Wellbeing
Under 16 Social Media Ban – Important Information for Parents
Controlling social media use for young people has been an increasing concern, not just for the amount of time being spent on the platforms, but the disturbing content young people can easily be exposed to.
As you will be aware, from 10 December 2025, many social media platforms won’t be allowed to let Australians under 16 create or keep an account.
Information about the changes can be hard to understand, so the best thing you can do to support your young people is to access current and reliable information.
This can be found on the website of the esafety commissioner, where a ‘hub’ of information has been created to assist parents with:
- Rationale for the age restrictions
- Quick facts, tools, videos and webinars
- Answers to frequently asked questions
- Advice on talking to young people about the ban
Health and wellbeing advice
As a parent or carer, you can support your child by talking calmly and openly about the age restrictions. This includes asking how they use social media now, helping them understand how the law might affect them, and guiding them to prepare for the change.
eSafety has developed sample conversation starters for parents and carers, as well as a Get-ready guide for helping under-16s prepare for the change. The guide has tips for helping under-16s find other ways to connect with friends, keep up with their interests, express themselves, learn about things and be entertained.
For extremely helpful guidance and support, please visit the esafety commissioner website:
https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents/social-media-age-restrictions
Year 9 Incursion - In Search of Beauty
Each year during our Extended Pastoral program we organise a number of incursions for our students around a variety of topics which encourage their social and emotional development. Last week our Year 9 students had an incursion on finding ‘the beauty within’, facilitated by Steve and Annie Lawrence. With our young people being bombarded daily by unrealistic beauty stereotypes and body images, Annie’s presentation on ‘In Search of Beauty’ seeks to expose these distortions and show where true beauty lies.
Annie led the girls through her idea of a beauty treatment – the ‘beauty challenge’:
- DETOX – eliminate one channel of negative beauty messages in your life
- INFUSION – Find time to contemplate beauty in nature
- MUSCLE WORKOUT – Choose one inner beauty strength to exercise. Try kind words online.
- EYE REJUVENATION – Notice true beauty in yourself and others.
Annie also instilled in the girls the power of words, to build up or cut down. She powerfully presenting the following poem ‘The Rose’, visually showing the rose being torn apart by the personification of ‘criticism’.
Please have a read of this beautiful short poem here:
Meanwhile, Steve took the boys on an inspiring journey of self-reflection with compelling personal anecdotes of his life as an AFL player, husband, father of six children, educator and world adventurer. As a man of deep faith and spirituality, he encouraged the young men to be resilient and respectful, having courage to stand up for their beliefs, and encouraging good people to become great.
Ms Jackie Kol
Director of Wellbeing