A social enterprise providing education and information to protect and enhance the mental health of young people
The media has recently reported a string of stories concerning the sexualisation of young girls and the anxiety they are facing with increasing pressure on them to look ‘sexy’ when they are younger and younger. The most recent story concerns the new trend of letting ‘tweens’ get their legs waxed, this follows the ‘push up [...]
Writer Professor Louise Newman. The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists is concerned about the sexualisation of children in the contemporary media. Professor Louise Newman, of The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, recently presented ‘Too hot to handle: The psychological impact of sexualisation in the media’ at the Australian Conference [...]
The "In The Driver’s Seat II: Beyond the Early Driving Years" is the second report from the collaborative partnership between the Australian Institute of Family Studies, the Transport Accident Commission of Victoria and the Royal Automobile Club of Victoria. 1,000 adolescents participated in this report which looks at the driving behaviours of young people aged [...]
Published in Journal Watch Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine. A recent study has confirmed that the long-term consequences of harmful childhood experiences do persist into adulthood. In 1998 the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study (Am J Prev Med 1998; 14:245) showed that childhood maltreatment and family dysfunction contribute to many leading causes of death in [...]
At first glance it would seem that choosing Video Hits as a Media Partner for the recently held Australian National Youth Week made perfect sense, all teenagers are into music of some sort. Music crosses the great divide and is accessible to everyone; it can communicate on a level without barriers. But when we see [...]
Yet another fashion item has been marketed to children that is not age appropriate. The new padded bra on bikinis are aimed at children as young as 7 years old and follows the sale of padded bras, G strings for girls under 10 years old, Playboy stationary and pole dancing kits. However there has been [...]
Published in Journal Watch Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, 2010. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) is calling for a more-stringent control of alcohol advertising on cable television. Although advertising alcoholic beverages to a television audience with many underage drinkers has been avoided since 2003, it is felt that even tighter guidelines and limits need to be put [...]
The Community Alcohol Action Network (CAAN) website has been set up to encourage changes in the drinking culture of Australians. It has many features including a regular e-newsletter "GrogWatch" that covers the latest research and trends in alcohol consumption and its effects when not consumed in moderation. The website also features informative articles under the heading [...]
It is becoming increasingly evident that children are being targeted by the media from a very young age. They are being encouraged to become consumers before they can walk, spell, read or write. How? Through advertising and strategically placed marketing campaigns. Australian author and Generation Next speaker, Maggie Hamilton points out in her book “What’s [...]
The National Centre Against Bullying (NCAB) conference held in Melbourne recently made the following recommendations: 1. Early Intervention There is a need to identify early (at pre-school and early primary school), those who may have peer relationship issues and implement appropriate programs. Additional focus is needed on pre-school education to prevent bullying and promote well being. There [...]
