conversations with mothers about the effects of violence on their children are vital, challenging as possible.
Conversations with mothers about their preferred parenting practices can also support child aware practice.

Further information and resources: e-Learning courses

Podcasts

Webinars

Practice Papers

Reflections on culturally competent practice with Nellie Anderson

Emerging Minds — Sun, 26 Apr 2020 05:26:16 +0000

In this episode, social worker Nellie Anderson reflects on what she has learned about culturally competent practice through her extensive experience working with refugee communities.

Bonus episode: Children's mental health during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic

Emerging Minds — Mon, 20 Apr 2020 03:31:13 +0000

Why talking to children about the coronavirus pandemic is important (03:49)
What support babies and toddlers are needing (10:16)
What to consider in terms of the way parents’ mental health may be impacting on the wellbeing of their children (18:08)
What to consider in maintaining routines under isolation (22:00)
How news and media might be impacting children (23:14)

Further information and resources:

Reflections on culturally competent practice with Mthobeli Ngcanga

Emerging Minds — Sun, 12 Apr 2020 05:27:15 +0000

This episode provides an insight into what culturally competent practice with children and families looks like from the perspective of Mthobeli Ncganga, a practitioner who works with families from migrant and refugee communities with experiences of torture and trauma.

Inclusive practice with rainbow families

Emerging Minds — Fri, 27 Mar 2020 20:30:42 +0000

The social and cultural context of sexuality (02:47)
Asking questions to understand family configuration rather than making assumptions (07:43)
What child-focused and parent-sensitive practice looks like (12:44)
What services can do to promote inclusivity with rainbow families (23:32)

Co-discovering hope with children facing hardships

Emerging Minds — Sat, 14 Mar 2020 20:30:12 +0000

How do you create a sense of hope for children and families who are in the midst great hardship? Social worker and child and family therapist, Angel Yuen, has spent much of her career in Toronto, Canada, working alongside children, young people, and adults who have been subjected to abuse, violence, and oppression. She has taught narrative ideas in several countries for over a decade and is the author of various papers as well as the book 'Pathways beyond despair: re-authoring lives of young people through narrative therapy'. In this episode, we discuss her particular interest in working with children to co-discover and seek out hopeful and effective ways of responding to trauma and hardship. In this episode you will learn:

Identifying children’s skills about how they get through tough times (05:20)
Creating a context of hope with families (10:07)
Paying attention to children's language (14:32)
Working in a way that supports children’s agency (18:27)

Child-aware practice in families where there is violence

Emerging Minds — Sun, 01 Mar 2020 22:15:24 +0000

What principles and practices keep children's needs at the centre when working with families where there is violence? In this episode, Prof Sarah Wendt interviews Dr Carmela Bastian, both from Flinders University, about child-centred practice in situations of family and domestic violence. Carmela draws on her twenty plus years of experience as a practitioner and academic in the fields of child protection and human services to illuminate approaches that can help to navigate this complex space. In this episode you will learn:

Learning 1: Bringing conversations back to the impact on the child (03:34)
Learning 2: How to create safe spaces for children to talk (07:25)
Learning 3: Assessing parent-child relationship quality (13:00)
Learning 4: How to discuss safety without instilling a sense of blame (15:40)
Learning 5: Barriers to practicing in a child-centred way (28:54)

Further information and resources: The Impact of FDV on the Child: An Introduction Engaging fathers who use violence podcast Child-focused social work practice in the context of family and domestic violence: Understanding the impact of male violence Keeping children visible in practice responses to family and domestic violence

The mental health of refugee children in Australia

Emerging Minds — Sat, 15 Feb 2020 22:30:43 +0000

How are children from refugee backgrounds faring in terms of their social and emotional wellbeing? Tune into this conversation with Dr Sonia Terhaag to find out what the Building a New Life in Australia: The Longitudinal Study of Humanitarian Migrants can tell us about this. Sonia has worked in research for more than ten years in Canada and Australia and currently works on various national longitudinal research studies at the Australian Institute of Family Studies. In this episode you will learn:

