Section 9: Looking to the future
Generally, ‘in-person’ support was preferred
over online or telehealth options:
ust to be
So meone j
lk
eone to ta
there. So m e. Not a
fac
to face to
en.
zo o m scre
Ser vic
es
assess , treatment,
ments,
th
fun din
g, holis erapy,
tic an d
effect
ive tre
atment
s.
—Moth
er, WA
d 12–13,
—Girl, age
bility, VIC
with a disa
Parents/guardians and grandparents also
asked for better access to holistic supports for
the whole family, not only for the child, so that
parents can support their children better:
Holistic support in
the context of family
an d co mmunity.
—Guardian, SA
The emphasis on holistic and family-centred
practices, and improved access for all children
and families, also aligns with the objectives of
the Australian Government’s National Children’s
Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy, launched
in October 2021. The strategy considers mental
health and wellbeing outcomes for children
from birth to 12 years of age, as well as their
families and communities who nurture them.59
Stakeholders in roundtables recommended
that the Australian Government fully fund and
implement this strategy.
(c) A greater role for schools in meeting
children’s mental health and wellbeing needs
ably
, prefer
s
r
o
l
l
e
s
tive
Co un
es, crea
n
o
ic
t
is
ion etc.
hol
t
a
it
d
e
,m
ilitators
at what
k
arts fac
o
o
l
o
d
ed t
They ne ental health an
m
creates
it.
parent,
pro vi de
—Grand
, NSW
isability
with a d
Improving the provision of flexible, holistic,
wraparound supports for children and their
families was a key recommendation of the
AHRC’s Keeping Kids Safe and Well report.58
When asked in the survey about school support
for mental health and wellbeing, almost onethird of children (29%) said that schools should
be offering more support. This is reflected in the
responses to open-ended questions:
Suppo
rt
w ith c gro ups, sc
o unse
ho ols
lling.
—Girl
, aged
14–15
, SA
w ill
l that this
u
f
e
p
o
h
how
I am
n derstan d
u
ls
o
o
h
c
help s
ke the
eel an d ta
f
y
ll
a
e
r
we
do
d actually
ing
a dvice an
d of no dd
a
e
t
s
in
g
great
so methin
n d saying
a
s
d
a
e
h
up
their
follow ing
r
e
v
e
n
n
idea the
on it.
1, NSW
ed 9–1
—Boy, ag
I wo u
ld like
have
a big this suppo
eno ug
rt to
to se ever yone
eac
in the h reach t
o unse
hat
least
scho o
llor
o
l
the s nce, so th , or so me gets
at ev
uppor
such,
er
t
they
a
nee d, an d assist yone gets t
ance
regar
abilit
th
y to a
d
sk fo less of th at
r help
eir
.
—Gir
l, age
d 12–
13, VI
C
The majority of parents/guardians and
grandparents (57%) also felt that schools should
offer more support for children’s mental health
and wellbeing:
to
ccess can
a
r
e
t
Bet
hat
ists t n d build
p
a
r
e
a
th
n,
onsite
hildre
co me ips w ith c t the
sh
or
lation tter supp
e
r
l
a
e
b
re
ic
y can
holist
so the . A more
en
r, SA
childr h.
Mothe
c
a
—
o
r
app
Better
s
scho ol. upport w ith
in
M
suppor ore holistic
t
w ithin of the child
scho ol.
—Step
Both children, and parents/guardians and
grandparents asked for mental health and
wellbeing support to be built into daily activities
and programs at schools rather than just having
stand-alone sessions talking about ‘how to’ do it.
They also indicated the value of using supports
and resources that are based on evidence and
adequate staff training.
The role of school counsellors was singled-out
as a vital area of support, with greater numbers
of trained counsellors being required to work
with children:
cess to
More ac
rs. More
co unsello or yo ung
nf
e ducatio
n mental
peo ple o
re
sues. Mo
nt
health is
time spe
d
n
a
s
u
foc
ls on
at scho o
ing
hip build
relations
.
activities
r, VIC
—Mothe
Have pro p
er co unsell
ors in
all public
scho ols. Re
mo ve
relig io us c
haplains, w
ho
o ut of to u
ch w ith kid are
s who
do not att
en d relig io
u
s
scho ols an
d are po or
ly
traine d or
untraine d.
They
don’t have
the high-le
vel
skills of pr
ofessionals
w ith
university
degrees.
—Grandpa
rent, NSW
-paren
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‘Mental health shapes my life’: COVID-19 & kids’ wellbeing • 2022 | 125