Fatherhood

Youth Mental Health

Thinking about Youth Mental Health

As a father, it is important to be aware that youth and early adulthood is a difficult time for most. The body changes, relationships with family and friends change, and young people need to make decisions such as what career or education pathways they wish to pursue. Hormonal changes experienced through youth and early adulthood can affect a person’s mental health, as changes to chemicals in the brain can affect emotions, thoughts and behaviours.

Migrating to a new country and adjusting to a new health system, school, language and culture can be a difficult experience. Young people from migrant and refugee backgrounds experience additional challenges associated with settlement and changes in their family and social relationships. Many young people from migrant and refugee backgrounds struggle with understanding who they are and how they fit in, as at times cultural or family values differ from their Australian-born friends’ values. Understanding who they are, what they believe and what they want can be challenging as they want to please their family, friends or colleagues. Some young people can feel overwhelmed trying to be someone they are not to make others happy, or feel they have to constantly change how they act or who they are depending on who they are with at a particular moment.

In addition to this, young people from refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds have often experienced traumatic events in their home countries such as conflict or war. Traumatic events can impact a person’s view of the world. No longer feeling safe can cause a number of mental health problems and symptoms. For more see Mental illness.

There are several risk factors that can have a negative impact and compromise the mental health and wellbeing of young migrants and refugees. These risk factors and challenges can include:

  • lack of fluency in English
  • separation from family
  • low socioeconomic status
  • lack of social networks
  • experiencing racism and discrimination
  • intergenerational conflict
  • the challenges of acculturation, including experiences of identity and belonging.

The most common mental illnesses that young people from refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds face are:

  • anxiety
  • depression
  • suicide/self-harm
  • trauma
  • substance misuse.

Parenting children living with disability

Parenting children with a disability can be even more challenging. Working together with your partner can help you handle these challenges.

Following a diagnosis, it is common to experience different feelings and reactions as you get used to this new situation. Some parents may feel overwhelmed with all the information available and all the decisions to make, and others may feel relieved for having a diagnosis.

Remember there is no right way to feel and you’ll need time to adjust to this situation.

Seek information from reliable sources such as government or hospitals and make use of professional support such as your GP. You might need to access to different types of support.

In Australia, the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) funds some services that can help your children. You can call the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) on 1800 800 100 for more information, access to your NDIS early childhood partner or your NDIS local area coordinator (LAC).

If you don’t have access to the NDIS program, there are also community services available.

NSW Refugee Health Services has a Disability Support Team that helps newly-arrived refugees living with a disability to access equipment and services. You can access the Disability Assessment And Referral From here and then email to swslhd-rhsreferrals@health.nsw.gov.au.

Action on Disability within Ethnic Communities in Victoria has support groups where the cost depends on personal circumstances and if you are accessing other support services. You can access support groups for frail aged and people with disabilities and carers of people living with disabilities. To discuss eligibility and for more information you can contact (03) 9480 7000 or email werribee@adec.org.au.

Respite for older carers is a program in Victoria that helps people over 60 years of age who are looking after an adult living with a disability. You are only eligible for this program if you are not eligible for the NDIS. You can find out more information by calling 1300 735 653 or emailing info@spectrumvic.org.au.

You can also find translated resources on care, nutrition, sleep and child disability here.

Find services and information.