Health Space

Slip, Slop, Slap!

Australia has one of the highest rates of skin cancer in the world.  The sun's ultraviolet (UV) radiation is the major cause of skin cancer. UV damage also causes sunburn, tanning, premature ageing and eye damage. The good news is you can prevent damage – and skin cancer – by being SunSmart.  Sun protection is recommended whenever UV levels reach 3 or higher. Below 3, sun protection isn't recommended unless you are outdoors for extended periods or near reflective surfaces, like snow.  

Free SunSmart Global UV app

UV radiation is dangerous because it’s not like the sun’s light which we see, or the sun’s heat which we feel, so it can be damaging our skin without us knowing. The free SunSmart Global UV app puts sun protection advice at your fingertips.

The SunSmart Global UV app provides reliable at-a-glance real-time and forecast UV levels for locations across Australia and the world from reputable and trusted agencies and translates this data into clear, evidence-based health advice from Cancer Council Victoria to recommend sun protection for your location.  It uses forecast information from the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) and live UV data from the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) to provide sun protection times across Australia and the world.

Features

• UV and sun protection alerts each day.
• Option to create unique alerts that suit your schedule and location.
• Access worldwide UV levels which can be tailored to your specific location, providing clear guidance on when sun protection is and is not required.
• Seven-day forecast of sun protection times and weather information.
• Available in eight languages including English, French, Spanish, Dutch, Chinese, German, Italian and Russian. 
• Live UV levels across Australia and the world.

Vaping in Teens

'My teen is vaping...What should I say?'

Check out these excellent articles for advice about how to talk to your teen about vaping: 

 My teen’s vaping. What should I say? 3 expert tips on how to approach ‘the talk’ - Generation Next

https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/smoking-vaping-ban/resources

Free E-Safety Parent Webinars

To coincide with Safer Internet Day (Feb 7), eSafety is running free webinars providing parents and carers.These live webinars give parents and carers the knowledge, skills and tools to support their children to have safe online experiences. The 2023 webinars include a broad range of topics that will be delivered by an expert education and training team.The webinars will cover:

1. how to talk to young people about online risks on different social media platforms and games 
2. how to help young people develop skills to protect themselves when they are online
3. where to go for help if things go wrong and how to access mental health support and information through eSafety. 

The following link will take to you to the webinar registration page: https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents/webinars

WEBINARS AVAILABLE*eSafety 101: how eSafety can help you

This 30-minute webinar is designed for parents and carers of young people in primary and secondary school.

It will cover who eSafety is, what you can report to eSafety and helpful advice and resources for parents and carers. 

Term 1 dates:

8 February 12:30 pm to 1:00 pm 

21 March 7:30 pm to 8:00 pm 

*Setting your child up for success online*

This 30-minute webinar is designed for parents and carers of young people in primary school. It will cover age-appropriate expectations and boundaries, online risks and strategies to keep your children safe and where to find support for you and your child when things go wrong.

Term 1 dates:

8 February 7:30 pm to 8:00 pm 

28 February 12:30 pm to 1:00 pm 

14 March 12:30 pm to 1:00 pm 

*Getting the most out of gaming*

This 45-minute webinar provides families with strategies for supporting children and young people to have safe, positive experiences when playing games online. It is designed for parents and carers of children aged 7 to 14.It will cover when gaming can be beneficial and strategies to promote better in-game experiences, how to keep children safe online – using safety and privacy settings in games and platforms, strategies to promote more balanced gaming and how to create smoother transitions from game-play to other activities and the key online risks and where to find help for things like bullying and harassment in games. 

Term 1 dates:

14 February 12:30 pm to 1:15 pm 

14 March 7:30 pm to 8:15 pm 

*Navigating online friendships*

This 30-minute webinar is designed for parents and carers of young people in secondary schooI.It will cover how to support young people to have safe and respectful online relationships, what to do when something happens at school and ends up on social media or private messaging apps and how to report to social media platforms and eSafety. 

Term 1 dates:

22 February 12:30 pm to 1:00 pm

29 March 7:30 pm to 8:00 pm

The office of eSafety also have resources and advice for parents and carers to help children have safe experiences online. Check out the following link for more information: https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents

 - Kaye Walker (Health Promotion Nurse)