A social enterprise providing education and information to protect and enhance the mental health of young people
A man who was repeatedly molested by his youth pastor lashed out at church elders, accusing them of using the child sexual abuse royal commission to "justify their failings and minimise their responsibilities". In a statement read out to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Abuse, the man, now aged in his mid-20s, [...]
THE murder of schoolboy Luke Batty last year shocked a nation. His mum, Rosie, talks to APN Newsdesk about why she has spent the past year lobbying for changes to our attitudes towards and responses to family violence, and why she is supporting our campaign. CALL her what you like - Australian of the Year, [...]
Rosie Batty has been named Australian of the Year for her campaign against family violence in an award ceremony that saw four women take the nation's top Australia Day honours for the first time in history. Ms Batty rose above her personal tragedy and the great loss of her 11-year-old-son, Luke, who was murdered by [...]
The Royal Commission has released a report examining issues related to the effectiveness of practices in out-of-home care in preventing child sexual abuse within institutions. Royal Commission CEO Philip Reed said the report, prepared by the Parenting Research Centre and the University of Melbourne, makes valuable findings which will be used to shape the Royal [...]
As a brand new school mum, I've recently discovered that schools have assumed the role of the Lunch Box Police. Every morning tea and lunch is a test to see if kids and their parents have faithfully followed the laws of healthy eating. It's a nice idea, but it's questionable whether this has anything to [...]
My mum has spent her life believing that she's fat and hating herself for it. Her dearest wish was to spare me that fate. With the very best intentions she closely monitored my developing body, talked constantly about the perils of weight gain and policed my appetite in a way that she never did with [...]
Technology has become the new battlefield for parents, teachers, and teens. Regular conflicts arise over content (what the kids are doing on their devices) and context (when they’re doing it!). Content Issues Ever since the arrival of Facebook in 2004, youth (and adults) have used apps in naive and dangerous ways. Reputations have been harmed. [...]
Some chemicals—lead, mercury and organophosphate pesticides, for example—have long been recognized as toxic substances that can have lasting effects on children’s neurological health. But scientists are also now discovering that chemical compounds common in outdoor air—including components of vehicle exhaust and fine particulate matter—as well as in indoor air and consumer products can also adversely [...]
Children deprived of loving care have reduced white matter in crucial parts of the brain compared to those raised in a better environment. The observations are not surprising in light of the well-known behavioral effects of neglect, but what this study has done is identify and measure the areas of the brain most affected. The [...]
The last few weeks have seen me embark on a clutter clearing frenzy. As I work to eliminate the clutter from my home, filling our rubbish bins and donation boxes to their brim, I can’t help but consider the meaning our society attaches to material objects and how this impacts happiness. So, following another weekend of [...]
