Support Services
Beyond Blue
Beyond Blue is working around the clock to build a dedicated COVID-19 Mental Health Support Service. The service will offer free counselling by mental health professionals for all people in Australia 24/7, both online and over the phone. It will also provide free and easily accessible information and advice around coping with COVID-19, isolation and connection, workplace and financial hardship, and how best to support the mental health of loved ones.
Call Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636.
Headspace
This information is for young people affected by stress related to Coronavirus and outlines ways to manage any changes to daily life as a result of containment measures. Access lots of great mental health resources including group chats, online communities, interactive resources and 1:1 direct support with professionals. You can seek support through the Headspace centres, online and phone services, or through online chats.
Call Headspace on 1800 659 388.
Kids Help Line
Kids Helpline counsellors can provide emotional support anytime and for any reason. In a time of high uncertainty, a little bit of support can make a big difference. Kids Helpline is still open 24/7 to answer your call, email or WebChat.
Call Kids Help Line on 1800 551 800.
Lifeline
Lifeline offer mental health and wellbeing tips and strategies to continue looking after ourselves and each other during these difficult times. The Lifeline telephone, text and webchat services will continue as normal throughout the COVID-19 crisis.
Call Lifeline on 13 11 14.
Resources
ABC Education
Access thousands of free, curriculum-linked resources for Primary and Secondary students and teachers.
Action for Happiness
This crisis has the potential to bring out the best in human nature and remind us all how interconnected we are. Action for Happiness brings together like-minded people from all walks of life and helps them take practical action, drawing on the latest scientific research. Backed by leading experts from diverse fields including psychology, education, economics and social innovation, Action for Happiness provides ideas and resources to enable people to take action at home, at work or in their community.
COVID-19: an online safety kit for parents and carers
To make the best of being stuck at home, it is important to ensure you can find reliable information, stay connected with family and friends, help your children stay safe online and stay mentally healthy too. The team at eSafety have put their heads together and come up with this virtual safety kit, packed with evidence-based suggestions and trustworthy links to help you through.
Darwin Family Life
To help parents entertain their kids at home during this time Darwin Family Life have prepared a great list of online educational resources available. Check out their top educational apps blog to keep the kids learning and busy, and their top 20 easy home activities to entertain the kids.
Learning together
Parents and carers have a crucial role in supporting their child’s learning. You can find important information and advice, helpful links, resources and examples of work for parents, carers and families to use when supporting their child's learning.
Messages in language
Audio files with health messages for coronavirus (COVID-19) in Aboriginal languages are available for the Northern Territory to cover a majority of language groups. More recordings will be added as they become available.
Special Needs for Special Kids
This site is now the home for a Remote Learning experience for students with moderate and severe disabilities. This site will be a source for quality lessons and activities for teachers and parents to utilize. All materials are free and available for you to download and print.
Talking to children and young people about COVID-19
Like adults, children are navigating something they have never experienced before. Finding the right way to talk to them about COVID-19 can help protect children and reduce their fear.
Thrive Inside with Smiling Mind
Thrive Inside is an initiative to help you stay calm and healthy in the physical constraints of your home, while remaining calm and healthy inside your mind. In this resource, you will find different practical things you can do to take care of your own wellbeing as well as support the children in your life, your colleagues, loved-ones and friends. This resource takes an evidence-based approach to providing you with practical tools and techniques to help you manage uncertainty, reduce anxiety and stay connected and grounded.
Ways to help families stay happy and hopeful during self-isolation
You may have two toddlers under five in the suburbs. Or live with a lively teenager in a small inner-city apartment. Maybe you live alone, with your extended family in one home or in a share house full of students. Whatever your living situation the Red Cross have collected tips from their networks to help your family during self-isolation.
Zoos Victoria
Zoos Victoria are live streaming their zoo so you can enjoy #AnimalsAtHome. Live stream cameras of residents in Melbourne Zoo and Werribee Open Range Zoo have been set up so you can enjoy the zoo from anywhere.
Podcasts
Mindfully
The ABC is re-packaging some of the meditations from previous series as part of a special podcast series called Corona Calm. The meditations cover everything from dealing with anxiety to one specifically for children. They will be releasing one per week for the next 8 weeks. Click here for the first one.
Parental As Anything
This show is hosted by Maggie Dent, the well-known parenting educator and author. Check out this short bonus episode in which Maggie gives some advice for parents on how to talk to kids in the current climate. Maggie also recorded this social video in which she passes on tips as well.
Short & Curly
In this podcast about ethics for kids, listen to a short bonus episode all about COVID-19. Hosts Carl Smith and Matt Beard talk about the importance of cooperation during the pandemic, how social isolation is doing something for the greater good and looking at fun things you can do if you are home from school.