Section 9: Looking to the future
9.3 How to better support
children’s mental health and
wellbeing
Throughout the survey, children, parents/
guardians and grandparents were given the
opportunity to make suggestions on how
to better support children’s mental health
and wellbeing, both during and beyond the
pandemic. They were asked open-ended
questions about what they thought good mental
health support looked like, and what they
needed in terms of support. They were also
asked what better mental health support from
schools would look like.
Children were also asked, ‘if you were to wave
a magic wand, what would you change to help
children to feel happy and positive?’.
Stakeholders in roundtables, in response
to the findings of the survey, also made
recommendations that align with many of the
suggestions made by children and families.
Some of these are included below where
relevant.
The suggestions made by children, and parents/
guardians and grandparents are categorised
into the following broad areas.
(a) Increasing awareness and understanding
of mental health and wellbeing
Children and parents/guardians and
grandparents said there should be greater
awareness and understanding of mental health
in the community.
When asked what they would change with a
magic wand, some children reflected on the
COVID-19 pandemic experience, hoping it had
increased awareness of mental health, and how
to cope in times of crisis.
Some children felt that their families
could benefit from more awareness and
understanding of mental health, so they could
support them better. Some parents/guardians
and grandparents also felt that they, and
children, need more explicit education about
mental health and wellbeing to truly understand
it.
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They also spoke about the need to ‘normalise’
and reduce the stigma attached to mental health
issues. As discussed in section 8.3(a), one of the
main barriers to seeking support for mental
health experienced by children was a fear of
people finding out and judging their problems.
Parents/guardians and grandparents frequently
raised the need for education and programs in
order to normalise and de‑stigmatise mental
health issues:
(b) Improving mental health and wellbeing
support services and programs for children
and their families
Some children and parents/guardians and
grandparents spoke about the ways that
children’s mental health and wellbeing could
be better supported. Some spoke about the
lessons learned through the pandemic as an
opportunity to improve systems and supports
for children more permanently.
Many children, parents/guardians and
grandparents said extra support was needed
for children’s mental health and wellbeing over
the last two years but they were unable to get
it. When asked what these supports would
look like, many said that they wanted more
tangible supports and options for children
experiencing difficulties with their mental health
and wellbeing, and options that could meet their
individual needs:
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