What the BNLA study can tell us about social and emotional wellbeing in refugee children (6:07)
Experience of trauma in refugee families (07:56)
Impact of parent experiences on children’s mental health (10:11)
Implications of study findings for practitioners (17:00)

Further information and resources:

Building a New Life in Australia: The Longitudinal Study of Humanitarian Migrants https://aifs.gov.au/projects/building-new-life-australia
Adjustment of refugee children and adolescents in Australia: outcomes from wave three of the Building a New Life in Australia study
Cohort Profile: Building a New Life in Australia (BNLA): the longitudinal study of humanitarian migrants

A polyvagal approach to working with trauma

Emerging Minds — Sat, 01 Feb 2020 20:30:09 +0000

What can the body's signals tell us about how to respond to trauma? In this conversation with psychologist, Chris Cussen, we draw on polyvagal theory to understand how the nervous system is affected by trauma and what is supportive when working with children who have abuse-related trauma histories. Chris draws on her many years of experience working with the Australian Childhood Foundation to give a rich description of how a neurobiological perspective informs her practice. In this episode you will learn:

How to explain polyvagal concepts to a child (05:28)
What the body needs to move through a mobilised state (08:54)
The importance of facial expressions and tone of voice for social engagement (11:49)
Practices to support a child in a mobilised state (20:43)

Further information and resources:

Australian Childhood Foundation Discussion Paper 18: Polyvagal Theory and its implications for traumatised students: https://professionals.childhood.org.au/app/uploads/2018/08/SMART-Discussion-Paper-18.pdf
Stephen Porges' website: https://www.stephenporges.com/articles

Re-release - The ongoing psychosocial needs of children following a community trauma

Emerging Minds — Wed, 15 Jan 2020 22:30:10 +0000

This is a re-released episode from our Community Trauma Toolkit podcast series. In this episode we talk to Michelle Roberts, a psychologist and expert in the areas of child and adolescent trauma, loss and grief, and children's disaster recovery. She has decades of experience as an educator and psychologist supporting school communities, and discusses with us the ongoing psychosocial needs of children following a disaster or community trauma and how schools and families can work together to help prioritise and support children's needs. In this episode you will learn:

Why it is important to consider the needs of children after a disaster (00:43)
How children experience trauma differently to adults (2:14)
The main impacts of disaster on children (03:58)
The impacts of trauma on parenting and how to support parents (07:46)

Further information and resources: Trauma sensitive behaviour management How educators can support children in the short term following a disaster or community trauma Community Trauma Toolkit

Re-release - Communities in the immediate aftermath of a trauma

Emerging Minds — Tue, 31 Dec 2019 22:30:17 +0000

This is a re-released episode from our Community Trauma Toolkit podcast series. In this episode, we talk to Kate Brady, a Churchill Fellow and National Recovery Advisor at Australian Red Cross, about what happens in a community during and after a traumatic event. She discusses the difference between natural disasters and community traumas, what communities might experience, and how families, communities, and first responders can all respond to and support children in their recovery. In this episode you will learn:

What characterises a community trauma (01:05)
What families and communities might experience (11:18)
How to support families and children in affected communities (15:30)

Further information and resources: A guide for first responders: Supporting children immediately following a disaster Community Trauma Toolkit

Re-release - Disaster preparedness, myths and programs that hold promise

Emerging Minds — Tue, 17 Dec 2019 22:30:13 +0000

This is a re-released episode from our Community Trauma Toolkit podcast series. In this episode we talk to Dr. Briony Towers, a research fellow in the Centre for Urban Research at RMIT University, about the benefits of involving children in disaster preparedness, as well as some of the myths and misconceptions that children hold about disasters and bushfires in particular. In this episode you will learn:

The importance of bushfire planning (2:20)
The survive and thrive program for primary schools (10:39)
Children's involvement in their own preparedness (18:27)

Further information and resources: How Educators can prepare their students for a natural disaster How parents and caregivers can prepare for a natural disaster Community Trauma Toolkit

