worried about the youth mental health crisis. How can I make sure my child feels heard and supported?

By Gayle Browne, Director, Clinical Operations, Kids Help Phone

The youth mental health crisis—it’s a topic that strikes fear into the heart of every parent. It doesn’t matter if your child is a few hours old or a few decades old; every parent wants to know their kid is happy, healthy and safe.

But in a world where young people are constantly exposed to crisis after crisis—war, climate change, recessions, natural disasters— and where mental health supports can be difficult to find, how can we help our children not only cope, but thrive?

As director of clinical operations at Kids Help Phone, Canada’s only 24/7 e-mental health service for young people, I have some suggestions to offer that may be helpful. But first, I want to share some good news for every parent out there: Kids Help Phone has just announced the largest movement for youth mental health in Canada’s history.

A $300 million movement to transform youth mental health

On March 2, we officially launched Feel Out Loud—a national movement to raise $300 million for Kids Help Phone, with a goal to reach young people in every corner of Canada by 2024.

The achievement of our campaign goal will mean that young people in every part of the country—maybe even your child, should they ever need us—will always have a place to turn to where they can feel heard and supported.

We’re already well on our way to being there for all 8.5 million young people in Canada. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic alone, we’ve had an incredible 14 million interactions with young people from coast to coast to coast, and that number grows every single day.

And we know they trust us: a full 71% have told us they’ve shared something with

Kids Help Phone that they’ve never shared before. And 81% said they felt less upset after interacting with us. Feel Out Loud will bring this remarkable impact to even more young people nationwide, including those living in the most remote communities.

As a parent myself, this brings me great comfort. Feel Out Loud is a movement that’s addressing the youth mental health crisis head-on. It represents a seismic shift for youth mental health in this country—one that will help our kids develop mental and emotional resilience that will serve them for a lifetime. So, you can rest assured that Kids Help Phone is here and will continue to be here for generations to come.

But as parents, we also have a crucial role to play in helping our children manage their mental health and reach their greatest potential. Which brings us back to the original question: What can we do, as parents, to help our kids not only cope, but thrive?

Eight strategies to help the young people in your life feel safe and supported

Here, I’ve compiled the best tips from our team of youth mental health experts. I hope these insights will help you feel empowered to support the young people in your life as they navigate an increasingly complex world.

1. Let them know you’re someone they can talk to—and show it. Make it clear that you’re open to talking about difficult topics with your child, and that they don’t need to deal with tough stuff on their own. Just make sure that when they’re ready to talk, you’re ready to listen.

2. Encourage them to open up by asking questions differently. Many young people, especially teens, don’t respond well to direct questions like “How was your day?” Try asking questions about topics they can respond to in a neutral way, like a TV show they’ve been watching, a sport they’ve been playing or a new friend they’ve been hanging out with. This will help you connect and open doors to more in-depth conversations.

3. Make an effort to really listen and validate their feelings. Being a good listener means genuinely hearing what someone is telling you, and not just waiting your turn to respond. Listen carefully to what your child is saying and validate their feelings by reflecting back what you’re hearing. Kids and teens feel empowered when their concerns are taken seriously. If they know you’ll be there to truly listen, they’ll be more likely to turn to you when they need someone to talk to.

Make an effort to really listen and validate their feelings. Being a good listener means genuinely hearing what someone is telling you and not just waiting for your turn to respond.

4. Don’t talk too much! When you’re engaged in a conversation with your child, resist the urge to fill every silence. Often, those moments of pause provide the space young people need to share what’s really on their mind.

5. Pay attention to their preferred mode of communication. Many young people prefer to have difficult conversations by text, email or even through handwritten notes. Be open to communicating with your child in different ways.

6. Be mindful of how you talk about mental health in general. Pay attention to your responses to stories about mental health in the media or how you speak about people experiencing mental health challenges. If your responses are rooted in stigma, your child may not feel comfortable approaching you when they need to talk.

7. If you’re concerned your child may be having suicidal thoughts, ask them. Many parents worry that talking about suicide will increase the likelihood their child will have thoughts of suicide. This isn’t true; in fact, asking directly about suicide will let them know they can talk to you about the topic.

8. Let your child know you value and accept them for who they are. Don’t assume they already know or don’t need to hear it again. Make it a regular habit to tell your kid how great they are and how much you love them.

A final word

For more insights on supporting the young people in your life when it comes to their mental health, I encourage you to access the resources available at kidshelpphone.ca. And if you’re feeling overwhelmed, Kids Help Phone is here for adults too! Just text WELLNESS to 741741 to chat with a volunteer crisis responder.

Remember: we’re all in this together. The more we support one another, the stronger we’ll all be—today and for years to come.