Ms Laura Keane:

I was going to make that exact point. In regard to how parents can best respond to their children's mental health needs and their children's anxiety, it is absolutely about minding their own first. It is the notion of the adult putting on his or her own oxygen mask before putting on anybody else's. In a sense, parents learning ways to manage their own stressors and anxieties, to remain calm and to focus themselves is the first step in responding adequately to their children's needs. Beyond that, it is absolutely as Mr. Church and Ms Connolly have said, it is about talking and open communication within the home. That starts from the very early years of a child's life, that sense of "you can come and talk to me about anything". It is not just about the talking and the open communication, it is also about shared joy and fun between parents and children. It is very important to have that sense of safety, nurture, fun and joy at home.

As Mr. Church has already mentioned, the third piece is talking about the child's experience extending out into the other spheres the child is part of, including school life, friendships and community involvement, and making sure there is a sense of how the child is doing in all of those areas. Those are the three layers, as I would see it, for how a parent can best support their child's mental health.