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Families often feel unsure which door to knock on once a young person starts to falter. This guide covers keeping notes and finding help suited to their age.

Knowing where to start

A shift in a child's mood or behaviour can leave parents and carers puzzled about whom to contact and how to describe what they are seeing. Keeping a dated log of observations, then asking for guidance on a suitable local assessment, gives everyone a sensible starting point. Services designed for adults should never be assumed to suit children automatically.

What to record

• bedtime battles, eating changes or low energy
• missed school days, reluctance to join in, or slipping marks
• friendships, family relationships and withdrawal from activities
• behaviour that is new, intense or worrying

Share the log with your family doctor or a suitable local health professional, who can point you towards paediatric, school-based or specialist child and adolescent mental health services. Where a child seems in immediate danger, call emergency services straight away.

Asking about age suitability

Psychotherapy is among the qualifications of Dr Christine Shen, Acupuncturist. When weighing whether sessions with her would suit a young person, ask directly about age suitability, the part parents would play and whether a specialist should see the child first. A careful practitioner will be candid if a child's needs are better served elsewhere.

Questions for any service

Families comparing options can ask:

• What experience does the practitioner have with children of this age?
• How are parents or carers included in sessions and planning?
• How is confidentiality handled for a young person?
• When would a referral to a specialist service be recommended?

Matching care to the child

A child's care should fit their stage of development and their particular needs. Christine can explain how any agreed approach gets revisited and which other services might come into the picture as the child grows.

Reaching out on behalf of a child takes courage. Starting with careful notes and an appropriate assessment, whether through the Lane Cove clinic or another local service, helps make sure the support a young person receives truly suits them.