Navigating child mental health in a digital world – education, policy and practicality
The College proudly hosted its inaugural Mental Health and Social Media Symposium on Friday 15 May, bringing together educators, clinicians, school leaders, representatives from Catholic Schools NSW and Independent Schools NSW, ICT and digital learning specialists, across all education sectors. A key highlight of the Symposium reflected a powerful shared commitment to strengthening the wellbeing of young people in an increasingly complex digital world and driving meaningful, positive cultural change.
Grounded in the Socratic principle that “We do not learn alone; we become who we are through conversation with others,” the Symposium reinforced that learning, identity and growth are shaped through relationships and meaningful connection. It highlighted that lasting cultural change requires ongoing dialogue, authentic partnership, and a shared responsibility to support children and adolescents navigating life online.
The Symposium also provided an opportunity to reflect on the evolving national and international conversation surrounding young people, technology and wellbeing, particularly following the recent social media regulations introduced at the end of 2025. While these reforms represent an important step forward, they also reinforce the need for continued collaboration, education and collective responsibility in building safer digital environments.
Throughout the planning process, several key questions guided our vision:
- What does meaningful change look like within a school context?
- How do we move beyond awareness into sustained, practical action?
- What can we learn from successes, challenges and lived experience in an ever-evolving digital landscape?
These questions framed the rich professional dialogue across the day.
The program opened with a thought-provoking keynote presentation from clinical psychologist Dr Danielle Einstein, who explored the influence of social media and technology on young people through the lens of her theory of uncertainty and anxiety. Dr Einstein provided evidence-based insights into the impact this has on adolescents’ overall wellbeing including identity, relationships, emotional regulation and connection, while also sharing practical strategies to support healthier digital engagement.
The second session featured two Q&A panel discussions designed to explore diverse perspectives across education, ICT, wellbeing and policy.
Panel 1 focus question:
How do we energise the community and continue progressing toward meaningful cultural change around intentional technology use?
Panel members included:
- Shelly Acland (Clinical Psychologist, Head of Counselling Services, Loreto Normanhurst)
- Brett Houghton (Chief Information Officer, St Ignatius’ College Riverview)
- David Smith (Senior Online Safety Expert & Educator NSW, Ysafe by Qoria)
- Nathan Smith (Senior Manager Wellbeing & CVE, CSNSW)
- Facilitator: Mrs Kate Quinane (College Principal, Brigidine College St Ives)
Panel 2 focus question:
How has new legislation shaped school policy and expectations, and what strategies can help staff and young people navigate and adapt to these changes?
Panel members included:
- Maria Costa (Manager Child Protection and Safeguarding, ISNSW)
- Sarah Loch (Director of Pymble Institute, PLC Pymble)
- Sia Mastro (Director of Student Wellbeing, Brigidine College St Ives)
- Abi Wolduis (Head of Junior School, Roseville College)
- Facilitator: Dr Danielle Einstein
Inspired by Dr Einstein’s work, the Symposium was designed to foster meaningful conversation, reflection and shared learning – bringing together research, professional expertise, and lived experience to strengthen collective understanding and build capacity to support young people both online and offline. Our final session of the day highlighted active collaboration amongst the participants where we identified options as well as challenges in taking intentional and sustainable steps toward positive cultural change.
My hope is that the Symposium is not seen as an endpoint, but as the beginning of ongoing connection and sustained dialogue. The driving question in my mind is how do we embrace the benefits of technology and education without losing the real-world experiences young people need to thrive? In an increasingly digital age, this serves as a timely reminder that our responsibility is not only to protect young people, but to actively preserve the developmental conditions that allow them to flourish, for “there is no trust more sacred than the one the world holds with children.” (Kofi Annan, UN speeches, c. 1997–2006).
Participant feedback captured the impact of the day:
- “The symposium was engaging, informative and highly relevant to the realities schools are currently facing.”
- “It was encouraging to hear bold, values-driven discussions about what meaningful action could look like. Days like this remind me why I do this work, why it matters, and why I continue to feel so passionate about supporting children, adolescents and families. Very grateful to everyone involved in creating such an important and thought-provoking event.”
- “Thank you for creating such a powerful opportunity to come together, learn from one another, and share meaningful practice and strategies that support staff and students’ digital wellbeing.”
- “It was reassuring to hear such a balanced conversation around social media, mental health and young people, rather than simply focusing on fear-based messaging.”
- “One of the strengths of the day was the opportunity to hear different perspectives while remaining focused on the wellbeing of young people.”
- “It was an incredibly thought-provoking day filled with valuable insights, the sharing of ideas, and practical strategies to better support school communities in such an important space.”
Following the success of this inaugural event, we hope that the National Mental Health & Social Media Symposium will become an annual national event at Brigidine College St Ives.
