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Nepean Creative and Performing Arts High School

Nepean Creative and Performing Arts High School

Aspire the Heights through Care, Opportunity and Success.

Telephone02 4728 7200

Emailnepean-h.school@det.nsw.edu.au

Mental health resources

Some Resources and Tips for Parents for over the School Holidays

This information has been put together to assist you in supporting your young person in the coming weeks.

The end of the school year can be a big relief for young people and the summer break will hopefully provide some rest and relaxation, however for some it may be a challenge. You may find the following information helpful.

Please keep this resource handy.

Here’s a link to some information about child safety.

Signs that may suggest that your young person is struggling

It is normal for young people to have ups and downs. However changes in mood, levels of participation and thinking patterns that continue for more than a couple of weeks may indicate that your young person needs extra support.

Changes in mood include:

  • Being irritable or angry with friends or family for no apparent reason
  • Feeling tense, restless, stressed or worried
  • Crying for no apparent reason, feeling sad or down for long periods of time

Changes in activity include:

  • Not enjoying or not wanting to be involved in things they would normally enjoy
  • Being involved in risky behaviour they would normally avoid
  • Unusual sleeping or eating habits

Changes in thinking include:

  • Having a lot of negative thoughts
  • Expressing distorted thoughts about themselves & the world (e.g everything seeming bad & pointless).

If you’re concerned about your child or young person, there are a number of ways you can seek help and advice. If you believe that your young person is at risk of harm you should seek professional support from your GP, mental health service or emergency department.

Here are some resources and services that you or your young person can access:

These factsheets contain some very helpful information:

‘Support your young person during the school holidays’ headspace School Support Factsheet:

www.headspace.org.au/assets/Uploads/Corporate/Support-your-young-person-during-the-holidays-web.pdf

If your Friend is not OK’ - a resource for young people to encourage them to seek help if they are worried about a friend.

https://headspace.org.au/assets/Uploads/Resource-library/Young-people/If-your-friend-is-not-okay-web.pdf