Conference Special: Child maltreatment, social media and young people's mental health

In this episode of Children’s Mental Health: Listen Up! Dr Elaine Lockhart was live at the Faculty of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (CAP) conference in Manchester, and brought together two leading researchers to discuss some of the most pressing issues facing children and young people today.

Professor James Scott from the University of Brisbane presents findings from the Australian Child Maltreatment Study, one of the largest and most detailed investigations into childhood abuse and neglect ever conducted. With data showing that 62% of Australian children experienced some form of maltreatment, he explains how the study was designed, what it found, and what it means for mental and physical health outcomes across the lifespan.

Professor Amy Orben then turns to the debate around social media and young people's mental health, examining what the evidence actually shows, how platform design shapes behaviour, and what promising interventions look like. She also discusses Australia's move to ban social media for under-16s, and why she believes removing access alone is unlikely to be enough.

Together, they offer a clear-eyed, evidence-based view of two issues that matter deeply to clinicians, parents, and policymakers alike.