Australia’s Commonwealth COVID-19 Response Inquiry (2024) has called for urgent action to prioritise children’s mental health in pandemic recovery. However, it remains unclear which communities were most affected and which aspects of child mental health are of greatest concern. This study aimed to describe and visualise changes in child mental health and wellbeing across Victoria from 2018-2024 to inform prioritisation and support place-based responses.

Secondary, local-level population data from the Australian Early Development Census and School Entrant Health Questionnaire (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire) were used to integrate teacher and parent-reported concerns at school entry. Changes in social competence, emotional maturity, and total behavioural difficulties were examined across two time periods (2018-2021, 2021-2022/2024) to identify Local Government Areas (LGAs) with increasing, decreasing, or stable patterns of vulnerability. Geospatial mapping visualised trends across Victoria’s 79 LGAs.

Emotional maturity showed the highest proportion of LGAs with an increasing trend of vulnerability (51%), while a declining vulnerability trend was most evident for social competence (12.5% of LGAs). Most LGAs (53%) showed no change in parent-reported behavioural difficulties (2018–2022).
39% of LGAs showed an increased vulnerability trend in two or more domains, while only 1.3% showed a decreased trend. Mixed trends were observed in 27% of LGAs, and 13% showed no significant change across domains over time.
Results have informed selection of LGAs with increased vulnerability trends for a second study phase aimed at codesigning a solution with ready, local communities to build local capacity to support child emotional and behavioural development.

Findings indicate that many Victorian communities continue to experience child mental health and wellbeing concerns post-COVID-19. These insights are critical for planning and directing efforts to support children’s mental health and wellbeing, and co-designing place-based solutions with community to improve vulnerable outcomes for children, such as emotion regulation.

Abstract
Background: Children and young people (CYP) in out-of-home care (OOHC) have a significantly higher rate of mental health difficulties compared to general population samples. Existing literature lacks a comprehensive synthesis of evidence on the effectiveness of pharmacological and psychosocial interventions in addressing mental health difficulties in this population. This systematic review aims to address this gap by identifying, collating, appraising, and synthesising peer-reviewed research on pharmacological and psychosocial interventions for mental health difficulties among CYP aged 2–17 years in OOHC.
Methods: This systematic review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines (PROSPERO: CRD42025635898). A systematic literature search was conducted in six academic databases (CINAHL, EMBASE, ProQuest, PsycINFO, PubMed and Google Scholar) for studies published up to February 2025 with accessible full texts. A meta-ethnographic approach was employed to synthesise the evidence from the studies.
Results: Of the 384 articles identified, 23 studies were included. Trauma and other adverse life events were ubiquitous experiences of CYP in OOHC. High rates of pre-existing mental health diagnoses – PTSD, anxiety, conduct disorder and attachment-related difficulties were also common. Twenty studies examined psychosocial interventions alone (e.g., Motivational Enhancement Therapy, Social Behaviour and Network Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy [CBT]); two studies involved both psychosocial and pharmacological interventions, and one study examined pharmacological interventions. CBT was commonly used to address emotional regulation and behavioural issues in CYP in OOHC. Notable post-intervention changes included reductions in emotional and behavioural problems, as well as improvements in social safety, functioning, and well-being, alongside enhanced school performance and engagement.
Conclusions: Findings suggest that some psycho-social and pharmacological interventions may effectively address emotional regulation and behavioural issues in CYP in OOHC. They can also improve engagement, psychosocial functioning, well-being and academic performance.

Pre-recorded Presentation

Context and aim: Schools are increasingly recognised as critical settings for promoting student mental health and wellbeing, particularly through prevention and early intervention. In Australia, national initiatives such as the Be You framework provide guidance on best practice in school-based mental health promotion. However, limited evidence exists on how widely these programs are being implemented in Australian primary schools. This study aims to assess the prevalence and types of mental health and wellbeing programs and classroom resources currently implemented, classified against the five components of the Be You framework.

