Parent-child play: Conversation guide

Sarah Seekamp, Australia, 2019

Related to Child and family, Child mental health, Infant mental health, Pandemic, Parenting

This resource compliments the practice paper ‘Parent-child play: A mental health promotion strategy for all children’. It is intended to be filled in by parents but provides an opportunity for the child and practitioner involved to talk about the benefits of play in a family.

You may like to use this Conversation guide in conjunction with the Practice resource.

Discover more resources

Practice paper

Parent-child play: A mental health promotion strategy for all children

Sarah Seekamp

This resource provides practical information on the use of play to strengthen child-parent relationships and promote children’s mental health. It has been developed for practitioners working with families who have children aged 0–12 years, including women and men who face adversities that may impact upon their children.
Fact sheet

Parent-child play: Practice resource

Sarah Seekamp

This resource has two components: a conversation guide that practitioners can work through with families, and practitioner notes that provide support for introducing parent-child play and using the conversation guide.
Fact sheet

Using play to support children during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic

Emerging Minds

While social distancing rules are in place, children are unable to play with their friends in the way that they are used to. This makes play time at home especially important. The following five tips (available in 18 languages) can help you use play to support your child’s mental health during COVID-19.
Webinar

Wellbeing for workers supporting children and families after a disaster

Child Family Community Australia & Emerging Minds

Co-produced with Child Family Community Australia (CFCA) will explore how to support workers who engage with children and families during and after disasters or severe weather events. It is intended for both managers and frontline practitioners.
Research summary

Highlights in child mental health research: May 2025

Prepared by AIFS

The May 2025 research summary provides a selection of recently released papers, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses related to infant and child mental health. Each summary includes an introductory overview of the content for the month, followed by a list of selected articles. Each article is accompanied by a brief synopsis that presents the key messages and highlights. Links to abstracts, full-text articles and related resources, where available, are provided.
Guide

Mindframe: A guide for reporting on child and youth suicide

Everymind

This resource, developed by Everymind, has been developed to provide guidance on developing safe and sensitive public communications about child and youth suicide.
Webinar

What are infants telling us: From neonatal nursery care to supporting optimal infant development

Emerging Minds and Mental Health Professionals' Network (MHPN)

Co-produced with the Mental Health Professionals' Network (MHPN), you'll hear from our multidisciplinary panel who explore the emotional and developmental impacts of preterm birth, highlight the importance of observing and responding to infant cues, and outline practical strategies to strengthen early relationships and support preterm infants' neurodevelopment and mental health in their first year.
Webinar

Understanding and responding to childhood suicidal ideation: A case scenario

Child Family Community Australia & Emerging Minds

Co-presented with Child Family Community Australia (CFCA), this webinar uses a case scenario to reflect on ethical considerations and practical strategies to help practitioners better understand and support children experiencing suicidal ideation. The panellists will also discuss how practitioners can foster connection, seek the child’s insights, and recognise the strengths of the child and their family.
Short article

The impact of parental incarceration on child behaviour and development

Dr Mandy Truong, Australian Institute of Family Studies

This short article provides an overview of the research evidence on the impacts of parental incarceration on child behaviour and development with a focus on children aged 12 years and under. It outlines the ways in which parental incarceration can impact child outcomes and provides some practice considerations for how practitioners and services can support children.
Research summary

Highlights in child mental health research: April 2025

Prepared by AIFS

This April 2025 research summary provides a selection of recently released papers, systematic reviews and meta-analyses related to infant and child mental health. Each summary includes an introductory overview of the content for the month, followed by a list of selected articles. Each article is accompanied by a brief synopsis which presents the key messages and highlights. Links to abstracts, full-text articles and related resources, where available, are provided.
Practice paper

Responding to childhood suicidal ideation through understanding and curiosity

Amanda Kemperman, Emerging Minds

Children, even at a very young age, can experience significant distress and despair that may lead them to think about suicide. This practice paper highlights the importance of listening and striving to understand children's thoughts, ideas and perspectives on the challenges they face.
Webinar

How to use neurodivergent-affirming strategies to support child mental health

Child Family Community Australia & Emerging Minds

Co-produced with Child Family Community Australia (CFCA), join our panel of speakers as they explore how neurodivergent-affirming practice strategies support the mental health of autistic and ADHDer children.

Parent-child play: Conversation guide

Sarah Seekamp, Australia, 2019

Discover more resources

Parent-child play: A mental health promotion strategy for all children

Parent-child play: Practice resource

Using play to support children during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic

Wellbeing for workers supporting children and families after a disaster

Highlights in child mental health research: May 2025

Mindframe: A guide for reporting on child and youth suicide

What are infants telling us: From neonatal nursery care to supporting optimal infant development

Understanding and responding to childhood suicidal ideation: A case scenario

The impact of parental incarceration on child behaviour and development

Highlights in child mental health research: April 2025

Responding to childhood suicidal ideation through understanding and curiosity

How to use neurodivergent-affirming strategies to support child mental health

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