New toolkit launched to support Parents Facing Children’s Mental Health Challenges
A new edition of a vital toolkit has been launched to help parents and carers navigate the challenge of children’s mental health difficulties — an issue that is significantly affecting working families and employers.
The Parents’ Toolkit: Mental Health Difficulties in Children and Young People, developed and updated by MindForward Alliance in partnership with Morgan Stanley and PwC UK, is now in its second edition, following the success of the original toolkit first launched in 2022.
Research from MindForward Alliance underscores why this resource is so important: 68% of working parents are worried about their child’s mental health, and nearly half (48%) say it is affecting their work performance. Meanwhile, 12% have considered reducing their hours, and 8% have thought about leaving work altogether to cope.
The second edition provides an overview of key topics, including school avoidance, self-harm, safe use of social media and the intersection of wellbeing and neurodivergent conditions.
The Toolkit draws on the expertise of the King’s Maudsley Partnership, Place2Be and YoungMinds, as well as the experience of parents. It has been carefully designed for ease of use, and signposts to reliable information from trusted sources, helping parents and carers to:
- Promote positive mental health in their children
- Recognise why and when difficulties can arise, and what to look out for
- Support a child who is struggling
- Know when and how to seek professional help
- Prioritise their own wellbeing
Each section includes a few key links to quality resources, with a library of further reading provided at the end.
“It’s incredibly stressful for any parent when their child is struggling,” said Farimah Darbyshire, a director at MindForward Alliance. “When parents look for help, the amount of information out there can be overwhelming. This updated edition, builds on the success of our 2022 toolkit, making it easier to access trusted, expert guidance. We are very grateful to Morgan Stanley and PwC for their ongoing support, and to the King’s Maudsley Partnership, Place2Be, and YoungMinds for inputting their resources and expertise.”
We are encouraging employers to share the toolkit widely with parents, carers, employee resource groups (ERGs), and workplace wellbeing champions.