For help accessing free local mental health support for parents or children please call:
Head to Health - 1800 595 212
(Monday - Friday 9am-4pm)
General Resources by Topic
Browse below for a list of resources organised by relevant topics.
General Resources by Topic
Browse below for a list of resources organised by relevant topics.
Parenting support
Triple P – Positive Parenting Program: FREE online program for parents / carers of < 12 yo children.
The OT Toolbox – a website filled with tools for occupational therapy activities, OT interventions, and child development resources.
Technology / Cyber Safety
Safe on Social – Internet support for parents and school about managing Technology and Cyber Bullying etc
Mental Health Support
Head to Health – One stop shop mental health resource
Emerging Minds for Families – A growing suite of resources for parents and families looking for information and support regarding infant and child mental health.
Grief
A list of books explaining death to children (Lifetimes by Bryan Mellonie and Robert Ingpen is excellent)
ADHD
ADHD support Australia – Excellent site for all things ADHD and also has an extensive list of resource books for kids and parents.
Autism
Autism Spectrum – Website around autism, local school and assessments
Professional Resources for Selective Mutism, Autism and ADHD
“Can I tell you about Asperger Syndrome? A guide for friends and family” By Jude Welton
“Can I tell you about Selective Mutism? A guide for friends and family” By Jude Welton
(Beautiful series of illustrated books, spoken from the viewpoint of the child or teen with tips for teachers/carers too)
“How to talk so kids will listen and listen so kids will talk” By Adele Faber & Elaine Mazlish
“Talking Selective Mutism” By Benita Rae Smith et al
“The Explosive Child” By Ross Greene. The book focuses on collaborative and proactive solutions, but the same book is also great for ‘imploding’ children (those who internalise).
“Helping your child with extreme picky eating” By Katja Rowell and Jenny McGlothin
Anxiety Resources
Here is a list of extensive anxiety resources courtesy of Rebecca Sparrow.
General Resources by Media
Browse below for a list of resources organised by media type.
Podcasts
How other dads dad ( Hamish Blake)
Hamish Blake chats with other dads he really admires about their approach to dadding: to learn a little, steal some of their hard earned wisdom and help us all dad a tiny bit better.
Pop Culture Parenting ( Dr Billy Garvey)
Billy, a developmental Paediatrician in Melbourne, and Nick, a developing parent, are having honest discussions about day to day parenting. Some good, useful tips and tools are provided!
Books
Permission to Feel by Marc Brackett
Prof Marc Brackett is the founding director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence and is a research psychologist. His research has focused on the role of emotions and emotional intelligence in learning, decision making, creativity, health and performance. This book serves as a guide to understand our own and others’ emotions, as well as innovative strategies for developing emotional intelligence in adults and children.
The Resilience Project by Hugh van Cuylenberg
A book about how to increase more resilience in our children by focusing on the key traits of gratitude, empathy and mindfulness.
Stolen Focus by Johann Hari
Amazing realisation about losing our focus on the daily things in our lives. It’s not our fault; it has been stolen..
Atomic Habits by James Clear
Excellent resource to help us parents to achieve behaviour change in ourselves.
Tricky Kids by Andrew Fuller
Approaches that work with different personality types of children.
Sparky and Shady by Kathy Sheehan
Local author Kathy Sheehan writes about the language to understand emotions, thoughts and actions for primary school age.
The Amazing Adventures of Doug Dragster by Ivan Honey
Primary school age kids book to teach about emotions, thoughts, actions and choice.
Barefoot Investor for Families by Scott Pape
Great weekly exercises to do as a family around getting kids to think about the value of money.
The Secret Problem by Chris Wever
For kids explaining OCD
Can I tell you about Asperger Syndrome? A guide for friends and family by Jude Welton
Can I tell you about Selective Mutism? A guide for friends and family by Jude Welton
Beautiful series of illustrated books, spoken from the viewpoint of the child or teen with tips for teachers/carers too
How to talk so kids will listen and listen so kids will talk by Adele Faber & Elaine Mazlish
Talking Selective Mutism by Benita Rae Smith et al
The Explosive Child by Ross Greene
The book focuses on collaborative and proactive solutions, but the same book is also great for ‘imploding’ children (those who internalise).
Helping your child with extreme picky eating by Katja Rowell and Jenny McGlothin
Videos
Video 1: School with no rules !
A news item recording to challenge us on positive risk taking with free play
Video 2: All that we share TV2
A Danish TV advertisement that reminds us we have more in common than we think.
No one cares how much you know, until they know how much you care
Theodore Roosevelt