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Adolescent Health

analysis:Young people are in a mental health crisis. The government admits it doesn't really know what to do about it

In the 12 months since Medicare-subsidised psychology sessions went from 20 back to 10, young Australians have suffered detrimental impacts to their mental health.
A young South Asian woman smiles standing against a red wall.

When Harry could no longer clench a fist during karate classes, it signalled the start of a long, painful journey

Harry was 10 when clenching his fists during karate classes became difficult. But the real turning point came when he asked his mum and dad to stop hugging him because it hurt too much.
Harry Dannock in karate uniform.

Evie's mum sought mental health care help for her daughter, she's now fighting Child Safety for guardianship

Evie was 12 when she went into the care of the Department of Child Safety under the promise of better mental health care in regional Queensland. Now, her family is fighting to bring her home.
A woman stands in a door frame, non-identified.

Amy was anxious about getting her first pap smear. Then she stumbled across a community-built directory

Health directories are enabling people in regional communities to find specialty health services, allowing them to take control of their healthcare journeys and avoid being whisked from practitioner to practitioner.
Updated
Back of woman's head, working on three monitors at her computer.

Payton was too sick to leave her hospital bed so school was brought to her

Deep in the corridors of John Hunter Children's Hospital, school lessons come to the bedside of sick kids as part of a long-standing on-site education program that is providing families with "immeasurable" support.
Updated
A teacher conducting a lesson with Payton Allen in her hospital bed.

‘Trauma aware’ teaching in Townsville high school improving behaviour, engagement and relationships

For an entire year, a group of high school students have been part of a trial to see how weekly mindfulness sessions will improve their learning and resilience.
child lies on floor with facecloth over face

Health professionals warn the expensive skincare products your tween wants for Christmas could be harming them

Social media "skinfluencers" selling the promise of dewy skin are driving tween and teenage interest in expensive skincare products, but experts warn pursuing the kind of perfection seen online can have long-lasting consequences.
A young girl applies powder makeup in front of a Christmas tree.

Have you seen a tree painted blue in your local community? Here's what it's all about

The WA-grown movement is booming across Australia's east coast, and has even made it to Antarctica to achieve the founder's goal of having a tree on every continent.
a woman places a hand print on a tree painted blue

At-risk South Australian children in care miss out on specialist support, child protection watchdog warns

Almost two dozen South Australian teenagers in state care who are at risk of sexual exploitation and abuse have been unable to get the help they need from a specialist public health service that has reached capacity, according to the state's child protection watchdog
A woman with glasses looking serious in front of a yellow wall

Sports betting apps make devastating losses all too easy, says gambling addict

A man who was addicted to gambling for 20 years says he has watched the industry change from a punt at a local TAB to endless betting apps available at the swipe of a finger.
Updated
Close up of phone with someone about to place a bet on a sports game

'It's taking the piss': Victorian youth justice staff frustrated by film crew in Malmsbury

Staff say they can't understand why filming is taking place at the Malmsbury Youth Justice Centre while young people are still at the site, with the facility due to close next month.
High security fence with tree in foreground

Why the 'Matildas effect' plays out differently in a small country town

The number of women and girls playing football has surged since the Matildas' incredible feats at the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup. But aiming for the top when you're from a regional area comes with added challenges.
A girl with a soccer ball.

School principal says remote learning Mondays will help senior students

Chevalier College's "contemporary learning delivery" allows year 10 to 12 students to study from home one day a week, with a letter to parents saying the Southern Highlands Catholic school engaged solicitors to ensure the effective implementation of the plan.
Three students in maroon blazers sitting in classroom desk

Young political voices heard as teenage mayors are elected to their local council

In a NSW first, a Young Mayors program saw 1,400 high-schoolers vote in the first-ever underage preferential vote in the state. The result: these youthful visionaries now have the ear of Wollongong City Council.
Eight high school students pictured in two rows of conference room

Two teenagers dead, three hospitalised after single-vehicle crash in north-east NSW

Police say two teenagers have died and three have been taken to hospital after a car hit a tree in Tabulam, west of Casino, NSW.
Updated
Blue and white police tape in front of traffic accident scene

They're meant to be illegal but in Bunbury, vapes are being sold like lollies

Without a prescription, the retail purchase of e-cigarettes is not allowed in Western Australia. But in at least one regional city, they're being sold without question.
Updated
A hand holding a purple vape, Bunbury tower in the background

From anxiety to loneliness, here are five tips to help improve teen wellbeing

We asked clinical psychologist Dr Sophie Li, from Old People's Home for Teens, for practical ways to support a teen through wellbeing challenges. These are her tips.
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Children jumping in the air silhouetted by a vibrant pink and purple sunset

Riley Grant was a 'ticking time bomb' before his stroke. His mum wants parents to recognise the signs

Angie Smith's son Riley was complaining of a headache when he abruptly lost consciousness. She would later learn that her seemingly healthy 15-year-old son had suffered a stroke.
A teenage boy with dark hair in a hospital bed with tubes in his nose and mouth

Cancer Council WA has unveiled social media adverts to educate kids about the harmful effects of vaping.

The Cancer Council of WA has unveiled a series of social media adverts to educate kids about the harmful effects of vaping.
ABC News Current
Duration: 59 seconds

Communities concerned about rising knife crimes by teen gangs

In Victoria, community concerns are growing about a spate of violent knife crimes carried out by teenagers, some as young as 13.
ABC News Current
Duration: 7 minutes 30 seconds

Despite a 78-year age gap, Ken and Louis connected over their shared grief. Now they're firm friends

When Ken turned 94 in July, there was one birthday card that stood out to him — it was written by a teenager he met in a social experiment who he now counts as a close friend.
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Ken, on the left, and Louis, on the right, wearing white clothes covered in bright colours after doing a colour run

'Ramp up our vaping enforcement': NSW government introduces measures to curb youth addiction

Services to support young people addicted to vaping will get a funding boost, as part of a $6.8 million NSW government package to crackdown on illegal e-cigarettes.
Updated
a woman holding onto a vape inside a room amid a cloud of smoke

From a shark attack to bleeding lungs, these survivors are teaching high school students about resilience

Two men who have faced significant challenges are helping school students better navigate the setbacks they will have in life.
An over/under photo of Brett Connellan, shirtless and sitting on a surfboard in the ocean.

Hospital schools bring education to sick children for century

This year marks the centenary for hospital schools in New South Wales where inspiring principals and educators tackle unique challenges to ensure kids don't fall behind while their physical or mental health is attended to.
Updated
ABC News Current
Duration: 5 minutes 59 seconds

Mother issues urgent call to save four-year-old son Kruz

Four-year-old leukaemia patient Kruz needs a bone marrow transplant, but can't find a match.
Updated
Mother Lauren Seumanutafa with her son Kruz