This was the first online Catalysing Connections event, which I coordinated.
The middle years, from 8-14 years, have often been described as a phase of ‘latency’. However, we now understand that this is not the case and the middle years are in fact a foundational period for development. Indeed, these middle years are a sensitive phase in social and emotional development, and a time when an individual’s identity emerges. It is during the middle years that an individual begins to engage very differently with his/her social world beyond the immediate family. These years are also the peak time of onset for emotional and behavioural problems; one half of all adult mental disorders have their onset by the age of 14 years with symptoms often appearing well before then. We know there is a close connection between health and education during the middle years and particularly in the transition to secondary school. The transition from primary school is one of the most significant and disruptive events in the lives of young people and coincides with puberty, which brings a suite of physical, biological, and social changes. Yet in contrast with the transition into primary school, research on this phase of life has been scarce and there are currently no effective system-wide evidence-based strategies in Victoria or nationally to support students. Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought additional challenges for this cohort in terms of the impact on mental health and school engagement.
