Background: Previous evidence has suggested a strong association between school exclusion and health outcomes. However, as health risks are themselves related to the risk of experiencing a school exclusion, it has been challenging to determine the extent to which school exclusion impacts later health outcomes, as opposed to reflecting a marker for…

Playwork is a recognised profession in the United Kingdom (UK) and is currently a growing area of interest internationally. However, debates about the nature and purpose of playwork have raged in the playwork field since the profession was invented in the early adventure playgrounds. This study is the first to capture data about what the now…

Adolescent health and well-being are abysmal due to low and declining physical activity rates, increasing mental health problems such as anxiety and depression, and minimal opportunities to engage in meaningful social experiences. Adolescents who live in communities that are underserved face greater risks for experiencing health disparities…

Background: Armed conflicts continue to threaten a vast number of children across the world, especially in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs). Evidence-based interventions are vital to adequately address the mental health needs in these groups. Objective: This systematic review aims to provide a comprehensive update of the most current…

Purpose: Child-to-Child (C-to-C) approach is an evidence-based approach that ensures the child's participation in bringing about positive changes in healthcare. By systematically investigating the literature, the study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the approach and recognize associated themes, methodologies and outcomes.…

School closures were part of a larger COVID-19 mitigation effort. However, policymakers over-weighted concerns about the virus to the neglect of other aspects of pediatric health, including mental health. This narrative review summarizes findings from 40 studies. School closures appear to have been an ineffective mitigation strategy, yet children…

A National Wellbeing Project was developed following COVID-19 to promote wellbeing in children and young people (CYP). Two 8-week, awareness-based interventions, Breath-Body-Mind (BBM) and Creative Mindfulness (CM), were delivered by external facilitators over an 8-week period in primary and post-primary schools across 5 sites in the Republic of…

Research has shown that childhood physical activity participation has a positive relationship with markers of wellbeing, such as self-esteem and quality of life, and physical activity participation may serve as protective mechanism against some mental illnesses including depression. The aim of the current study was to examine the relationship…

The quality of life for a child with a chronic illness depends on various factors, including the illness's severity, medical treatments, psychosocial and educational support, resource availability, and community involvement. These biopsychosocial factors become significant when the child receives care at home. This article presents and evaluates a…

Over the last number of years, there has been an increased move towards attending to the social and emotional wellbeing of students in Irish post-primary schools. Several studies have indicated that educators' positive attitudes toward health and wellbeing education are crucial to achieving whole-school implementation in terms of the promotion of…

This study examined the leadership approach to child health and wellbeing within the early-years sector; it drew upon the evidence from thirty-two practitioners and ten nursery managers. Practitioners evidenced the challenges in recognising the signs and symptoms of low wellbeing and in monitoring progress. A constructivist paradigm enabled…

Every moment counts (EMC) is a multi-tiered mental health promotion initiative designed to build the capacity of practitioners to address the mental health needs of children and youth in school settings. This study evaluated the impact and cultural relevance of EMC workshops in supporting practitioners to apply a public health approach to…

Within this literature-based article the authors consider the importance and power of relationships, within the field of early years education and care (ECEC). Drawing on the lenses of attachment and development theory, alongside current literature and research, the authors critically explore the significance of relationships in child development,…

This study aimed to identify the degree of contribution of mothers' treatment patterns to the emotional balance of kindergarten children and to achieve the objectives of the study; two scales were built: a questionnaire to measure mothers' treatment patterns and a questionnaire to measure the emotional balance of kindergarten children after…

Early childhood curricula are constructed from what is deemed important for young children's development and learning nationally, while influenced by international policy developments. Following concerns surrounding international neo-liberal agendas in early childhood policy formation, this article examines the position of young children's…