Response to Parliament of Australia, Senate Finance and Public Administration Committee: Lessons to be learned in relation to the Australian bushfire season 2019-20

This June research summary provides a selection of recently released papers, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses related to infant and child mental health. Each summary includes an introductory overview of the content for that month, followed by a list of selected articles. Each article is accompanied by a brief synopsis which presents the key messages and highlights. Links to abstracts, full-text articles and related resources, where available, are provided.

This submission is led by Emerging Minds and the Australian Child and Adolescent Trauma, Loss and Grief Network (ACATLGN), based at the Australian National University and member of the National Workforce Centre for Child Mental Health.  This submission is in response to Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements.

Understand the impacts of disasters on children and youth with insights from Margaret Nixon of the Australian Child and Adolescent Trauma Loss and Grief Network and Annabel Axford of Emerging Minds. Brodie Gaudion from ‘The Sanctuary’ Mallacoota Youth Group also shares her experience of establishing a youth-led community association and drop-in service after the East Gippsland bushfires.