- Cook Labor Government launches new Think Mental Health campaign to help parents and carers connect with their teens
- Practical tools to build confidence and skills to communicate about emotions and navigate challenging situations together
- Launch coincides with final weeks of ATAR exams, encouraging families to check in during a potentially stressful time
The Cook Labor Government has launched a new Think Mental Health campaign to help parents and carers have meaningful conversations with their teenagers and support their mental health and wellbeing.
The Communicating and Connecting with Your Teen campaign provides practical tools and resources to help parents, guardians and carers talk with their teenagers about emotions, recognise when they may need support and know where to seek help.
Launching during the final weeks of ATAR exams and the broader university exam period, the campaign encourages parents and carers to make time to check in with their teenagers about how they are feeling. Asking open-ended questions, listening without judgement and acknowledging their concerns can help young people feel supported as they manage study pressures and uncertainty about what comes next.
The campaign aims to build parents' and guardians' confidence to help their teens identify and describe their emotions and work through challenging situations together.
It also helps families better understand mental health and wellbeing, helping young people feel more confident expressing their emotions and asking for support.
Parents and carers are encouraged to make these conversations part of everyday family life, creating regular opportunities for teenagers to talk about what is happening in their lives.
For practical advice and resources, visit Think Mental Health .
As stated by Mental Health Minister Meredith Hammat:
"Parents and carers want to support their teenagers, but knowing how to start a conversation about mental health can be difficult.
"This campaign gives families practical tools to build that confidence, helping parents listen, understand what their teenager is experiencing and know where to turn for support.
"By helping families have these conversations early and regularly, we are supporting young Western Australians to better understand their mental health and feel more confident asking for help."
As stated by Youth Minister Hannah Beazley:
"This campaign will provide parents with sound, practical advice to build positive relationships and help them manage their own emotions and support their teenagers to do the same.
"Teenagers are navigating friendships, study, change and decisions about their future, and it is important they feel heard and supported along the way.
"By being able to understand and express their emotions, young people will be better prepared to maintain their mental health and wellbeing."
As stated by Education Minister Sabine Winton:
"As students work through their final ATAR exams, we want them to know their wellbeing matters beyond their results.
"For parents and carers, checking in means asking how their teenager is feeling as well as how their study is going, and giving them time to talk through any worries.
"These resources will help families keep those conversations going through exams, the wait for results and the transition to life after school."