Methods and Analysis: A national cross-sectional survey of 700 Australian primary schools across government, Catholic, and independent sectors was conducted. A sub-sample of schools (n=263) provided detailed information about whole-of-school/class programs and classroom resources implemented in the past 12 months to promote student mental health and wellbeing. These were categorised according to the five Be You components: Mentally Healthy Communities, Family Partnerships, Learning Resilience, Early Support, and Responding Together. Preliminary analysis shows high levels of engagement, with 87% of schools reporting at least one whole-of-school or class-based program, and 88% using classroom resources to support student mental health.

Outcomes: This is the first national study to map the implementation of mental health and wellbeing programs in Australian primary schools using the Be You framework. Findings are already being used to inform discussions with education stakeholders and program developers to better align offerings with school practices and needs.

Future actions: Future work should explore the quality, evidence base, and effectiveness of implemented programs. Investment in accessible, evidence-informed initiatives and implementation support is essential to strengthen student mental health promotion in school settings.

Context and Aim:
Digital mental health tools play an increasingly important role in preventive care, yet young people from culturally diverse or low-resource backgrounds often face barriers in accessing and trusting these platforms. This student-led conceptual study proposes a youth-focused “Community Tech Mediator” framework to address inequities in digital mental health access and promote early help-seeking among young Australians.

Methods and Analysis:
Drawing from national literature, policy documents, and WHO frameworks on digital inclusion, this study applies the Social Ecological Framework to explore how peer-led initiatives could enhance mental health literacy and digital equity. The model integrates theoretical perspectives on community engagement, participatory design, and peer education to conceptualise the role of trained youth mediators as connectors between technology and wellbeing.

Outcomes:
The proposed framework identifies trust, cultural relevance, and peer relatability as central to improving digital engagement. By equipping youth with basic mental health and digital communication skills, community tech mediation could support early identification of distress, increase digital confidence, and strengthen social connectedness. Collaboration between schools, Primary Health Networks, and digital health platforms could embed these initiatives within preventive care systems.

Future Actions:
Further exploration through student projects and local pilot studies could assess feasibility and scalability. Embedding youth-led tech mediation into preventive mental health strategies may contribute to a more inclusive, equitable, and collaborative approach to promoting wellbeing in Australia.

Depression, a multifactorial mental health condition, arises from the interaction of biological, nutritional, and socio-cultural determinants. One-carbon metabolism, involving folate, vitamin B12, and homocysteine, has been implicated in neuropsychiatric disorders through its role in methylation processes, neurotransmitter synthesis, and cognitive regulation. Despite its biomedical relevance, the intersection of nutrition, genetics, and cultural practices remains underexplored in anthropological research.
This study was undertaken among a Mendelian population in North India, characterized by genetic homogeneity, vegetarian dietary habits, and shared cultural practices—conditions that minimize variability and allow deeper exploration of bio-cultural links to mental health. A total of 808 adults aged 30–70 years were assessed for depression using standardized screening tools. Biochemical analyses of serum folate, vitamin B12, and plasma homocysteine were conducted, alongside genotyping for the MTHFR C677T polymorphism. Anthropometric and socio-demographic data were also collected to situate findings within a broader anthropological framework.
The prevalence of depression was 31.1%, with women more affected than men. Elevated homocysteine and low folate/vitamin B12 were associated with depressive symptoms, though statistical significance varied. Interestingly, folate appeared to mitigate the effects of B12 deficiency, suggesting adaptive nutritional buffering within this vegetarian community. No significant association was found between MTHFR C677T polymorphism and depression.
From an anthropological perspective, the study underscores how dietary traditions, kinship patterns, and genetic endogamy intersect with biological risk factors to shape mental health outcomes. The findings highlight the need for culturally contextualized interventions addressing both nutritional adequacy and mental well-being.
This anthropogenetic approach demonstrates that integrating biochemistry with socio-cultural analysis enriches our understanding of depression and offers pathways toward population-specific prevention strategies.