Aussie Schools Tackle Kids' Anxiety Early

0:00It's April 18th. You're listening to Sydney News today, AI-powered local news. I'm Cory with the story. Australian primary schools are seeing a big jump in kids dealing with anxiety, with the average first diagnosis now at 11 years old. 81% of principals say it's a major issue, but they realize that shielding children from stress like skipping assemblies or camps is actually making things worse by cutting their ability to handle failure. This leads to programs like the anxiety project, started with the New South Wales Primary Principles Association. It's in 144 schools, helping over 50,000 students, teachers, and parents ditch unhelpful habits like letting kids avoid scary stuff such as public speaking. Parents and kids are loving the shift. Take eight-year-old Henry and his mom Kate. They've got tools now, like belly breathing to calm the brain's fear center, giving everyone a shared way. They tackle tough feelings without quick fixes. At a recent summit, educators called on state ministers for a nationwide anxiety program

1:04hitting kindergarten through year six, plus mandatory, training for new teachers. They warn avoidance creates a cycle that leads to bigger problems down the line. If we don't act early, experts like Professor Patrick McGory say we're risking in generations well-being, with anxiety linking to depression, poor, grades, and worse. New South Wales schools already have solid well-being support, but standardizing this could change the game for good.