Today's article in The Age / SMH highlights the now-urgent issue among children who are increasingly seeking support via the Kids Helpline, but aren't getting through.
AAPi Director Carly Dober was asked for comment, and describes the situation as "alarming" with many families now in a 'desperate situation', yet unable to afford or access help. She adds, "Many children are keeping their mental health struggles to themselves, because they do not want to burden their parents who are already stressed with rising living costs."
Ahead of tonight's budget announcements, the Kids Helpline is calling for an urgent injection of funds from federal and state governments, so it can hire more counsellors to pick up the phones and respond to distressed children. A recent Impact Report from the Kids Helpline showed that the proportion of children unable to connect to a counsellor has risen from 50 to 56 per cent in the past year alone.
Read the full story here or download the article here.