In this month's newsletter, you'll find information about:

• supporting your baby’s brain through connection, culture and care
• parenting while living with mental illness
• the importance of friendships in protecting children from bullying harms.

You’ll also get a glimpse into the importance of deep connection to Country, culture, spirituality, family and Community for children’s wellbeing in The whole Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander child. 

Emerging Minds recognises that families come in all shapes, sizes and forms.

In our resources, the term ‘parent’ encompasses biological, adoptive, foster and kinship carers as well as individuals who have chosen to take up primary or shared responsibility in raising children. 

We share information about the needs and experiences of children from birth. We acknowledge that every child is unique and has different strengths, vulnerabilities and experiences that shape their health and development.

Supporting your baby's brain through connection, culture and care

In our latest podcast episode, guest host Rosie Schellen, Emerging Minds’ Senior Cultural Development Officer, is joined by proud Aboriginal woman Sheryl Batchelor.

Sheryl’s career path in education led her to explore the world of neuroscience. In this conversation, she shares valuable insights on nurturing your baby’s brain development, emphasising the power of everyday moments of connection to help children feel secure. Sheryl also discusses how she blends brain science with Aboriginal ways of knowing and offers a powerful reminder that supporting our children’s brains begins with taking care of our own.

Listen to the episode now on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and the Emerging Minds website.

Celebrating the whole child this NAIDOC Week

All children deserve to grow up feeling strong in who they are, where they come from and the people who surround them. For many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, this comes from a strong connection to family, culture, Community and Country.

This Coming of the Light (1 July), NAIDOC Week (5–12 July) and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day (4 August), we celebrate the strength of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, families and communities, and the connections that continue to nurture children throughout the year.

Learn more about how these connections can support strong and proud Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children by watching The whole Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander child.

Parenting while living with mental illness

In this episode, host Nadia Rossi talks with Nicki, a parent of two, about her experience of parenting with a mental illness. Nicki shares how she navigates parenting through times of wellness and times of struggle, and how she talks openly in age-appropriate ways to her children about her mental illness.

Listen now on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and the Emerging Minds website.

The importance of friendships in protecting children from bullying harms

Connection and belonging make a big difference to the wellbeing of children and families, and we often find them in relationships, including friendships. Our friends might be people we see everyday or every once in a while, or we might have friends we only know online. Our friends can also be family. Whatever they look like, positive friendships help us feel a sense of belonging, community, love and acknowledgement that we're OK just as we are.

Supportive connections such as friendships are an especially important 'protective factor' for children who are experiencing bullying. Having a few different ‘quality’ friendships at school and in other places (e.g. their sports team or other hobbies), rather than just one ‘best friend’, helps protect children from harmful effects of bullying like anxiety or depression.

For tips on supporting your child through bullying and helping them form positive connections, you might like to check out the following resources.