30th January 2025 is Parent Mental Health Day (PMHD) in the UK, organised by stem4.
This annual campaign promotes awareness of the critical link between parents’ mental health and family wellbeing. This year, with the theme of #ScreenSmartParenting, stem4 is providing resources and training to help families foster healthy digital habits and support youth mental health.
Here, Leeds Mindful Employer Network Coordinator, Leigh Staunton, speaks to Bridgitte Causer, Business Manager & Safeguarding Officer at Hollybush Primary School and a member of the Leeds Mindful Employer Steering Group Committee. Leigh and Bridgitte discuss common themes relating to parent mental health, and how employers can support working parents.
Marking Parent Mental Health Day as an employer is an excellent opportunity to demonstrate that your workplaces recognise the challenges and balancing act that working parents manage day to day.
Workshops, webinars or discussions on topics related to parenting and mental health, such as stress management, work-life balance and self-care are a great way to show your working parents that you value their wellbeing and understand the challenges they may face and are committed to providing meaningful support. Raising awareness about policies such as flexible working and parental leave is another helpful action to take, as well as sharing resources from organisations such as stem4 to help parents support their children’s mental health.
Hi Bridgitte, from your experience supporting parents at school, what kinds of things can have an impact on parent mental health?
There are a number of factors that we see that impact on parent mental health. We are noticing the impact of the current cost of living which has risen significantly recently. Parents are struggling to be able to afford to meet basic family needs due to the soaring cost of food and energy prices.
This can often lead to anxiety, depression and addiction. We also see often parents struggling on their own without any support.
What are the different ways that parent mental health can impact on the mental health of children?
When there are difficulties at home with parent/carers, this has an impact on children within the family. Being in an unpredictable family environment, witnessing their Mum/Dad/Carer upset and worried can lead to a risk of emotional/social/behavioural problems for the child. It can make a child feel frightened, confused, thinking that they are to blame and what might happen to the parent and the child.
Hollybush Primary School puts a trauma-informed approach at the heart of how you support staff, children, parents and the wider community. Can you tell us a bit about what this means and some of the ways this approach is embedded?
A trauma-informed approach is about understanding and having an awareness of the impact trauma can have on a child or young person.
Ensuring a child feels safe in school and understanding how a child is able to express their emotions and how this can help them to self-regulate is important. Building relationships with adults is key, so they can develop, learn and learn to trust. All adults in school are taught to understand the impact that trauma can have on a child so behaviour can be understood and met with a consistent approach.
Can you give some examples of the variety of places you signpost parents to for support with their mental health?
We signpost families to our local Cluster who offer a variety of services. They have a dedicated Family Support team who can work with families to empower and enable them to make changes for themselves.
The Family Support Team is made up of skilled and experienced practitioners working in a variety of ways to support the needs of each individual family. This can be emotional and wellbeing support, parenting courses to playgroups for young children.
A Family Support Worker will work alongside them, to identify their strengths and needs by using a re-think formulation approach; this could form an Early Help Assessment of need. This may lead to an Early Help Plan, which may involve a range of agencies.
Why do you think employers should mark Parent Mental Health Day on the 30th January?
Employers need to recognise and understand employees and their role as a parent. Ensuring the right culture in the business, where the demands of family life are understood and appreciated, is critical to creating and environment where parents and carers can thrive and feel they can achieve the right work/life balance. Being able to acknowledge the demands facing working parents can help them to feel secure in their role. The awareness day is the perfect opportunity for employers to celebrate and recognise the great work that is happening across the city.
Do you have any practical tips for employers on what they can put in place to ensure they are fostering a supportive environment for working parents in the team?
Create a culture where employees feel they can talk openly to employers.
Allow working parents to consider flexibility around hours.
Can your employee work at home should they not have childcare provision?
Does the employer have Mental Health First Aiders, or do they have internal resources staff can access, and practical tools for self-care?
Can the employer signpost a parent for professional help if they may be struggling with their mental health?
Hollybush Primary School is very open and encourages conversations about mental health. What tips do you have for employers on ways to encourage more open and supportive discussions about mental health in the workplace in general and in one-to-ones?
Ensure there is opportunity for staff to feel comfortable asking for support should they need it and encourage open conversations and normalise Mental Health.
Be able to signpost for professional help and consider the benefit of having a Mental Health First Aider.
Consider workplace adjustments – particularly if an employee returns from a period of absence.
Can you give examples of ways employers can engage with schools in their local community? What are the benefits of doing so?
We are always looking at opportunities to work and build relationships with local businesses in the community. It can help to support school fundraising through local events. Hollybush has a fantastic PTFA that works with our local business community to help support our events – whether that is our Annual Summer Fair or our Christmas market.
We also hold an annual careers fair with Y6 children to allow them to understand local career opportunities. This gives businesses the opportunity to connect with young people and listen to pupil voices.
Thank to to Bridgitte for taking the time to talk to us about parent mental health.
Find links to support groups for parents on MindWell.
Explore the parents and carers pages on MindMate, the website helping young people in Leeds find help with their mental health and wellbeing.
