Factsheet 5: Supporting a Young Person Through Mental Health Conversations Starting a conversation about a young person's mental health is a powerful step toward their recovery. Simply reaching out makes a difference. This fact sheet is designed to give you the confidence, practical skills, and language needed to navigate these conversations safely and effectively.
The Core Approach: Inquire & Provide A successful interaction is a collaborative, two-way conversation, not an interrogation. Use this simple two-step framework to find out what is going on and help the young person plan their next steps. 1. Inquire (Gather Information) Create a low-pressure environment to assess what kind of additional support they might need. What you could say: "It sounds like things at home are a bit stressful at the moment. Would you like to have a go with me at figuring out some ways to take some of that stress away?" "Would you like me to help you figure out ways that you think would help you?" 2. Provide (Connect to Support) Based on what they share, gently guide them toward tailored resources (such as a GP, mental health clinicians, headspace work & study support, online resources, or peer group chats). What you could say: "It sounds like thinking about future study is a bit stressful right now. Would you like to have a go with me at figuring out how you could approach it?" "I know of a great service that has lots of experience with this—how would you feel about us checking out their website together?"
Young people rate confidentiality as the most important element of a conversation. Ensure they know their story is private and will not be shared without permission.
The Safety Exception Confidentiality must be breached if you believe the young person is at risk of harming themselves, being harmed by others, or harming someone else. What you could say, if a young person ask you not to say anything: “I’ll make that decision at the end. Lets talk about it, but I need to keep you safe. “