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Research summary
Highlights in child mental health research: February 2024
Prepared by AIFSThis February 2024 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 the 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. -
Webinar
Supporting family and child mental health in the face of severe weather events and disasters
Child Family Community Australia & Emerging MindsCo-produced with Child Family Community Australia (CFCA), this webinar explores the complex interplay of factors that can support or disrupt the wellbeing of whole families following a severe weather event or disaster, and how these factors in turn affect infant and child mental health. -
Practice paper
Recognising and strengthening the stories of children in care
Nicole Rollbusch and Dan MossThis paper identifies practical ways professionals working with children who are in care can bring children’s histories to life in ways that support their sense of identity and confidence, even when children’s experiences with their birth families included trauma or neglect. -
Guide
Practice principles for supporting the mental health and wellbeing of children in out-of-home care
Hilary Miller and Kristel Alla, Australian Institute of Family StudiesThis practice guide uses learnings from Australian and international research to build practitioner awareness of approaches to support the mental health and wellbeing of children in out-of-home care (OOHC). It outlines principles that may be useful to guide practice when supporting children in OOHC. -
Fact sheet
What type of programs improve the mental health outcomes of children in out-of-home care?
Hilary Miller and Kristel Alla, Australian Institute of Family StudiesExplore the most common types of programs that aim to improve mental health outcomes for children in out-of-home care (OOHC) and the evidence for overall program types -
Short article
Supporting children with disability in out-of-home care (OOHC)
Hilary Miller, Mandy Truong and Kristel Alla, Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS)This resource provides an overview of the over-representation of children with disability in out-of-home care (OOHC) in Australia. It may be relevant for people working in child protection, including care workers, social and youth workers, mental health professionals, and disability, health and allied health practitioners. -
Short article
What factors predict long-term mental health for children in out-of-home care?
Catherine WadeThis short article summarises a recent paper which examines how key child and family characteristics predict long-term mental health for children in out-of-home care. -
Fact sheet
One Talk at a Time: Child sexual abuse: Get the facts
National Office for Child SafetyThis resource from the National Office for Child Safety (NOCS) includes foundational information about child sexual abuse. The resource contains statistics to learn more about child sexual abuse and helps to dispel common myths and misconceptions, and help people understand the role they can play in protecting children and young people. -
Website
One Talk at a Time: Having conversations
National Office for Child SafetyThis toolkit from the National Office for Child Safety has been designed to help adults have preventative conversations about child sexual abuse with children and young people, other adults and organisations. -
Short article
How fathers’ warm and responsive parenting can support child mental health
Melissa Willoughby (AIFS), Cat Strawa (AIFS), Vincent Mancini (Telethon Kids Institute, UWA and The Fathering Project) & Hilary Miller (AIFS)This resource will explore the evidence on how fathers can positively influence their child’s mental health through warm and responsive parenting. -
Short article
How fathers can support child mental health through setting limits and managing behaviour
Melissa Willoughby (AIFS), Cat Strawa (AIFS) & Vincent Mancini (Telethon Kids Institute, UWA and The Fathering Project)This resource outlines how fathers’ approaches to setting limits and managing behaviour can affect child mental health. It also provides considerations for practitioners to support effective practice with fathers and other caregivers. -
Guide
Supporting fathers’ mental health in the perinatal period
Cat Strawa (AIFS), Melissa Willoughby (AIFS), A/Prof Rachel Dryer (ACU), Dr Robyn Brunton (CSU) and Carol Dabb (ACU)This resource describes fathers’ mental health and support needs in the perinatal period, and how practitioners can support fathers during this time.