How to choose the right mental health specialist for your child

When your child needs extra support dealing with big feelings or difficult emotions and behaviours, there are different types of people who are there to help.

Understanding what kind of mental health support each professional can offer, will help you decide who might be right for your family.

Here's a guide to get you started.

Just like adults, children might need help with their mental health for many reasons.

They may be experiencing big feelings or difficult emotions, such as persistent sadness, worry or anger.

They may be having problems with their behaviour, such as aggressive outbursts, difficulty concentrating in class, or loss of interest in being active.

Children may need support following a big change or event, such as a death in the family or moving house or school.

While some of these changes or behaviours might be traced back to an event, sometimes children have challenges with their mental health for no clear reason. This can be very tough on families who don’t know how to help or cope with what’s happening in the home or at school.

If you would like some support, the right health professional can help.

There are many different types of mental health professionals in Australia who assess and treat mental health challenges and changes in kids.

Talking to healthcare professionals with specialised expertise can help your child receive the right care based on their specific behaviours and emotions.

Here are some of the common health professionals who treat mental health problems in kids.

A GP, such as your family doctor, is often the first point of call when seeking help for your child. They can perform an initial assessment and, if needed, refer your child to other health professionals for further assessment and treatment.

A GP can also put together a mental health care plan outlining who your child sees for ongoing care, what treatment they need and other strategies to support their mental health.

A mental health care plan can also be used to access subsidised mental health care with specialist providers such as psychologists.

A paediatrician is a medical doctor trained to treat babies, children and teenagers. Your GP may refer you to a paediatrician with training in child development or behaviour if they think your child needs more specialised diagnosis and treatment.

A paediatrician can coordinate other health care professionals to provide different therapies for your child. They can also refer your child to a subspecialist for further diagnosis and treatment if it’s required, for example, a paediatric neurologist or developmental paediatrician.

A child psychologist works with children one-on-one and with their families on many aspects of their mental health, such as:

• thoughts, behaviours and emotions
• grief
• anxiety
• family break ups
• depression

Like psychologists, psychiatrists treat mental health problems through evidence-based therapies, but they are also medical doctors who have graduated from medical school before doing specialist training in mental health.

Psychiatrists can assess your child’s mental and physical symptoms, make a diagnosis, and work with you to provide treatment. They can also prescribe medication if appropriate.

Counsellors can provide talk therapy for your child to help them solve problems, understand their feelings and develop strategies to cope with social and emotional difficulties. Many qualified counsellors have a background in education, social work or nursing. You can find a registered counsellor via the Australian Counselling Association.

An occupational therapist (OT) helps kids develop skills, such as completing personal tasks, concentrating in the classroom or socialising with others.

An OT looks at all areas of your child’s development, such as language, gross motor skills and cognitive skills, to help your child work around any barriers that make some activities hard for them.

Sometimes, you might see a social worker for support, who functions as a case manager to connect your child with the right health professionals. On top of focusing on your child’s individual needs, social workers look at the underlying reasons why your child might be experiencing mental health issues. These might include relationship breakdown, financial strain or family violence.

Social workers can also help you find your way around government and local services so that your child has the best available support.

You and your child have the right to choose health professionals who are suited to caring for your child. To make a good decision, here are some questions you may want to consider.

• What qualifications does the professional have?
• Do they have a good reputation?
• Are they registered with a governing body and subject to a professional code of ethics and complaints procedure?
• What kind of treatment will my child receive, and what evidence is there for this treatment?
• Do they get along with my child and have a rapport with them?
• Does the professional welcome my input and partnership as a parent?
• Do they openly share information about my child’s progress and answer my questions?
• What up-front costs are involved, and are there any Medicare subsidies available?
• How far away is the service, what are the opening hours and is it convenient to get to?