KidsFirstNow

  I’ve always wondered why there is a shift from being the most precious, in which we are so in tune With our kids' needs and voice. However, as they grow older, we tend to listen to societal norms more than our children. Why? Despite frequent assertions that children represent the future, contemporary society often fails to act on this. Beyond the confines of family life or institutional care, children are routinely marginalised, viewed less as individuals with rights and potential, and more as economic dependencies or behavioural challenges. This tendency is not incidental but reflects deeply ingrained systemic, cultural and economic values that prioritise short-term productivity over long-term societal wellbeing. If Australia is to foster a sustainable, equitable future, a significant shift in how we perceive and treat children is necessary. In economic terms, children are largely invisible. Within neoliberal frameworks, value is measured by economic output, a metric by which ch...

  I f you’re an Australian teacher, chances are you entered the profession with a deep belief in young people what they could become, how learning could shape their lives, and the power of education to create a fairer, kinder world. You saw potential, not problems. You believed education could be a force for good. But somewhere along the way, that spark got dimmed. Not extinguished, never extinguished, but buried beneath behaviour charts, NAPLAN prep, endless compliance checklists, and the constant pressure to prove your worth in a system that rarely values it. The truth is, no matter how much you give, it often feels like it’s never enough. That isn’t a reflection of your ability or your care. It’s the consequence of a system that was never designed for long-term human flourishing, not for children, and certainly not for those who teach them. Most of us were sold a version of schooling that rewards order over curiosity, obedience over courage. And it has worn down so many good peo...