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It's been a stressful time over the past few years as we all have dealt with COVID-19 and the uncertainty it brings. We've put together some resources, links, and readings to help you look after yourself and support your young person. As you scroll down you'll find information on range of topics, including mental wellbeing and self care, helping kids stay on track while studying, and information about services for parents/carers and young people in our local area.
Ask Izzy
Ask Izzy
If you’re looking for support services in our local area, Ask Izzy can help you to find the services you need. It is free and anonymous, and you can search over 350,000 services to find housing, meals, healthcare, counselling, legal advice, and a whole lot more. Click on the icon to the left to start searching.
The NSW Department of Education have some great info and handy resources to support parents and carers throughout your child's journey at school, click on the links below to find out more...
parents_and_carers_essentials_toolkit.pdfParents and Carers 'essentials' toolkit
Parents and Carers 'essentials' toolkit
starting-high-school.pdfGetting ready for High School
Getting ready for High School
NSW Department of Education: info for parents and carers
NSW Department of Education: info for parents and carers
Starting_School_Guides_2023_-_High_School.pdfStarting high school
Starting high school
SSG2023_-_School_Planner-poster.pdfSchool Planner 2023
School Planner 2023
Maths_Trains_Brains_Year_7.pdfMaths activities for students starting high school
Maths activities for students starting high school
Supporting young people and their mental health
Supporting young people and their mental health
Even if your teen doesn’t seem to want your help, there are things you can do to help them cope with their current circumstances. They include recognising the signs that they’re struggling, and helping them to access mental health support when needed.
Mental health and young people: What to look for
Mental health and young people: What to look for
Body image, eating disorders, and teenagers
Body image, eating disorders, and teenagers
Social anxiety in kids and teens
Social anxiety in kids and teens
Suicide and teenagers: What to look out for
Suicide and teenagers: What to look out for
Sexting and young people
Sexting and young people
Finding professional support and treatment for young people
Finding professional support and treatment for young people
Mental health info for family and friends of Young People
Mental health info for family and friends of Young People
This video discusses the common mental health issues faced by young people, how to approach your child when they don't seem like themselves, supporting your child to get help, and what to do when your child doesn't want help
Reach Out: Communicating with teenagers
Reach Out: Communicating with teenagers
Sometimes communicating with teenagers can be tricky. Reach Out has some useful tips that might help you to keep the channels of communication open with your child
Helping kids cope with exam stress
Helping kids cope with exam stress
Parenting your child while they're going through exams can be tough. Kids Helpline offer some tips on how to help them and also look after yourself
Factsheet_understanding_mental_health.pdfUnderstanding mental health
Understanding mental health
Building a healthy relationship with your young person
Building a healthy relationship with your young person
Beyond Blue: Finding professional support for young people
Beyond Blue: Finding professional support for young people
Anxiety and teenagers
Anxiety and teenagers
Anxiety in teens is common, affecting 1 in 5 young women and 1 in 10 young men aged 16–25 years. Understanding more about teens and anxiety will help you to determine if it’s an issue for your child. If it is, you can then take steps to help them manage it
Notice-Tip-Sheet-for-families.pdfSAFEMinds - Notice the signs
SAFEMinds - Notice the signs
SAFEMinds and Headspace have developed some great resources for parents and carers that provide information to assist you to identify, inquire and take appropriate action to reach out for support if you are concerned about their child
Orygen_sleep_yp_factsheet.pdfSleep and young people
Sleep and young people
A good nights sleep is an often overlooked and underrated aspect of looking after our mental health and wellbeing, particularly for young people. This info sheet has some useful info about assisting young people to get into a healthy sleeping pattern
Orygen-coping-with-self-harm-web.pdfInfo for parents: Coping with self harm
Info for parents: Coping with self harm
Intake Process headspace Wollongong 2020.pdfIntake process: Headspace Wollongong
Intake process: Headspace Wollongong
project air managing anger factsheet.pdfProject air: Managing anger
Project air: Managing anger
HandoutFamilyServicesMay2021.docxProgram info: Southern Youth and Family Services
Program info: Southern Youth and Family Services
support services poster.pdfSupport services for young people: Contact info
Support services for young people: Contact info
Returning to School after Attending the Hospital.pdfAfter attending hospital: Info for parents and carers
After attending hospital: Info for parents and carers
School Refusal
School Refusal
School refusal is different to ‘wagging’ or ‘jigging’ because it usually stems from a teen’s anxiety about school. They might be worried about their school work, interacting with other kids, dealing with teachers, playing sports or being away from their family; the resources below may assist you to learn more about school refusal and what to do about it
Term 1 2022 School-Link Newsletter.pdfSchool Link: School refusal info
School Link: School refusal info
school refusal SL.pdfSchool refusal: Every school day counts
School refusal: Every school day counts
Guidelines_School_Refusal.pdfResponding to school refusal: Strategies for parents
Responding to school refusal: Strategies for parents
School Link School Refusal.pdfGetting to school and staying at school
Getting to school and staying at school
How do you help a teen who refuses to go to school
How do you help a teen who refuses to go to school
School refusal fact sheet.pdfWhat is school refusal?
