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We know that when a young person is struggling with their mental health, it affects their whole family.
At PYMHWS, we use the term “family” to acknowledge the families, carers, supporters and kin who support and care for the young person. We recognise your important role and are here to support you while your loved one gets the help they need.
How we can support you
Family Peer Support
We encourage you to connect with our family peer team; each team member has their own lived (and living) experience of supporting a young person with mental health challenges.
They can offer
- Genuine understanding and emotional support
- A non-judgemental and confidential space to express yourself
- Lived perspective on PYMHWS and how to navigate it as a carer
- Lived experience of the recovery process
- Advocacy within PYMHWS
- Knowledge of and referrals to internal and external supports
- Support groups (Family2Family)
- Psycho-education groups
- Face-to-face, on-line, and phone contact
To connect with a family peer worker, ask your young person’s case manager to make a referral for you.
Getting involved in your young person's care
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How you can be involved
- Work directly with your young person’s case manager and doctor
- Attend appointments (with your young person’s permission)
- Provide information that helps with their care
- Support them with their recovery goals
What information can be shared with you
Your young person’s case manager is bound by confidentiality rules, but they can share:
- General information about mental health conditions
- Ways to cope and support strategies
- Information about treatments and services
- Details needed for you to provide ongoing care (if you’re actively involved)
Many young people choose to involve their families more fully in their care, and we encourage this when it’s what the young person wants.
Material and financial support
Caring for a young person sometimes causes financial stress. There are material and financial supports for families that can ease this stress:
- The Carer Allowance (through Centrelink)
- The Carer Support Fund
- Orygen Assist
- Vouchers (limited to specific teams within PYMHWS)
- Food programs
Speak to the case manager or a family peer worker to learn more about these supports.
Your rights and responsibilities
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Your rights
- Expert and professional healthcare for your young person
- To be treated with dignity and respect
- Information about mental health issues and treatment options
- To participate in decisions about care (as much as possible)
- An interpreter if needed
- Privacy and confidentiality
- To seek a second opinion
Information about understanding your medication and making informed decisions
We’ve recently partnered with Choice and Medication to create fact sheets to help you, your families, carers, supports and kin understand your medicines and make informed decisions. Visit for information about different medications, to help you make informed decisions.
Your responsibilities
- Cooperate with staff providing care
- Provide accurate information about your young person
- Respect the safety, privacy, and dignity of others (staff, other clients, other families)
Other support services
There are a variety of services, such as Carer Gateway and the Metro Connect Centres, that can support you in your caring role. Each service offers its own form of support:
- General counselling
- Programs for siblings
- Support groups that are general or specific in their focus
- Referrals to social welfare supports
Ask the case manager or family peer worker at your site for a list of these services.
