Support for parent and student wellbeing

Meeting new challenges

Starting school can be both exciting and stressful for parents and children. At this time, anxieties, phobias, allergies, behavioural conditions and even mental health issues can be more noticeable.

There is a range of support services available for parents and students that can help foster:

• a healthy and productive learning environment
• mechanisms to cope with normal stresses
• broader connections to community and support groups.

Help for parents

A child starting school can cause a major change to your family’s lifestyle, routines and relationships.

To this end, the NSW Department of Education's quick guide for parents provides an alphabetical list of common topics covering a wide range of subjects, from attendance to wellbeing.

Additionally, the Department's parents and carers website has extensive support material, including:

• how to support your child's learning and development 
• what to expect from your child's school life
• a guide to anti-bullying
• digital usage and screen time guidelines.

The Raising Children website, which is supported by the Department of Social Services, has a number of health and daily care resources for school age children.

There are also specific support services available from the NSW Department of Education for:

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students
• refugee students
• multicultural education needs
• English language learners.

Get practical help for parents and carers at the NSW Department of Education.

Help for students

Most primary schools have a range of programs designed to help support students’ social and emotional learning as well as ensure their physical wellbeing, including:

• healthy school canteens initiative
• sun safety and road safety education 
• life skills and peer support activities
• specialist counselling staff.

Learn more about student wellbeing and mental health support at the NSW Department of Education.