Therapeutic residential care: The example of Jo's

Emerging Minds — Wed, 04 Dec 2019 22:30:20 +0000

How do you create a family environment for young people in residential out-of-home care? Service Manager, Paula May, talks us through her experience of setting up and managing a therapeutic youth residential care program in South Australia called 'Jo's'. She explains how the program was designed, drawing heavily on recommendations from the report of the Child Protection Systems Royal Commission in SA, and how it works to support young people to shift from trauma to transformation. In this episode you will learn about:

Creating a sense of family in residential care (05:14)
Using a self-organising approach to support the youth work team (09:40)
The importance of staff being able to engage in normal parental responses (12:38)
Five stages of the therapeutic framework (20:34)

Further information and resources: Jo's Therapeutic Youth Residential Care (video): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qppfc4ZdeVo&feature=youtu.be

Working with trans and gender diverse children

Emerging Minds — Thu, 21 Nov 2019 21:30:50 +0000

What is it like to work in one of the country's main services providing care to trans and gender diverse children and adolescents? Paediatrician, Dr Michelle Telfer, is the Head of Department of Adolescent Medicine at The Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH) Melbourne and Director of the RCH Gender Service. In addition to improving medical and mental health services for the transgender population, Michelle played a major role in successfully advocating for legal reform, with transgender young people now able to access hormone and surgical treatment without the need for approval by the Family Court of Australia. Michelle shares her experience leading the Gender Service at the RCH, why she loves the work, and how practitioners can best support trans and gender diverse children and their families. In this episode you will learn:

How numbers of children seeking help are changing and why this might be (4:40)
How the Gender Service at RCH works (7:01)
The importance of language to the issue of gender diversity (10:13)
What child-focused and parent-sensitive practice looks like in the Gender Service (21:00)
How practitioners can best support trans or gender diverse children and their parents (30:25)

Further information and resources: The RCH Gender Service website Australian Professional Association for Trans Health website Australian Standards of Care and Treatment Guidelines: For trans and gender diverse children and adolescents More from Emerging Minds: Supporting trans and gender diverse children and their families Creating a welcoming and safe organisation for trans and gender diverse children and their families: A checklist for allied health services Supporting trans or gender diverse children and their families with gender affirmation: A guide for GPs and paediatricians Visit https://emergingminds.com.au/resources/podcast/working-with-trans-and-gender-diverse-children/ for all links and further information.

Children and technology: Screen use

Emerging Minds — Sun, 10 Nov 2019 21:30:31 +0000

A conversation about the influence of technology in children's lives, the impact of screen use on their health, and ways of working with families to manage screen time.

Mentalisation and parent-child therapy

Emerging Minds — Mon, 28 Oct 2019 02:30:31 +0000

Mentalising is the act of trying to think about what's happening in people's minds in order to make sense of their actions. In this episode, host Dom Kleinig talks to Perth-based psychologist, Dr Matthew Ruggiero about mentalising and mentalisation-based therapy (MBT). Dom and Matt talk about the skill of mentalising; its importance in human relationships; and how its development can strengthen parent-child relationships in situations where they are under strain. Dr Matt Ruggiero is a Counselling Psychologist in Perth, Australia. He runs MBT for individuals and groups at Lifespan Psychology Centre, with a focus on treating both adolescents with emerging personality disorder and parents/children engaging with Child Protection services. He is lead consultant for the implementation of MBT as a model of practice at the Perth Children’s Hospital Mental Health Inpatient unit as well as teaching and conducting research into developmental psychology at Curtin University. In this episode you will learn:

What is mentalising and how is it different to things like empathy? (01:52)
Marked mirroring as a building block for developing secure parent-infant relationships (06:13)
The importance of self-determination in the therapeutic process (14:08)
How to look beyond behaviour to see what's going on underneath (24:36)

Gambling harm

Emerging Minds — Mon, 14 Oct 2019 21:00:12 +0000

What are the impacts of gambling and how does it affect parents and children's mental health? Host Dan Moss speaks with Monya Murch, a psychotherapist who works for the Gambling Help Service at Relationships Australia in Adelaide. Monya has specialist training in addiction, trauma-informed practice, and perinatal mental health, which she brings to her work in supporting families affected by gambling. In this episode we explore how to build trust and use a strengths-based perspective when working with parents facing this issue, and ways to support parenting to further improve outcomes for children. In this episode you will learn:

