Emerging Minds Australia

October is Mental Health Awareness Month, a reminder of the importance of looking after our mental health and checking in on those around us. This year's theme is 'Let's Talk About It', emphasising the significance of connecting and communicating with others about mental health. Having open conversations helps create supportive environments for improving overall mental health and wellbeing. Hear from Emm in our animation, sharing some key things about what shapes a child's mental health and how connections help nurture their mental health and wellbeing. Check out our full video: https://bit.ly/4cJAUyg

It's National Carers Week and this year's theme is 'Millions of Reasons to Care', recognising and celebrating the three million carers across Australia. At Emerging Minds, we recognise and appreciate the work that carers do for children and families, including those in foster care, kinship care or residential care. Our latest course provides practitioners with strategies for supporting the mental health and wellbeing of children in out-of-home care, and working collaboratively with their parents and carers. As a practitioner, you'll gain an understanding about how identity, participation and self-worth are impacted for children in care. By considering the small ways in which you can support these elements, it can go a long way towards providing children with the things they need for their social, emotional and mental wellbeing while in care. Check out our course on Emerging Minds Learning today: https://bit.ly/3Y63JR1

Research indicates that children and young people are increasingly aware of, and worried about, the effects of climate change on the environment. This concern relates not just to its immediate effects but extends to worries about the future. Given the prevalence of these concerns, it is important for practitioners to consider climate change-related worry when working with children and young people. This new article by Anagha Joshi (Australian Institute of Family Studies) provides a summary of how climate change-related worry is described in research, how this worry is experienced, and its mental health effects on children and young people. https://bit.ly/3NqDIWs

In this two-part series, we speak with Joanne Donne, a practice manager with Relationships Australia South Australia, about their single session consultation service.  In this second episode, Joanne continues to describe the single session family consultation process, including supporting the family to take further action in responding to the problem, and the role of therapeutic letters, reflecting teams, and follow-up contact with the family. Joanne also offers reflections on what this approach offers staff teams.  Listen to part two of this conversation 🎧: https://bit.ly/3zYLgfS

Emerging Minds Board of directors Philip Robinson PSM (Chair) and Nick Kowalenko presented at the recent 4th Vietnam ANZ International Psychiatry Conference. Held in Hanoi, this conference focuses on changing awareness of mental health care, particularly for children and adolescents. It invites Australian and New Zealand psychiatrists to attend or present and emphasises collaboration and aims to enhance knowledge in the field. It was a huge success there were lots of positive feedback on our resources! Phil and Nick are currently working with Vietnamese psychiatrists to discuss ways they may be able to assist them.

Today is World Mental Health Day which aims to raise awareness about mental health care in the global community. When it comes to mental health, meaningful connections matter. Positive mental health helps us to deal with life's ups and downs, and building strong parent–child relationships boosts children's development and wellbeing. This resource shares ways in which positive connections support children's wellbeing, and the importance of making time to connect with them. https://bit.ly/3Yhgwjq

The team had a great time connecting with over 40 mental health organisations from across Australia today at the Mental Health Expo organised by Mental Health Australia and hosted at Parliament House. Fantastic to see interest from MPs and parliamentary staff around prevention, early intervention and improving the mental health and well-being of Australians of all walks of life and backgrounds. Fantastic to catch up with friends old and new and heartening to know we’re walking this path together. Thanks Mental Health Australia!

In our next webinar with the Mental Health Professionals' Network (MHPN), our interdisciplinary panel of experts explore how to increase the knowledge, confidence and skills of mental health professionals when supporting the mental health of children living in out-of-home care. Facilitated by Nicole Rollbusch (Practice Development Officer, Emerging Minds) our panel includes: - Kate Headley (speech pathologist) - Candice Butler (child protection social worker) - Felicity Kime (peer worker/child and family partner). Register for our webinar: https://bit.ly/4gZ4aEe

Our online course 'Supporting children who have experienced trauma' aims to use trauma-informed practice to study the detail and skills of therapeutic engagement, from working with reluctant children to identifying their resilience and strengths, helping them move past self-blame and hopelessness. Check out our course on Emerging Minds Learning today. https://bit.ly/3iW0Sng

Healthy Development Adelaide (HDA) is celebrating 20 years with a research afternoon and anniversary oration showcasing its breadth of research, government and organisational membership. The research afternoon will consist of two concurrent sessions including basic research and government, along with short, community-focused presentations. The Hon. Kate Ellis will present the 20th anniversary oration on the subject of 'Early childhood in South Australia: Time for doing the doing'. Join us on 16 October by registering your attendance through the HDA website, where a full program for the afternoon is also available. https://bit.ly/3NbG0IG