MHiPS featured in Insight+: Change in language helping to drive reform in child mental health

Published

Tuesday, July 8, 2025 - 12:00 PM

MHiPS staff members, Associate Professor Simone Darling, Dr Sarthak Ghandi, Catherine Johnson and Professor Frank Oberklaid AM, have co-authored an article for Insight+.

The article commends the destigmatisation of children’s mental health over recent years, and the recognition from governments and early year’s sectors that support for children’s wellbeing should commence early, within families and across community-based health and education systems.

The authors outline how this shift in language, along with the clear roadmap for change provided by the National Strategy for Child Mental Health and Wellbeing, means the time is right for action on children’s mental health and wellbeing. They propose five recommendations: 

• Shift the narrative from “crisis” to “prevention and early support”, promoting mental health literacy that builds on children and families’ strengths and supports early action 
• Develop accessible, age-appropriate and culturally responsive mental health resources 
• Build cultural competencies for the mental health and related workforces 
• Increase integration of evidence-based mental health support across sectors (i.e., health and education) 
• Monitor and evaluate progress using diverse data 

Read more about the author’s recommendations in the full article here.