Having just spent a month in Australia I have observed the benefits of my new grandson and his mum and dad attending weekly parenting classes with strong messages regarding not viewing TV until the age of two, non-use of smart phones in front of the baby, and fantastic support around feeding and sleeping.
Australia’s approach is grounded in the idea of prevention – providing families with tools and knowledge before issues escalate. The Australian government sees these programmes as part of its duty to invest in the future wellbeing of children and reduce societal costs linked to poor parenting. These programmes also help to destigmatise asking for help as a parent, creating a culture where seeking advice is seen as responsible rather than a sign of failure.
It is fascinating that Australia, a politically conservative country, has decided to take a more protective approach to the wellbeing of its citizens, whether through developing a national network of youth mental health hubs, being more assertive on children’s access to mobile…
