Mental Health Resources
City of Joondalup Support Services
Parents, Carers and Families
- Beyond Blue, Looking after your mental health during the coronavirus outbreak
- Emerging Minds, Supporting Children during the Coronavirus outbreak
- Helping Minds, Counselling and support for family and friends
- ReachOut, How to talk to your teenager about coronavirus
Young People (Secondary School)
The Mental Health Commission has also compiled a comprehensive list of additional resources and mental health supports for this time.
If you would like more information the following links may be helpful to you:
Coronavirus – A Guide for Parents – Dr Michael Carr Gregg
Helping Children Cope With Changes Resulting from COVID-19 – National Association of School Psychologists (USA) (Available in a small selection of other languages)
Kids guide to coronavirus – Live Science
Staying Connected with Our Children – Australian Childhood Foundation
Covid-19 Support – Head to Health
Tips for Coping with Coronavirus Anxiety – Australian Psychological Society
Reaching Out for Help
Everyone needs help sometimes. Kids are not the only ones who find change to routines and uncertainty, stressful. Many parents are facing extremely difficult situations at the moment. If you are feeling like you need help coping, please reach out for help, either from your family, General Practitioner or workplace Employee Assistance Program if available.
If you have significant concerns about your child and want some professional help, you can get a referral to a psychologist or mental health professional through your GP. It’s best to contact your GP over the phone first and they will let you know how to proceed. Many psychologists are now offering their services using tele-health (using online or phone communication).
The following services are also available to support your family.
Kidshelpline
Kidshelpline provides a free, private and confidential 24/7 phone and online counselling service for people aged 5 to 25.
t: 1800 55 1800
Headspace
Counselling for young people 12-25 years. 9am-1am (Melbourne time) 7 days a week.
t: 1800 650 890
w: headspace.org.au/eheadspace
Youth Beyond Blue
Counselling for young people 12-25 years. Phone available 24/7. Online 3pm-12am AEST
t: 1300 22 4636
Lifeline
24/7 Crisis support phone service for all Australians
t: 13 11 14
m: text 0477 13 11 14 6pm-midnight AEST 7 days/week
Please access the Department of Education’s Learning at Home resources in the areas of
Support for Parents and Carers and Support for Children and Young People.
This includes information from the Raising Children Network such as School age behaviour support and Children with disability family life as well as topics such as Managing emotions and Loss and Grief from Beyond Blue’s Healthy Families information.
In addition, you can read the following parent information sheets as you require.
From Black Dog Institute:
Reassuring your child about the unknown
From the eSafety Commissioner:
Online kit for parents and carers
From Beyond Blue’s Be You initiative:
From the World Health Organisation:
Helping children cope with stress
I conclude with this positive and resourceful article by Maggie Dent.
Top tips and links for families
Mandy Anzai
School Psychologist
Jodi Ingham
Chaplain
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