New project will fast track “best spends” on child mental health

The Parenting Research Centre has launched a new research project which will fast track the design of models and practices that help professionals intervene early and effectively on child mental health.

Part of Emerging Minds: the National Workforce Centre for Child Mental Health, the research seeks to deepen the understanding of the evidence related to child mental health, including the prevalence of mental health issues and risk and protective factors.

The research will identify the services most likely to have contact and offer support to families and children aged zero to twelve, allowing Emerging Minds to offer workplace support to professionals most likely to see children at risk, or showing early signs of mental health difficulties – including early childhood education and care (ECEC) professionals.

The project will use a collaborative approach with those services to design mental health practices they can apply within their everyday work.

“Our work will identify best spends and focus on the groups for which change will be the most significant,” said Parenting Research Centre Senior Practice Design Specialist Elly Robinson.

“We’re examining sources of evidence on what services come into contact with families and children aged 0-12. This includes professional type and characteristics, type of care offered and opportunities they have to impact on child mental health,” Ms Robinson said.

The work will help the Parenting Research Centre prioritise areas of focus for the National Workforce Centre, and determine effective methods of design that the workforce centre can use in coming years.

“Ultimately, Emerging Minds will lead to a workforce better supported and equipped to deal with child mental health issues.” Ms Robinson said.

The project will see a suite of tools, resources and recommendations developed, and will run until June 2019.