Useful Resources for Parents, Carers & Young People
If you or your teenager want more information about mental health and related issues, or would like to speak to a mental health professional, please check out the following organisations and helplines. You’ll also find some other resources referred to in the PiP modules.
If you need to contact the PiP-Ed team, see the contact us page.
Crisis support helplines
For immediate support, including if you or your teen feel unable to keep yourself, contact:
Lifeline
Lifeline provides access to crisis support, suicide prevention and mental health support services.
Phone: 13 11 14
Suicide Call Back Service
Suicide Call Back Service provides 24/7 telephone and online counselling to people affected by suicide.
Phone: 1300 659 467
Kids Helpline
A free, private, telephone and online counselling service specifically for young people aged 5 to 25 years.
Phone: 1800 55 1800
In an emergency, dial 000
or visit your nearest hospital emergency department.
Mental health support for parents, carers and young people
In-person psychological support
Medicare-subsidised psychology sessions with a mental health treatment plan
A Mental Health Treatment Plan (MHTP) is a plan provided by a general practitioner (GP) to support someone with mental health issues. A MHTP can include referral to a mental health professional, including registered psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers and occupational therapists. If you have a MHTP, Medicare will pay some or all of the cost of a limited number of sessions each year. The out of pocket cost varies for different professionals or clinics.
Find a Psychologist
If you or your teenager would like to find a registered psychologist in your area, the Australian Psychological Society Find a Psychologist service can assist with this.
Telehealth psychological support and counselling
If you want telehealth (online or phone) information and counselling for mental health issues, the following services may be suitable:Beyond Blue
Learn more about depression and anxiety, or talk it through with support services at Beyond Blue. Email or chat online.
Phone: 1300 224 636
eheadspace
eheadspace is a confidential, free and secure space where young people aged 12 to 25 or their family can chat, email or speak on the phone with a qualified youth mental health professional.
Phone: 1800 650 890
ReachOut & ReachOut Parents
Reachout provides self-help information, referral tools, and a peer-support program for young people and their parents.
Someone Health
Someone Health provides Medicare bulk billing psychologist counselling Australia wide by video and telephone.
Parent Line
Parent line provides free and confidential telephone counselling and support on parenting issues, for parents and carers of children from birth to 18 years old. See below for different state and territory contact details.
Phone: 02 6287 3833
Phone: 1300 1300 52
Phone: 1300 808 178
Phone: 13 22 89
Phone Metro: 08 9368 9368
Phone Regional: 1800 111 546
Evidence-based, online (self-guided) programs for mental health problems:
Moodgym
Moodgym is an interactive program based on Cognitive Behaviour Therapy and Interpersonal Therapy. It can help you to identify the mental health difficulties and to learn skills to cope with your emotions.
This Way Up
This Way Up provides a suite of self-paced online programs for a range of mental health problems. The programs can teach you strategies to help improve the way you feel.
Mindspot
Mindspot provides access to free online and telephone mental health assessments, treatment programs, and a resource library for a range of mental health problems.
Phone: 1800614434
To explore other online resources and programs, check out:
Head to Health
Head to Health provides access to many of Australia’s trusted mental health and wellbeing organisations, information, online programs, and digital resources.
Additional resources about school refusal
Books:
Online resources:
State-specific information or support for school attendance difficulties:
Please note that each state has different resources available for families dealing with school refusal. Some states have more support available than others. The below list includes some information or support that may be relevant for each state. Where there are no direct support services available, we have included links to government websites or policies about school engagement.
Victoria
- The navigator program. Navigator supports disengaged young people by working with the young person, their family and support network to address issues underlying disengagement and help them re-engage with their education. To be eligible, a young person (aged 12 to 17) must be enrolled in a Victorian education setting (government or non-government) and have attended 30% or less of the previous school term. Referrals can be made by anyone. Please note that the waitlist for this program is usually very long.
- Victorian government school attendance policy.
- School re-engagement programs policy.
New South Wales
- School refusal: Everyday counts. A resource booklet for schools and families about supporting young people with school refusal.
- NSW government education website: How do you help a teen who refuses to go to school?
- Inclusive, Engaging and Respectful Schools Policy
Australian Capital Territory
Queensland
- The Resourceful Adolescent Program (RAP). Building resilience and promoting positive mental health in teenagers, improving family relationships, promoting school connectedness.
- The Every Day Counts program. Every day counts is a state wide initiative that aims to assist in improving student attendance at school through a shared commitment by students, parents, caregivers, schools and the community. This website includes information for schools, families, and students themselves.
- QLD government ‘spark their future’. This page includes some information and links to other resources about school refusal.
Tasmania
- The back on track program is an outreach approach to support young people who have not successfully transitioned from Year 10 to Years 11 and 12.
- Uniting: Family services for school engagement. The school engagement programs work with students who are at risk of disengaging from school and their families. These programs support the wellbeing of children and their families and help to build on strengths, increase school attendance, improve school connectedness and get more involved in their community.
Western Australia
South Australia
- South Australia Department for Education web page ‘When your child needs support to get to school or preschool’.
- Information on Support Services offered by the Department of Education.
Northern Territory
Additional mental health resources just for young people
To learn more about mental health issues:
Youth Beyond Blue
Youth Beyond Blue’s website is for young people aged 12 to 15. If you need to talk to someone, find more information, or find out where you can go to see someone contact the beyondblue support service.
Phone: 1300 22 4636
headspace
Headspace helps young people aged 12 to 25 who are going through a tough time, providing support for problems like depression, anxiety, bullying and body image.
Phone: 1800 650 890
Online and phone counselling:
eheadspace
eheadspace is a confidential, free and secure space where young people aged 12 to 25 or their family can chat, email or speak on the phone with a qualified youth mental health professional.
Kids Helpline
A free, private and confidential, telephone and online counselling service specifically for young people aged between 5 and 25.
Phone: 1800 55 1800
Support for issues relating to gender, identity and sexuality:
QLife
Australia-wide, anonymous, peer support and referral for people wanting to talk about issues relating to sexuality, identity, gender, bodies, feelings, or relationships. Phone and web-chat available.
qheadspace
A peer led online chat for LGBTQIA+ young people in Australia.
Reachout Peer Chat
If you have mental health challenges or something on your mind that you would like to chat about, you can book a free and confidential text-based chat with a peer worker.
Legal, financial and resources for family violence
The services listed below provide information and referral pathways for families and individuals struggling with family violence, accommodation, legal and financial difficulties.
Family violence and emergency accommodation
1800 Respect
Provides 24/7 telephone and online counselling support as well as access to information and services for people impacted by sexual assault, domestic or family violence and abuse.
Fincancial Support
- Centrelink’s Parent Payment Finder can help you find Australian government payments and services you may be eligible for.
- A Start in Life is an Australian charity that provides a range of assistance, including financial assistance, to students from kindergarten through to tertiary studies.
- The Smith Family’s Learning for Life program provides financial support, guidance and mentoring for disadvantaged students. The Smith Family works with a select number of schools and may require referral from the school principal.
- There are other services available in each state and local community. We suggest asking your child’s school about other services you may be eligible for.
Legal support
Australian Legal Assistance Services
Legal Aid provides free legal services, including information, legal advice, and representation in courts and tribunals. Each state and territory has its own Legal Aid service provider:
Family Advocacy and Support Service
The Family Advocacy and Support Service combines free legal advice and support at court for people in Australia affected by domestic and family violence. Each Australian State and Territory has a Family Advocacy and Support Service. Refer to the website for state/territory specific contact information.
Youth Law Australia
Free, confidential legal information and advice for young people under 25. Provides information specific to all Australian states and territories.