A definition of gambling harm (02:04)
What leads people to engage in problematic gambling (04:08)
Role of stigma and shame in working with parents who gamble (12:55)
What child-focused, parent-sensitive practice looks like in gambling services (15:28)

Parental substance use and child-focused practice

Emerging Minds — Mon, 30 Sep 2019 00:47:38 +0000

In this episode, host Sophie Guy sits down with Gill Munro, social worker and workforce development officer at Emerging Minds to discuss child-focused practice in the AOD (alcohol and other drugs) sector. Before joining Emerging Minds, Gill managed a large specialist drug and alcohol service in South Australia. She draws on this experience as well as her recent involvement in developing a suite of e-learning resources, describing the importance of understanding trauma and how stigma and shame can prevent parents from engaging in services. In this episode you will learn:

How using a trauma-informed approach is important for responding helpfully to challenging behaviour (03:00)
What child-focused practice looks like in the AOD sector (07:48)
The challenge of strengthening parent-child relationships when shame and stigma are present (13:16)
What policy changes could increase child-focused practice to support child mental health (25:29)
Promising practice in the AOD sector (27:50)

Further information and resources:

The Impact of Parental Substance Use on the Child e-learning course: https://emergingminds.com.au/online-course/the-impact-of-parental-substance-use-on-the-child-foundation/
Parental Substance Use and Child-Aware Practice e-learning course: https://emergingminds.com.au/online-course/parental-substance-use-and-child-aware-practice-principles-and-practices/

Child-focused practice in adult-focused services

Emerging Minds — Mon, 23 Sep 2019 04:12:18 +0000

In today’s episode, Emerging Minds' Workforce Development Manager, Dan Moss speaks with the Executive General Manager of Policy and Programs at Relationships Australia South Australia, Jonathon Main. They discuss some of the implementation drivers at RASA that promote child-focused practice in services which mainly work with adults. Jonathon shares his insights on how screening, assessment, practice policy, recruitment and supervision all have a role to play in ensuring that children’s social and emotional wellbeing is at the forefront of all adult-focused service delivery. Jonathon has over 30 years’ experience in the provision of services to children and families with complex needs. He has held both clinical and management roles in the health, welfare and non-government sectors. The major focus of his work has been in provision of services that promote the healthy development of children, young people and families, and in community engagement programs that promote social inclusion and participation. In this episode you will learn:

Important aspects of attracting and supporting staff through clear understandings of child-focused practice (2:47)
How specific screening for children can help practitioners to have conversations with parents about their concerns for children (9:55)
An understanding of the importance of asking parents direct questions about the wellbeing of their children (11:54)
How to support staff to ask parents questions about their children without reinforcing stigma (15:35)

Further information and resources:

Six ways to support child-focused practice in adult services

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)

Emerging Minds — Mon, 09 Sep 2019 02:39:37 +0000

In this episode, host Sophie Guy speaks with Dr Sara McLean about Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). Dr Sara McLean is a registered psychologist and researcher. She has conducted extensive work to identify the role and impact of developmental differences and FASD in children in out-of-home care. In this episode you will learn:

Prevalence of FASD and the reason for its increase in recent years (06:10)
How is FASD diagnosed? (12:28)
What does effective therapeutic intervention look like for children with FASD? (18:33)
What is helpful for practitioners to know about working with children with FASD? (25:46)

Further information and resources:

What is Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)?: https://emergingminds.com.au/resources/what-is-fetal-alcohol-spectrum-disorder-fasd

Understanding the impacts of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) on child mental health

How to support children living with FASD

How to support caregivers and families living with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)

Systems and service supports for children and families living with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)

Visit https://emergingminds.com.au/resources/podcast/fasd-podcast/ for all links and further information.