What is school refusal?
Sharing information and images via social media is a part of daily life for many children and teens. Social media allows kids to communicate with one another, and to document and share what they are doing in real time. It can often seem like teenagers are using technology and the internet for a large part of the day. It’s hard to know where the line falls between safe, rewarding use and overuse of technology. The information below can help you to find out more about how your child uses technology, whether they are using it responsibly, and when there might be a problem with how they are spending their time online
Social media app fact sheets
Social media app fact sheets
Wondering what a 'discord' is? What about 'Omegle'? the Carly Ryan foundation have put together some fantastic info sheets about many different social media apps for parents
a parents guide to instagram.pdfA parents guide to Instagram
A parents guide to Instagram
Instagram is one of the more popular social media apps for young people. ReachOut have put together some great info for parents to find out more about how it works and how to make it safer for your child
Copy of E SAFETY PARENT AND CARER INFORMATION.pdfeSafety Commission: A guide for parents and carers
eSafety Commission: A guide for parents and carers
This guide covers some of the key online safety issues for young people and includes a range of practical tips and advice on what to do if things go wrong
Dolly's Dream
Dolly's Dream
Help your teenager take a break from technology
Help your teenager take a break from technology
Help kids stop cyberbullying
Help kids stop cyberbullying
social-media-a-guide-for-parents.pdfTalking to kids about social media
Talking to kids about social media
Social media and bullying
Social media and bullying
Understanding-Gaming-FAF.pdfUnderstanding gaming: For parents and families
Understanding gaming: For parents and families
Technology and teenagers
Technology and teenagers
23-Sleep-and-Gaming-headspace-fact-sheet-WEB-V2.pdfHow to manage sleep and gaming
How to manage sleep and gaming
20-Healthy-internet-gaming-headspace-fact-sheet-WEB-V2.pdfWhat is healthy electronic gaming?
What is healthy electronic gaming?
Vaping and E-Cigarettes
Vaping and E-Cigarettes
As you may be aware, vaping and e-cigarettes have become increasingly popular amongst young people in recent times. They are relatively cheap to buy, odourless, and are well-marketed to young people. The links below provide some information about what they are, how they work, and the health risks associated with them
NSW Health: E-Cigarettes and Young People
NSW Health: E-Cigarettes and Young People
E-CIGARETTES-AND-VAPING-2020.pdfVaping resource: Useful info
Vaping resource: Useful info
Cancer-Council-NSW-Factsheet-e-cigarettes-parents (3) (1).pdfCancer Council: E-Cigarettes
Cancer Council: E-Cigarettes
Whether you're looking for more info or contact details about mental health services, housing, legal services, or Aboriginal services, below is some contact lists and information about services and community organisations in our local area
1902_helplines_resource_sheet_nsw.pdfHelplines and telephone counselling services for young people, parents and carers
Helplines and telephone counselling services for young people, parents and carers
Emergency Community Services Agencies 31_3_20.docxCommunity service agencies contact list: Illawarra and Shoalhaven
Community service agencies contact list: Illawarra and Shoalhaven
More info: Headspace Wollongong
More info: Headspace Wollongong
Self-care for you and your family
Self-care for you and your family
Regular acts of self-care keep you energised and dealing with pressures well. Which is better than needing an emergency fix to get back on track when things go wrong. Obviously this has taken on extra importance during COVID times. So make time and prioritize doing the things you enjoy, that make you feel happy. Bounce ideas off each other and put them in your calendar. And support each other in doing them. Self-care is fun and good for you – enjoy it!
naidoc-week-2021-colouring-page (3).pdfColouring in page: NAIDOC Week 2021
Colouring in page: NAIDOC Week 2021
Print out this beautiful colouring in page designed by Maggie-Jean Douglas to celebrate NAIDOC Week 2021
Starting_schools_work_sheet_frame_-_Findaword_2.pdfStudy break find-a-word
Study break find-a-word
Encourage your child (and make time for yourself) to take a break. Doing a find-a-word may help their brain relax and re-focus
Moral Combat_16-99_Mega Base Deck copy.pdfMoral Combat
Moral Combat
Start some fun conversations with your kids! In this game there are a variety of fun, random and age-appropriate topics to discuss, such as whether pineapple belongs on pizza...
If you'd like more information about services and agencies in the Illawarra area, click on 'The Frog' tab at the top of this page, it's a great resource curated by Wollongong City Council.
If you’re feeling distressed, require urgent assistance, or want to talk to someone right now, call one of the contacts under the 'Further Help?' tab at the top of this page.
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