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Knowing where to turn when a child is struggling can be hard. This guide covers recording changes, seeking appropriate assessment and asking about age suitability.

Not sure where to begin

When a child seems withdrawn, anxious, angry or simply not themselves, parents and carers often feel unsure which service to contact or how to explain what has changed. A practical first step is to write down the difficulties you have noticed and seek advice about an appropriate assessment nearby. Services built for adults should not be assumed to suit children.

Keeping a simple record

• Changes in sleep, appetite or energy.
• Shifts in school attendance, schoolwork or friendships.
• New fears, outbursts, withdrawal or changes in behaviour.
• When the changes started and anything that may have triggered them.

Take this record to your family GP, a paediatrician or the school counsellor. They can help work out whether a specialist child and adolescent mental health assessment is needed.

Asking about suitability

With her training in psychotherapy, Dr Christine Shen, Acupuncturist, offers talking therapy at the Lane Cove clinic. If you are thinking of discussing your child's needs with Christine, ask openly:

• Is your service suitable for my child's age and situation?
• How would parents or carers be involved?
• Do you think a specialist child assessment should come first?

Christine will be honest about whether her service is the right fit, and she may recommend a referral to a specialist service instead of, or before, any work with her. What a young person needs should decide where they go, not which appointment happens to be free soonest.

Safety first

If you are worried about your child's immediate safety, contact emergency services or go to the nearest hospital emergency department.

Looking after yourself too

Supporting a struggling child is demanding. Parents and carers on the lower North Shore are welcome to seek their own support at the Lane Cove clinic while their child receives care that suits their age, whether that is with a child specialist, a school service or another local provider.