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Practice paper
Keeping children and families in mind: Guidelines for media professionals reporting on disaster or community trauma events
Margaret Nixon and Jessica MastersThese guidelines for journalists and media professionals highlight the need to keep children and families in mind when reporting on traumatic events. They are intended to showcase best practice and to help protect not only the children, families, and communities who have experienced disaster and/or trauma, but also media staff and their families who may experience secondary traumatic stress from exposure to these events. -
Fact sheet
Journalists and media staff as parents and carers
Margaret Nixon and Jessica MastersThis fact sheet recognises the role journalists and media staff have as parents and carers and the impact of disaster or community trauma events. -
Video
Children in the immediate aftermath of a disaster or traumatic event
Emerging MindsThis video discusses some of the ways children might feel and behave in the immediate time period after a disaster. -
Webinar
Identifying and responding to child sexual abuse: Supporting the mental health of children and young people
Child Family Community Australia & Emerging MindsThis webinar combines practice and lived experience to explore how we as a sector can better identify and respond to child sexual abuse and support victims and survivors to heal and recover. It is intended to complement ‘Trauma prevention and early intervention approaches with children and young people’ which was broadcast in September 2025. -
Webinar
Beginning child aware conversations with parents who use substances
Emerging Minds and Mental Health Professionals' Network (MHPN)In this webinar with the Mental Health Professionals Network (MHPN), our multidisciplinary panel will explore and identify reasons that may underlie school attendance difficulties. This presentation will promote the value of partnership-based, trauma-informed strategies to support a contextualised understanding of each child’s unique needs in education settings. -
Resource summary
Resources for supporting infants and children in disasters
This practice guide is a series of resources on child-centred and family-focused approaches in disaster preparedness, response and recovery. It aims to equip you with foundational knowledge and evidence-informed approaches to support infants, children and their families during and after disasters, and promote their long-term healing and wellbeing. -
Webinar
Trauma prevention and early intervention approaches with children and young people
Child Family Community Australia & Emerging MindsOur webinar with Child Family Community Australia (CFCA) focuses on the importance of trauma prevention and early intervention in facilitating the mental wellbeing of children and young people. Drawing on the expertise of Professor Daryl Higgins, a key researcher in the ACMS, and Shankari Sundaram, a counsellor at Rebuild - Relationships Australia South Australia, it also outlines strategies for practitioners, organisations and systems to use in the prevention and intervention of child maltreatment. -
Research summary
Highlights in child mental health research: July 2025
Prepared by AIFSThe July 2025 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 that presents the key messages and highlights. Links to abstracts, full-text articles and related resources, where available, are provided. -
Short article
Programs that support the mental health and wellbeing of children with incarcerated parents
Beth Thomas-Richards, Australian Institute of Family StudiesThis article provides an overview of the types of programs available to support the mental health and wellbeing of children with incarcerated parents. It also outlines considerations for practitioners working with children requiring support. -
Webinar
Wellbeing for workers supporting children and families after a disaster webinar
Child Family Community Australia & Emerging MindsCo-produced with Child Family Community Australia (CFCA) will explore how to support workers who engage with children and families during and after disasters or severe weather events. It is intended for both managers and frontline practitioners. -
Short article
The impact of parental incarceration on child behaviour and development
Dr Mandy Truong, Australian Institute of Family StudiesThis short article provides an overview of the research evidence on the impacts of parental incarceration on child behaviour and development with a focus on children aged 12 years and under. It outlines the ways in which parental incarceration can impact child outcomes and provides some practice considerations for how practitioners and services can support children. -
Research summary
Highlights in child mental health research: April 2025
Prepared by AIFSThis April 2025 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.