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Physical punishment is harmful to Australian children
Podcast 36
Evidence indicates that physical punishment can lead to increased anxiety or depression in adulthood, and the likelihood of people engaging in violence in later life.
There are alternative effective discipline practices that don’t involve physical punishment. These evidence-based practices can help increase children’s understanding of why they are being helped to recognise that certain behaviours are not desirable.
Sixty-six countries have legislated against the use of physical punishment on children and a further 27 countries have committed to doing so. Why is Australia not one of them?
In this podcast KCV speaks with Professor Daryl Higgins, director of the Institute of Child Protection Studies at Australian Catholic University (ACU) and member of the Ending Physical Punishment of Australian Children (EPPAC) advocacy campaign.
MORE INFORMATIONGPV/KCV Positive Discipline video
GPV/KCV is pleased to launch its video on positive discipline. It is a feature in the GPV/KCV campaign to ensure that physical punishment of children is made illegal across Australia.
The video is recommended as a gentle reminder that positive discipline can work. The video should be viewed in conjunction with reading written materials on positive discipline.
Non-physical types of discipline for children and young people (booklet)
Reasons not to hit children (article)
GPV/KCV commends signing the petition to have physical punishment made illegal across Australia.
https://www.change.org/p/end-physical-punishment-of-children-protect-australian-children
Understanding and embracing autism and neurodiversity in children and young people
Podcast 35
In this podcast, KCV speaks with researcher, writer and educator Dr Emma Goodall, the inaugural Director of South Australia’s Office for Autism. Dr Goodall, who is the parent of an autistic adult, has worked extensively in the area of autism, education, research and public policy, and teacher training.
Dr Goodall defines autism and neurodiversity, explains how autism can present differently in different genders, and outlines key things carers need to understand about neurodivergence in order to better support the children and young people in their care. She also offers some approaches to help autistic and neurodiverse children develop the skills to self-regulate their feelings and emotions to help with everyday tasks and situations.
Combatting Loneliness
Podcast 34
The effects of loneliness have been studied extensively worldwide, with experts agreeing on the importance of social interaction for our wellbeing.
The research shows that being socially isolated or lonely is as bad for your health as smoking, obesity, substance abuse and other mental health issues.
In previous studies by Kinship Carers Victoria, some carers have described feeling almost complete isolation from their former social circles once they became carers.
In this podcast, KCV speaks with clinical psychologist Dr Michelle Lim, considered the leading Australian scientific expert on loneliness.
Dr Lim discusses the physical and psychological effects of loneliness, the stigma around speaking about it and what carers can do to deal with their own social isolation.
Government schools need our support
Podcast 33
In this podcast, director of Grandparents Victoria and Kinship Carers Victoria Ann McLeish speaks with Trevor Cobbold, national convener of Save our Schools. Before retiring, Trevor was an economist with the Australian Government’s Productivity Commission and its predecessors for over 30 years. Trevor talks us through the economic and structural inequality in our education system, in particular the under-funding of public schools in Victoria.
Physical punishment in Australia
This video was developed and is owned by End Physical Punishment of Australian Children working group (EPPAC) & Parenting and Families Research Alliance (PAFRA ). The video is part of the national campaign to abolish physical punishment of children in Australia.
Cyber safety for children and young people
Podcast 31
In this podcast Susan McLean of Cybersafety Solutions answers many questions around helping children and young people to navigate the online world safely. Susan is acknowledged as Australia’s foremost expert in the area of cyber safety and young people.
Diet and nutrition for neurodiverse children and young people
Podcast 30
Neurodiversity explains that people experience and interact with the world in many varied ways. Nikki Valentini, Clinical Nutritionist, functional medicine practitioner, and director of SuperNature Nutrition, speaks in depth about the effect of diet and nutrition on children with autism, ADHD, OCD and other manifestations of neurodiversity.
Grief and Loss
Podcast 28
Grief is a part of life that is felt in many different ways. Grandparents, parents or carers face the difficulty of helping children understand their grief. In this podcast we speak with Janice Butera, specialist grief practitioner with Grief Australia, who shares her knowledge about the challenges that can occur for families when faced with loss. Janice also offers strategies for families to use in navigating these difficult periods.
The Benefits of Play
Podcast 26
The February 2023 edition of the Royal Children’s Hospital National Child Health Poll – Australian Families: How we play – has produced findings of great interest. In this podcast we speak with paediatrician, researcher and child health advocate Dr Anthea Rhodes, the founding director of the poll. Anthea has expertise in child behaviour and development.
Nutrition
Podcast 25
What are the latest trends in nutrition? What does recent research say about what and how we should eat? And what the children in our care, in particular those children with neurodevelopmental disorders, should eat? In this podcast we speak again with Nikki Valentini, Clinical Nutritionist, functional medicine practitioner and director of SuperNature Nutrition on a range of topics regarding nutrition.
The Importance of Quality Sleep
Podcast 23
Sleep plays a vital part in our wellbeing – so how do we get the right amount of it? Clinical psychologist Dr Damon Ashworth, author of Deliberately Better Sleep, talks about the factors affecting our sleep and the effects of not getting enough of it. This podcast includes interviews with carers, who share their stories around how they manage this whilst dealing with their kinship carer responsibilities.
The Benefits of Exercise
Podcast 21
This podcast outlines the benefits of exercise, with suggestions for carers on different types of moderate exercise and how they can incorporate them into their lives. It includes advice from fitness expert Nic Dorian of Castlemaine Women’s Health & Fitness and features interviews with two carers who share details of their own carer experiences and what sorts of exercise they practise.
Relaxation Techniques for Carers
Podcast 20
Deep breathing and meditation can provide you with a sense of calm, peace and balance that can benefit your emotional wellbeing and overall health. The podcast features an interview with Eliza Terry, from YogaLiving. Eliza has been teaching Iyengar Yoga since 1998, and teaches mindfulness meditation, with a strong focus on breath work for relaxation. The podcast also includes interviews with two carers who share details of their own experiences with trying relaxation and breathing techniques.
Diet and Stress
Podcast 19
In this podcast Kinship Carers Victoria speaks with clinical nutritionist and functional medicine practitioner Nikki Valentini, director of SuperNature Nutrition. Nikki explains how certain foods and nutrients have been shown to help us deal with stress and anxiety while other types of foods and eating patterns have been linked to increases in these feelings – and even to other psychological issues and illness. The podcast also includes interviews with carers who share their relationship to food and some of their dietary patterns.
Connecting with Others
Podcast 18
Carers often mention their isolation. This podcast provides suggestions for kinship carers on how to form meaningful connections with friends, family, neighbours and the community. The podcast also includes interviews with several carers who share their experiences of challenges the carer role has brought up and how they have managed social isolation before, during and after the pandemic.
Sleep and wellbeing
Podcast 13
In this podcast Dr Melissa Weinberg, Honorary Fellow from the Dept of Psychology at Deakin University, discusses the effects sleeping poorly or well can have on a person’s physical and psychological health and suggests tips on how carers can improve their patterns of sleep and those of the children or young people in their care.
Creating happiness
Podcast 12
Dr Sanjiv Chopra is a professor of medicine at the Harvard Medical School, a best-selling author and sought-after motivational speaker. In an episode of The Bucket Podcast (at thebucket.com) broadcast on 10 October 2019, Dr Chopra spoke about his book, The Two Most Important Days: How to Find Your Purpose and Live a Happy and Healthy Life. This KCV podcast draws both on the contents of his book and that Bucket Podcast to present evidence on how happiness can be a choice in our lives.