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Research
Breakfast skipping and cognitive and emotional engagement at school: A cross-sectional population level studyResearch on the consequences of breakfast skipping among students tends to focus on academic outcomes, rather than student wellbeing or engagement at school. This study investigated the association between breakfast skipping and cognitive and emotional aspects of school engagement.
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Investigating the Feasibility and Acceptability of a Facebook Delivered, Parent Mediated, Physical Activity Intervention for Children with Developmental Coordination DisorderChildren with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) experience difficulties performing fundamental movement skills, resulting in reduced physical activity (PA). Given low PA can impact mental and physical health, improving PA in DCD appears imperative. This study investigates the feasibility of a Facebook delivered, parent mediated, PA intervention for children with DCD.
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Overarching Evaluation of the National Support for Child and Youth Mental Health Program- Final ReportThe National Support for Child and Youth Mental Health Program (the Program) aims to improve mental health outcomes for children and young people, commencing with the early years and going through to adolescence, by providing targeted grants for workforce and education activities that will build capabilities aligned to the Program objectives.
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Impact of the Play Active policy intervention on early childhood educator's sedentary behaviour-related practices, psychosocial influences and meeting policy recommendationsHigh levels of sedentary behaviour are associated with poor child health outcomes such as obesity. Early childhood education and care (ECEC) services are a key intervention setting. Most ECEC policy-based interventions focus on children's nutrition and physical activity with few aimed at children's sedentary behaviour.
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The ARC Centre of Excellence for Children and Families over the Life Course (Life Course Centre or LCC)The Life Course Centre is a national centre funded by the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence Scheme and hosted through the University of Queensland with collaborating nodes at the University of Western Australia, Sydney University and University of Melbourne.
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A very low carbohydrate diet for minimising blood glucose excursions during ultra-endurance open-water swimming in type 1 diabetes: a case reportCarbohydrate-restricted diets are used by people with type 1 diabetes (T1D) to help manage their condition. However, the impact of this strategy on blood glucose responses to exercise is unknown. This study describes the nutritional strategies of an athlete with T1D, who follows a very low carbohydrate diet to manage her condition during an ultra-endurance open-water swimming event.
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Getting creative: Using art-based techniques to identify how arts organizations enhance young people’s well-beingMental health concerns present significant challenges for Australian youth. Arts organizations play a key role in promoting preventative mental health strate-gies through enhancing the social and emotional well-being (SEWB) of youth. However, little is known about how the arts promote SEWB and the processes and contexts through which this occurs.
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The sleep and activity database for the early years (SADEY) study: design and methodsCanada, Australia, the World Health Organization and other countries have released 24-hour movement guidelines for the early years which integrate physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and sleep, focusing on supporting children to achieve a healthy 24-hour day. The guideline evidence synthesis, however, highlighted the dearth of high-quality evidence, particularly from large-scale studies.
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Early childhood development strategy for the world's children with disabilitiesEarly childhood is foundational for optimal and inclusive lifelong learning, health and well-being. Young children with disabilities face substantial risks of sub-optimal early childhood development, requiring targeted support to ensure equitable access to lifelong learning opportunities, especially in low- and middle-income countries.
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Understanding variations in the built environment over time to inform longitudinal studies of young children's physical activity behaviour - The BEACHES projectWe know relatively little about the role the neighbourhood built environment plays in promoting young children's physical activity, particularly its longitudinal effect either through repeated exposure to the same environment or through change in exposure by moving from one neighbourhood to another.
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Associations Between Developmental Risk Profiles, Mental Disorders, and Student Absences Among Primary and Secondary Students in AustraliaThis study assessed if the association between mental disorders and higher student absences varies across different profiles of risk factors, and estimated the proportion of student absences associated with mental disorders. Data included responses from a nationally representative Australian survey of child and adolescent mental health.
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The implementation of exercise therapy within hospital-based mental healthcare: Delphi studyThe physical health comorbidities and premature mortality experienced by people with mental illness has led to an increase in exercise services embedded as part of standard care in hospital-based mental health services. Despite the increase in access to exercise services for people experiencing mental illness, there is currently a lack of guidelines on the assessment and triage of patients into exercise therapy.
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The relationship between early adolescent cyberbullying victimization and later emotional wellbeing and academic achievementThis study addresses a knowledge gap in the literature about early adolescent cyberbullying victimization and the related positive and negative emotional wellbeing and academic achievement outcomes experienced over time.
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Improving physical activity and screen time in Australian Outside School Hours Care: Study protocolChildren's physical activity and screen time behaviours impact their physical health and well-being. In Australia, less than half of children meet daily physical activity recommendations and only one-third meet daily screen time recommendations.
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Estimated Therapy Costs and Downstream Cost Consequences of iBASIS-Video Interaction to Promote Positive Parenting Intervention vs Usual Care Among Children Displaying Early Behavioral Signs of Autism in AustraliaThe growing global prevalence of autism spectrum disorder is associated with increasing costs for support services. Ascertaining the effects of a successful preemptive intervention for infants showing early behavioral signs of autism on human services budgets is highly policy relevant.

News & Events
Grandparent education linked to grandkids’ NAPLAN resultsThe effects of educational advantage or disadvantage get handed down through the generations according to a new study by researchers at the The Kids.
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Variation in the prevalence of different forms of bullying victimisation among adolescents and their associations with family, peer and school connectedness: a population-based study in 40 lower and middle income to high-income countries (LMIC-HICs)This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of different forms of bullying victimization experiences and their association with family functioning, peer relationships and school connectedness among adolescents across 40 lower and middle income to high-income countries (LMIC-HICs).

News & Events
The Kids researcher takes out top prize at 2020 WA Tall Poppy Science AwardsThe Kids Research Institute Australia and University of Western Australia physical activity researcher Hayley Christian has been named Young Tall Poppy Scientist of the Year at the 2020 WA Young Tall Poppy Science Awards.

News & Events
Pre-term kids get green light to exerciseParents of children born prematurely have expressed concerns about their child’s lung health when they exercise, with symptoms such as breathlessness.
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Exploring preferences for interventions to increase active school transportation among children and adolescents in AustraliaThe observed decline in children's active school transport (AST) across numerous countries over recent decades necessitates targeted, multi-level interventions to reverse this trend. However, data on young people's preferred AST interventions is lacking. This study aimed to explore children's preferences for AST interventions and assess differences between AST users and non-users among primary and secondary school students.