In today’s current youth mental health emergency, the role that parents and carers play in supporting the young people in their lives has never been more critical. Despite this, many parents and carers experience barriers to accessing appropriate support. Limited mental health literacy, access to quality and trusted information and knowing where to get support can leave them feeling powerless and unequipped to support their teens.
Few interventions exist that are designed specifically for parents and carers to help them support their teens. ReachOut Australia has long recognised this gap, which is why we launched our Parents Coaching Service. Free and confidential, the service supports parents and carers of young people aged 12–18. It is available online, making it easily accessible and scalable.
In 2024, we uplifted the service, bringing delivery in-house, expanding the team and making it a more personalised and interactive experience for parents and carers. These changes were guided by evidence indicating that parents and carers prefer informal networks and online services that offer practical strategies that empower them, provide reassurance and recognise them as experts in their own lives. Early evaluation indicates the service is building parents’ confidence in supporting their teens’ wellbeing.
To deepen our understanding of the services' impact and identify new opportunities for growth, we’re collaborating with the MARCS Institute on a formal evaluation. The purpose of this evaluation is to identify what is working, explore where improvements are needed, and contribute to the evidence base for digitally delivered parenting interventions.
In this session, Camilla Chaudhary, Senior Researcher at ReachOut Australia, will: