Course: Support Worker Resources, Tile: 29. Worried about a child's wellbeing?

29. Worried about a child's wellbeing?

29. Worried about a child's wellbeing?
- As a child or young person grows in their learning and development, it is important to proactively take steps to ensure each child's physical, emotional and social wellbeing. Children from service families are required to navigate many unique challenges and difficult situations that can impact a child's mental health positively or negatively. Seeking support early is vital to ensuring a child is actively and appropriately supported.
  
  Our programs offer free resources throughout the online modules to support each child's wellbeing and build their capacity to tackle service-specific challenges and thrive.
  These pages might be useful if you want to know more about wellbeing and mental health. If you believe the child you are supporting has prolonged and severe challenges, please seek professional advice.
- The difference between wellbeing and mental health
- This kit is designed to support the wellbeing of teenagers and young people who have a parent with a service-related mental health condition. It is Canadian, so Canadian terminology may be used throughout. Support services will be different for Australian and those in other countries.
- Let's take a look at how mental health is defined. Mental health can affect anyone at any age. In using these resources, you may find relevance for yourself or another adult member of the family you are supporting. In this case, please seek professional support.
  This diagram from the Australian Capital Territory Government shows 12 domains that contribute to our wellbeing.
  
  Each of the petals helps to make up the flower, in the same way that each of these domains makes up our wellbeing. So, for example, if we are unable to have strong social connections, then the flower will not be as likely to thrive. This website shows simple ways to improve our wellbeing using some (but not all) of these domains.
- Check your mental health - and the child's (Beyond Blue)
- Child and youth mental health resource
  
  Australian resources
  In Australia, support can be gained from: Open Arms (defence and veteran family members), Legacy (all veteran family members), and Defence Member Family Support (currently serving family members), Fortem Australia (for first responder families), Military and Emergency Services Health Australia (MESHA - all service families), and Lifeline (community supports for any families). Additionally, for those who care for paramedics, Everymind has a free online course to support you in that role (see Minds Together).
- Types of therapy
  If you have recognised some mental health challenges your child is experiencing, there are multiple pathways to support your child. Tapping into psychological services, including counselling is one way to support your child. Depending on their age and the type of concern, different therapies might be effective. Listed below are a range of therapeutic approaches that a psychologist or support worker may use.
- Trauma focused Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT)
- Parent-child interaction therapy
- Play therapy
- You can also search for 'Play-based therapists' and 'Arts-based therapists' that use a trauma-informed approach in your local area.
  Parent training
- Filial therapy
- Partners in parenting (Headspace 12-25 years)
- Counselling and support options (free)
- Open Arms (for Defence members, veterans and their families)
- Fortem Australia (for first responder families)
- For Defence, veteran and first responder families
- Military Emergency Services Health Australia (Military and first responder families)
- For all families
- Kids Helpline (parent information)
- Kids Helpline (webchat counselling)
- Kids Helpline (for children)
- Kids Helpline (for teenagers 13-17)
- Kids Helpline (for young adults 18-25)
- Headspace (13-25 years)
- Lifeline (for all families)
- Other related modules
  
  Child and Family Resilience modules have been developed to assist your family. Other modules that might be useful for you are:
  
  Module 8: Work-related physical injuries and medical conditions
  
  Module 9: Work-related mental health conditions
  Module 12: Abuse (family and domestic, child abuse, neglect)
  Module 13: When a parent dies or attempts suicide
  
  Module 14: Child and family trauma
  This module explores trauma and how parents' work-related (or service-related) trauma can be passed on to children. It is useful for parents and carers looking to support their children within military, veteran, first responder and remote working families.
  Module 20: Moral Injury
  You can also create Personalised programs for your child.
  
  Other supports
  
  Try to familiarise yourself with relevant organisations that offer national support. These might include:
  Defence and/or Veteran Families
  Defence Member & Family Support (DMFS)
  Legacy
  Defence Families of Australia
  Defence Housing Australia
  Soldier On
  Mates4Mates
  
  First Responder Families
  
  Everymind Minds Together program (for carers of paramedics)
  
  All families
  
  Kookaburra Kids
  Beyond Blue
  
  Smiling Minds is a not-for-profit organisation. They have a free mindfulness app for adults and programs for schools.
  
  Parenting information (Raising Children Network)
  
  Babies and toddlers
  
  School-age
  
  Pre-teen and teen mental health
  
  Parents mental health
- Information and index
- General feedback for this module