In this month's newsletter, you'll find information about:
bonding with your baby in their first 12 months
supporting your family to survive and respond to racism
how a social worker can support your family
why siblings fight and when to step in
using the Children’s Wellbeing Continuum.
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.
Bonding with your baby in their first 12 months
This Infant Mental Health Awareness Week (8–14 June), we’re reminded that mental health is something that infants and toddlers have, too.
An infant's mental health is shaped by their early experiences and relationships. Everyday moments of connection – like responding when they cry, holding them close, talking or singing to them, making eye contact and sharing quiet moments together – can help your baby to feel safe, seen and cared for.
But these early months can feel overwhelming for parents and between sleepless nights, adjusting to a new routine and caring for your baby, it can be hard to know if you're getting it 'right'. It's important to remember you don't need to have all the answers – you’re already doing enough by simply being there and learning as you go.
To hear more about building connection with your baby in those early months, listen to our podcast episode Bonding with your baby in their first 12 months.
Supporting your family to survive and respond to racism
When money stress and racism happen together, it can affect how you feel about yourself, your connections and your mental wellbeing.
If this is happening for you, it’s important to remember it’s not your fault – you deserve support and don’t have to struggle in silence.
For simple ways to stay connected, build on your family’s strengths and feel supported through these challenging times, check out Struggling with money and racism at the same time.
You may or may not have had similar experiences to the families in this fact sheet, but we hope that reading them helps remind you of your own skills in surviving and responding to racism.
In this podcast episode, host Nadia Rossi talks with social worker Chantelle Towers. Together they explore what it means to be a social worker and discuss the different ways they support children and families. They also unpack the common misconceptions of the role and when connecting with a social worker might be the right step for your child or family.
Listen to the episode now on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and the Emerging Minds website.
Sibling rivalry can be challenging to navigate and it’s something many parents have to manage at one time or another. In this podcast episode, host Alicia Ranford welcomes back Gen Muir, parent educator and mum of four, to unpack why sibling rivalry can feel so intense and what’s really going on beneath the surface when children argue.
Gen distinguishes between the everyday arguments siblings have that are developmentally normal and ‘rivalry’ that feels targeted and repetitive, which may require more support. Gen explains that sibling disagreements can be valuable opportunities for children to develop negotiation skills, frustration tolerance and resilience, while also providing parents with moments to foster meaningful connections with their children and between siblings.
Listen to the episode now on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and the Emerging Minds website.
What comes to mind when you think about children’s mental health and wellbeing? Some people and organisations use the term ‘mental health’ to mean mental health difficulties or mental illness. But children’s mental health and wellbeing is not fixed; it is experienced across a continuum ranging from positive mental health to mental health difficulties and diagnosed mental health conditions.
The Children’s Wellbeing Continuum is a simple tool that offers a shared language to help you and other adults in your child’s life notice changes, check in and feel more confident starting conversations early. Emerging Minds is pleased to help support this tool, which was developed by the Centre for Community Child Health at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute. Learn more about using Children’s Wellbeing Continuum to notice changes in your child’s mental health and talk to their support team by watching the following video, How to have better conversations about mental health.
