Download a printable copy of Five ways to support your children’s mental health
Definition
Emerging Minds acknowledges that families come in many forms. For the purposes of easy reading, the term ‘parent’ encompasses the biological, adoptive, foster and kinship carers of a child, as well as individuals who have chosen to take up primary or shared responsibility in raising that child.
We also appreciate that every child is unique and has different strengths, vulnerabilities and experiences that shape their health and development.
Parents are generally doing the best they can to help their children thrive. There are hundreds of books, websites, courses, Facebook pages and more that offer parents advice about raising children. All this information can be helpful, but it can also feel overwhelming and confusing.
Based on research and the conversations we’ve had with families and health professionals, we’ve identified five key things parents can do to support their children’s mental health, now and in the future.
Every family is unique and will experience different ups and downs. Whether life is going well right now, or your child or family is navigating tough times, focusing on these five areas of family life will help nurture and protect your child’s mental health and overall wellbeing.
Focus on the PERCS
As parents and family members, there are five key areas you can focus on to support children’s development, learning, mental health and overall wellbeing.
In the following video (2 minutes, 5 seconds) Emerging Minds’ Ben Rogers explains PERCS and how you can use this approach to support your child’s and family’s wellbeing.
In this next video (2 minutes, 58 seconds), parents and practitioners talk about how PERCS works, and the benefits of this approach for children’s mental health and family wellbeing.
Five ways to support your children’s mental health
Select the links below to learn more about how focusing on each area of family life nurtures and protects a child’s mental health and wellbeing. There are also suggested strategies, based on research and the experiences of other families and health professionals that you can add to your parenting toolkit.