Unravelling intergenerational trauma

Emerging Minds — Mon, 26 Aug 2019 07:06:33 +0000

In this episode, we talk with Dr Jackie Amos about her doctoral research into intergenerational patterns of relational trauma and how distressing parent-child relationships can be healed. Jackie is a child and adolescent psychiatrist and Gestalt psychotherapist. She is currently working with the family preservation and reunification team at Centacare to train and support staff in an intensive therapeutic approach that supports the mother and child individually as well as their relationship. In this episode you will learn:

The role of fear and shame in relational trauma (04:54)
Using evolutionary theory to understand child maltreatment (10:22)
Hedonic mode and its importance for healing intergenerational trauma (17:00)
Is relational trauma at the root of common emotional and behavioural problems? (24:23)

Further information and resources: Supporting children’s mental health after trauma webinar

What are adverse childhood experiences?

Emerging Minds — Mon, 12 Aug 2019 05:05:41 +0000

In this episode, we talk with Nicola Palfrey about adverse childhood experiences (ACEs); what they are and how they can be of use to practitioners who work with children and families. Nicola is a clinical psychologist and researcher who has worked extensively with children, adolescents and adults who have experienced significant adversity and trauma. She is responsible for leading the National Workforce Centre for Child Mental Health's approach to trauma, grief and loss along with its impacts on child mental health. In this episode you will learn:

Why could it be useful for a practitioner to know about ACEs? (04:33)
How to have sensitive conversations about ACEs (08:40)
Settings where ACEs screening is most beneficial (11:30)
How ACEs fit with other explanatory frameworks (19:26)

Further information and resources: Felitti and Anda's original article on the ACE study An introduction to the Biopsychosocial Model

Engaging fathers who use violence

Emerging Minds — Sun, 28 Jul 2019 23:01:57 +0000

In this episode, we talk with David Tully about engaging men who use violence and its role in supporting children's social and emotional wellbeing. David has worked in the area of domestic violence and childhood sexual assault for over 20 years and is currently Practice Manager for the Specialised Family Violence Services at Relationships Australia SA. In this episode you will learn:

The role of support services for men who use violence (07:54)
The importance of engaging fathers for child social and emotional wellbeing (04:25)
How to keep the needs of children visible in work with men who use violence (14:54)
Can men who use violence change? (26:13)

Further information and resources The Impact of FDV on the Child: An Introduction e-learning course

Six key practice positions for engaging families

Emerging Minds — Sun, 21 Jul 2019 21:30:17 +0000

In this episode, Dan Moss introduces us to six practice positions that can help practitioners to build positive working relationships with parents and create a foundation of safety to explore child social and emotional wellbeing. Dan worked as a practitioner and manager at Uniting Communities for more than 15 years and is currently the Workforce Development Manager at Emerging Minds. In this episode you will learn:

Child aware and parent sensitive practice as a foundation for supporting wellbeing (06:39)
Importance of exploring the child’s ecology (8:49)
How busy practitioners can use the practice positions (12:46)
What helps practitioners feel confident discussing child social and emotional wellbeing (16:55)

Further information and resources:

Creating culturally authentic services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families

Emerging Minds — Mon, 08 Jul 2019 23:29:37 +0000

One program manager’s journey to create culturally authentic support services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families.

Supporting child mental health in general practice

Emerging Minds — Mon, 24 Jun 2019 20:30:57 +0000

In this episode, we speak with Dr Sara Whitburn about the role of GPs in promoting children's resilience and mental health. Sara is a GP and lactation consultant in private practice in Melbourne who has a strong interest in women's and children’s health and the early years of parenting. We discuss the unique opportunity that GPs have to support child mental health and ways of bringing the conversation into the consulting room. Key learnings: - Using the continuity of general practice to support children and families (02:39) - Resources for GPs and families to support child social and emotional wellbeing (04:57) - Questions to open up a conversation about family functioning and child mental health (09:15) - Overcoming the barriers in general practice to support child mental health (14:30) Further information and resources:

What is infant and child mental health?

