In the second of this two-part podcast series (listen to part one here), you’ll continue to hear from Kimberley, Brad and Bec, parents of children who have experienced different chronic childhood physical illnesses. You'll hear how practitioners have been able to support not just the children’s physical conditions, but also the social and emotional wellbeing of these children and their families while they are undergoing treatment.

Many children experiencing a childhood physical illness require regular trips to hospital and medical interventions that can be traumatic for both the child and their family. However, the negative impacts on everyone’s wellbeing can be minimised by taking a family-focused and trauma-informed approach.

We would like to acknowledge and thank our child and family partners, Kimberley, Bec and Brad for taking the time to share their hard-earned wisdom and expertise with us.

the types of supports families find helpful while their children are undergoing treatment for childhood physical illnesses [01:17]

the strategies that practitioners use to support the mental health of children throughout the treatment processes [08:36]

the importance of taking a trauma-informed approach to caring for a child with a chronic physical illness [13:45]

how to support the wellbeing of siblings of children with chronic childhood physical illnesses [19:25]

In the first of this two-part podcast series, Emerging Minds Child and Family Partners Kimberley, Brad and Bec share how they manage their children’s social and emotional wellbeing while dealing with the challenges of chronic physical illness. They describe some of the ways that practitioners have been able to support their children’s mental health throughout the treatment process, and how these strategies have also helped them to support their child.

Managing ongoing symptoms of chronic physical illness and undergoing medical treatment or procedures can have significant impacts for children and families. Promoting self-care strategies for parents and caregivers will lead to improved wellbeing outcomes for the children they are caring for.

We would like to acknowledge and thank our child and family partners, Kimberley, Bec and Brad for taking the time to share their hard-earned wisdom and expertise with us.

more about the chronic physical illnesses experienced within these families [01:36]

how a diagnosis of chronic physical illness impacts on the child and family [04:22]

the impacts of managing ongoing symptoms and undergoing medical treatment/procedures [06:29]

how self-care is important for parents and caregivers of children experiencing a chronic physical illness [16:06]

In this episode, Emerging Minds Practice Development Manager, Dan Moss joins Senior Cultural Development Officer, Rosie Schellen and Senior Practice Development Officer, Chris Dolman to reflect on what has made the infant and child mental health podcast series so effective over the past four years and 100 episodes.

Rosie reflects on Emerging Minds’ collaborative work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to help bring to the fore stories of strength, resilience and hope, as well as those of hardship and systemic disadvantage.

Chris describes how practitioners have helped change the way we think about infant and child mental health, in ways that make challenging work feel more possible and motivating. He also describes some of the ways that children and families with lived experience have contributed so richly to the podcast series.

In this episode you will learn:

how Rosie has worked with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, leaders and practitioners to respectfully bring forth stories of hope, resilience and connection, and the considerations that are important within this process [04:23]

how practitioners have contributed to understandings about infant and child mental health through stories of their everyday practice, and the strategies we can all use to help children and families tell their stories [06:52]

how hurt and connection, strength and wisdom have been so powerfully interwoven in the stories of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander guests, in ways that generously assist all practitioners to consider how they can make room for these stories in their work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families and communities [09:56]

how discussions with parents about their hopes for their children can become a great antidote for the experiences of shame and blame that families often feel when working with a practitioner, and the kinds of strength-based practices that have helped families find new ways to connect and overcome adversities [17:28]

about the people that have contributed to the evolution of the Emerging Minds podcast series over the past 100 episodes! [20:50]

This episode is a conversation with Dr. Sonia Terhaag about the Building a New Life in Australia study and what it can tell us about the social and emotional wellbeing of children from refugee backgrounds.

What does the evolving nature of sexual and gender identities mean for working with families? Tune into this episode with Dr Priscilla Dunk-West to explore this question and learn about shifts you can make in your practice and organisation to become more inclusive of rainbow families.

Priscilla is a sociologist and social worker and has worked in academia in both Australia and England. She practiced social work firstly in child protection and later went on to specialise in sexual health counselling. Her research interests include identity, sexuality, intimate relationships and parenting. She has produced five books and her bestselling text 'How to be a Social Worker: A Critical Guide for Students' has been translated into Swedish and is now in its second edition.

In this episode you will learn:

The social and cultural context of sexuality (02:47)

Asking questions to understand family configuration rather than making assumptions (07:43)

What child-focused and parent-sensitive practice looks like (12:44)

What services can do to promote inclusivity with rainbow families (23:32)

In this episode, Dr Kathryn Hopps, a researcher and educator, reflects on ways in which families can support children through school transitions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Kathryn also draws on her expertise in primary and high-school transitions to provide practical advice for parents and carers.

Yay we’ve finally hit 100 podcast episodes!! Our hosts sit down for a chat with a family about what they’ve learnt while listening to the Emerging Minds podcast series, including their favourite episodes.

 

In this episode you will learn:

The key take aways when it comes to children’s mental health (0:54)

Tips for children when they are showing signs of anxiety (3:59)

Why children may not want to go to school after being in lockdown (11:23)

Ways to talk to children about routines (22:38)

Dr Andrew Leech is a GP based in Perth with an interest in child physical and mental health. Andrew has an advisory role within the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) and Emerging Minds. He works as an educator for medical students and GP registrars and is the host and creator of the Kids Health Network podcast. In this episode, Andrew joins us for a conversation about childhood anxiety. He looks at the prevalence and presentations of child anxiety, ways of working sensitively with children and families, and the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on children’s mental health.

Dr Angie Willcocks is a psychologist with a rich history of supporting mothers throughout the fertility, pregnancy and postnatal periods. Angie has developed a practice approach that focuses on a holistic understanding of all of the domains of a woman’s life – not only those that are connected to her baby.

In this episode, Angie describes her assessment and formulation strategies, which support mothers to consider every aspect of their lives, and the supports they need to maintain social and emotional wellbeing. She is interested in how mothers can look past society’s expectations, and make the lifestyle, relationship, and parenting choices that support their long-term mental health and wellbeing.

As part of her commitment to holistic understandings of women, Angie completed a PhD that examined the effects of diet on mothers’ mental health. Through this study, Angie found that diet significantly impacted the risk of depression and anxiety during pregnancy and postnatally. She discusses the possible implications for practice that have stemmed from her research, and how professionals can introduce discussions about lifestyle into their everyday engagements.

In this episode you will learn:

how to work collaboratively with mothers who are attempting to juggle parenting, work, relationships, and family members with mental health issues (02:45)

why it is important to provide space for a mother to come into a session with her infant, and the information that you can provide to a practitioner for later conversations (06:00)

how to begin a conversation with a mother about the holistic supports she requires to parent in her preferred ways (08:05)

the opportunities that can arise for women when they can stop judging themselves so harshly and start prioritising their own mental health, diet, exercise, and relationships (14:52)

the findings from Angie’s PhD study, which examined the effect of diet quality on mothers’ mental health (16:13)

the importance of women prioritising their own mental health for themselves, not just for their children or their partner (23:08)

In this second episode in our two-part series, clinical psychologist Penny Sih expands upon her description of the ‘best life’ approach: a way of engaging positively with children by discussing the relationships, routines and activities that sustain and energise them.