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There is a paucity of longitudinal research comparing early-life mental health in rural and metropolitan communities. Living in rural areas is associated with limited access to specialist care, as well as additional stresses such as natural disasters. To address health disparities for rural communities it is critical to understand variance in predictors and outcomes for child mental health.

Trans and gender diverse (trans) young people experience higher rates of physical and mental ill-health due to chronic exposure to gender minority stress. Consequently, trans young people report higher health and mental healthcare service utilisation. Disconcertingly, negative experiences of healthcare services are prevalent among trans young people, especially those with additional marginalised identities and backgrounds who experience multiple forms of marginalisation.

First Nations women in Australia continue to experience disproportionately adverse maternal and infant outcomes. The ongoing legacy of colonisation and systemic racism shapes these outcomes. In the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), maternity services remain dominated by Western biomedical approaches that fail to deliver culturally safe and anti-racist care despite national standards that mandate such practices. 

This meta-analytic study examined the associations between childhood emotional abuse (CEA) history in adults and eleven emotion regulation abilities. Inclusion criteria were the use of validated and reliable multi-item measures, cross-sectional Pearson's correlation coefficient(s), and retrievable in English. 

Climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of non-optimal temperatures and heatwaves, posing risks to public health, especially for children and young people. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the impacts of (i) non-optimal ambient temperatures and (ii) heatwaves on mental health outcomes in this group globally.

Physical activity can support physical and mental health among children living with chronic health conditions; however, programmes must be tailored to their specific needs to support participation.

The potential implementation of early type 1 diabetes (T1D) detection pathways, encompassing autoantibody screening and longitudinal monitoring, raises important psychosocial considerations for ethical, person-centred care. This review summarises evidence on the psychosocial impact of early T1D detection, identifying key evidence gaps and recommendations for integrating psychosocial support. 

The developing hippocampus is particularly sensitive to early environmental influences, including during pregnancy. This longitudinal neuroimaging study examined associations between prenatal maternal physical activity and depression, maternal education, and hippocampal development from early childhood to early adolescence.

Dr Vincent Mancini, a Senior Research Fellow at The Kids Research Institute Australia, has been awarded a prestigious three-year Fellowship to develop and implement an intervention to support the welfare of regional WA fathers and families in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

The Kids Research Institute Australia is deeply grateful to The Yellow Umbrella Foundation for their generous gift of $38,453 to help fund a new mental health initiative for parents and caregivers of children living with intellectual disability.