Emerging Minds — Mon, 10 Jun 2019 20:30:24 +0000

In this episode, we speak with Dr Nick Kowalenko, a child and adolescent psychiatrist based in Sydney. Nick has been practicing as a psychiatrist for more than 25 years and is President of the Tresillian Family Care Services Council as well as Deputy Chair of Emerging Minds. We talk infant and child mental health; what it looks like when things are going well and when things are not going so well; and the importance of the early years In this episode you will learn:

What is infant mental health?  (06:10)
What places infant’s mental health at risk? (11:59)
How to start conversations about child mental health with parents who are facing adversity (18:08)
What specialist mental health services are available to infants and children?  (24:49)

Further information and resources: Let's Talk About Children  Zero to Three website Australian Association for Infant Mental Health Early Childhood Australia Raising Children Network Queensland Centre for Perinatal and Infant Mental Health

Effective engagement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families in mainstream services

Emerging Minds — Tue, 28 May 2019 20:30:11 +0000

Learn ways of working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families that create genuine engagement and lead to culturally safe services.

The power of play

Emerging Minds — Sun, 12 May 2019 20:30:34 +0000

In this episode, we speak with Sarah Seekamp about the importance of play for child social and emotional wellbeing. Sarah is an occupational therapist and has spent much of her career working in primary health care settings. Her work has had a strong focus on supporting parents to play with their children in ways that encourage healthy growth and development. In this episode you will learn:

Why child-led play is necessary for healthy development (03:04)
How parents can support child-led play (05:49)
How practitioners can use play to support parent-child relationships (12:57)
Why parents can find it hard to let children lead (17:32)

Further information and resources: Practice paper: Parent-child play: A mental health promotion strategy for all children

Emerging Minds podcast introduction

Emerging Minds — Mon, 29 Apr 2019 02:16:50 +0000

Welcome to the Emerging Minds podcast series. Join us each fortnight as we speak with a wide range of practitioners - from GPs to social workers to psychiatrists - on a variety of topics related to children’s mental health.

How can a national workforce approach support children's social and emotional wellbeing?

Emerging Minds — Mon, 08 Apr 2019 06:46:39 +0000

In this episode, we sit down with the Director of the National Workforce Centre for Child Mental Health, Brad Morgan, to discuss why supporting the mental health of children under 12 years is so important. Tune in to learn why the mental health of children often flies under the radar and the approach that the National Workforce Centre is taking to support practitioners and other professionals to strengthen children's mental health.

Communities in the immediate aftermath of a trauma

Emerging Minds — Mon, 25 Mar 2019 03:24:30 +0000

In this episode, we talk to Kate Brady, a Churchill Fellow and National Recovery Advisor at Australian Red Cross, about what happens in a community during and after a traumatic event. She discusses the difference between natural disasters and community traumas, what communities might experience, and how families, communities, and first responders can all respond to and support children in their recovery. In this episode you will learn:

What characterises a community trauma (01:05)
What families and communities might experience (11:18)
How to support families and children in affected communities (15:30)

Further information and resources: A guide for first responders: Supporting children immediately following a disaster Community Trauma Toolkit

Disaster preparedness, myths and programs that hold promise

Emerging Minds — Mon, 25 Mar 2019 03:24:05 +0000

In this episode we talk to Dr Briony Towers, a research fellow in the Centre for Urban Research at RMIT University, about the benefits of involving children in disaster preparedness, as well as some of the myths and misconceptions that children hold about disasters and bushfires in particular. In this episode you will learn:

The survive and thrive program for primary schools (10:39)
Children's involvement in their own preparedness (18:27)

Further information and resources: How Educators can prepare their students for a natural disaster How parents and caregivers can prepare for a natural disaster Community Trauma Toolkit

The ongoing psychosocial needs of children following a community trauma

Emerging Minds — Mon, 25 Mar 2019 03:23:20 +0000

In this episode we talk to Michelle Roberts, a psychologist and expert in the areas of child and adolescent trauma, loss and grief, and children's disaster recovery. She has decades of experience as an educator and psychologist supporting school communities, and discusses with us the ongoing psychosocial needs of children following a disaster or community trauma and how schools and families can work together to help prioritise and support children's needs. In this episode you will learn:

why it is important to consider the needs of children after a disaster (00:43)
how children experience trauma differently to adults (2:14)
the main impacts of disaster on children (03:58)
the impacts of trauma on parenting and how to support parents (07:46)

Further information and resources: Trauma sensitive behaviour management How educators can support children in the short term following a disaster or community trauma Community Trauma Toolkit