{"id":26126,"date":"2024-09-16T09:47:28","date_gmt":"2024-09-16T01:47:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/?post_type=media-release&p=26126"},"modified":"2024-09-16T09:47:33","modified_gmt":"2024-09-16T01:47:33","slug":"supporting-child-mental-health-over-the-transition-to-high-school","status":"publish","type":"media-release","link":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/media-release\/supporting-child-mental-health-over-the-transition-to-high-school\/","title":{"rendered":"Supporting child mental health over the transition to high school"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Â鶹ֱ²¥ researchers are calling for participants for a national study into how best to support children\u2019s mental health and wellbeing as they navigate the important transition from primary to secondary school.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Project co-ordinator, Professor Mark Boyes from Curtin\u2019s enAble Institute and School of Population Health said the team was seeking year six students and their parents\/carers to participate in research to identify factors that could predict better mental health outcomes during the all-important jump to high school.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe know the transition to secondary school can be stressful, particularly for children with language and literacy difficulties, due to increased educational and social demands. We hope this research will result in strategies to help support children as they make the transition,\u201d Professor Boyes said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe study is open to all Australian children in year six, and we are particularly interested in the experiences of children with language and literacy difficulties, as they are at substantially greater risk of both emotional and behavioural problems.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Associate Professor Suze Leit\u00e3o from Curtin\u2019s School of Allied Health said language and literacy difficulties represent the most common disability you\u2019ve likely never heard of.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cUp to 15 per cent, or about four children in every Australian classroom, experience significant and persistent difficulties with oral and written language,\u201d Associate Professor Leit\u00e3o said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOverall, our aim is to develop effective and accessible interventions \u2013 other than the standard \u2018talking therapies\u2019 \u2013 for children with speaking, reading or writing difficulties, to provide early support to these children before mental health problems become serious.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Adelaide parents Kyla Booth and Matthew Gilliland, who are both high school teachers, said they would encourage other families, especially fellow parents of children with language learning difficulties, to take part in the study.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs a family we were aware our eldest child Sabai, who is now 11, may have dyslexia from a very early age; her early speech was delayed, she had difficulty with certain sounds and no interest in language which to us were the first telltale signs,\u201d Ms Booth said.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen she started school, we sought early intervention and at five years and 10 months Sabai was formally diagnosed with dyslexia, allowing us to secure further support through the school, including a plan for her learning journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ms Booth said going from primary school to high school was stressful for most children but for those with language learning difficulties it presented even bigger challenges and more anxiety.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt is important for parents of children with learning difficulties to participate in this study to help highlight the difficulty these children have especially transitioning into high school,\u201d Ms Booth said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

STUDY INFORMATION<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who is eligible to participate?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Participation is open to all Australian children currently in year six and their parents\/carers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is required?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n