Sibling Relationships

Sibling relationships are often a child's first and longest-lasting social connection. These bonds can offer companionship, support and opportunities to develop important life skills such as empathy, negotiation and conflict resolution. However, like all close relationships, sibling dynamics can be complex. Differences in temperament, age, needs and parental attention can all contribute to tension or rivalry. It's not uncommon for children to compete for attention, especially during times of change or stress.

As a parent or caregiver, your role in shaping the tone of sibling relationships is vital. Creating a home environment that celebrates each child's unique strengths and avoids direct comparisons helps reduce rivalry and fosters mutual respect.

By listening without judgement, teaching emotional regulation, and supporting each child's individuality, you can create a family culture where siblings feel secure and valued. This edition of SchoolTV offers insights to support young people in developing positive, lasting sibling bonds that can remain strong well into adulthood.

We hope you take time to reflect on the information offered in this edition of SchoolTV.

If you do have any concerns about the wellbeing of your child, please contact your child’s Head of House, Year 9 Director / Head of Community or Wellbeing Support Service for further information or seek medical or professional help.

Here is the link to your special report

"Supporting healthy sibling relationships means recognising each child's unique strengths and avoiding comparisons. This encourages mutual respect, reduces rivalry and helps build lasting bonds into adulthood."

Dr Michael Carr-Gregg

New Social Media Regulations: What you need to know

Parents' and Carers' Guide to the Restrictions

From 10 December 2025, age-restricted social platforms must prevent Australians under 16 years old from having an account. While many parents support this, our research shows most impacted teens (72%) disagree with the restrictions, or have mixed feelings about them.

Supporting teens to navigate this change will be a community effort. Young people will be looking to their parents and carers for support during this time of change.

This downloadable guide explains how teens may be impacted by the restrictions, and how parents and carers can help their teen adjust to the new normal.

Click here to download the guide

Wellbeing Support Service seeks to build and enhance the wellbeing capacity of our community through the values of:

Authenticity, Empathy, Inclusivity, Collaboration and Service.