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Spiralling mental health, youth crime and school refusal – this must-see docu-series examines the long-term impacts of placing the nation’s children into Covid lockdowns.
View in browser 20th March 2025
 

image Five years ago, Covid lockdowns threw a generation of Australian children into the alien world of social isolation and remote learning. It’s only now that the long-term impact on teens and young adults is becoming apparent … an epidemic of social anxiety, mental illness, eating disorders and social media-fuelled youth crime.

This special investigation examines how the nation’s kids are faring – and exposes how many have fallen through the cracks of our social safety net after abandoning their education during the chaos of Covid.

Read their compelling stories below, and watch the four-part docu-series. It’s not too late to fix this.


Amy Bissett
Audience Growth Editor
Lockdown Kids docu-series: Covid’s shocking legacy
Spiralling mental health, youth crime and school refusal – this must-see docu-series examines the long-term impacts of placing the nation’s children into Covid lockdowns.
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Tragic death at 15 after refusing to eat for nine months
In the final moments of her life, the teenager shared how this one cruel comment from classmates was to blame.
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‘Pulled a knife on a family’: Teen crim on sick social media trend
The country is gripped by a youth crime crisis and this teenager explains the top reason he and other kids have turned to violent crime.
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‘Heartbreaking’ reason why 483k Aussie kids are skipping school
There’s also an additional 80,000 “ghost children” who have completely vanished from the education system. This mum-of-two shares why she can’t get her son back in the classroom.
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13yo’s body started to shut down after ‘wanting to get fit’
It all started as an innocent attempt to get healthier but it took three months for Katya to almost die from anorexia nervosa at just 13 years old.
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‘My kids haven’t been back to school since the Covid lockdowns’
Mum of three Billie-Jo Johnson says lockdown ‘broke her kids’ and five years on, she still can’t get them back to school. She’s hardly alone.
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Shock reason Gen Alpha will change our workforce forever
Gen Alpha are about to enter the workforce and they are going to make Gen Z seem like a breeze. Here’s why...
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‘As a guy you’re not calling your friends when you’re struggling’
Young men aren’t talking about their struggles, says Ben Searle as he lifts the lid on the loneliness he felt in his darkest days.
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Tragic death of 15yo after waiting over 12 months for help
Bridie Cocks’s funeral attracted over 700 friends and family who are still in shock at why help wasn’t available when she so desperately needed it.
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‘Girls are dying’: Ten years to fix rise in anorexia in Australian teens
Expert shares the warning signs to look for as kids as young as eight are presenting with eating disorders sparked by covid lockdowns.
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Doc forced to scale back work to defend home against teen crims
Dr Justus’ home in an upmarket area of Brisbane has been targeted by armed youth criminals and now he fears leaving his wife and young children home alone.
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‘My son’s death was blasted on social media’
Ryan Kimball died in a car crash – and his last moments were posted on social media. Now, the teen’s heartbroken dad reveals how Covid lockdowns played a role in the tragedy.
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‘Stressful’: Teen’s anxiety every time he steps into a classroom
Wilbur Groth went from a happy, energetic kid with lots of friends to nervous, anxious and struggling to attend school.
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