WHY PARENTS ARE STRUGGLING TO FIND EMOTIONAL SUPPORT FOR THEIR CHILDREN

Parents across Australia are finding it harder than ever to access emotional support for their children.

The struggle to find emotional support for children is becoming a growing reality for Australian families, as long waitlists, reduced services and everyday pressures leave many parents unsure where to turn.

For family and child counsellor Jacintha Field, it is not just a professional issue. It is personal.

Her path into supporting children’s emotional well-being began during one of the most challenging periods of her life, when her young son’s behaviour forced her to rethink everything she thought she knew about parenting.

“It all happened at once,” she said.

“It was COVID, my son had just started school, and we separated around the same time. Not long before that, we also endured the bushfires. It was a lot, all at once.

“One moment, I had a family, and the next, everything had changed. Most of the responsibility fell to me.

“Homeschooling, selling the house, navigating the transition, all while trying to support my son through it. I didn’t have much help during that time.

“I was completely broken, trying to hold my son, who was also broken.”

The reality of emotional support for children today

Her son’s emotional responses were intense and, at times, confronting.

“He would run up and down the street, throw bins around the house, and jump out of the car. It was overwhelming for both of us.”

One moment, however, changed everything.

“I remember one moment so clearly. He looked up at me and said, ‘Mummy, it’s too much.’

“And I said, ‘I know, mate. I’m right here with you. I’ve got every part of you.’

“That became our mantra.”

Determined to better understand what her child was going through, Field immersed herself in further study, exploring counselling, play therapy and emotional development.

“I’m a problem solver. If there’s a problem, I will find a solution,” she said.

“So I started researching everything I could to understand what my son was experiencing. I revisited conscious parenting work, especially Dr Shefali’s teachings, and I began examining my own patterns first.

“I realised that if I wanted to support him, I needed to understand myself as well.”

Why parents are struggling to access emotional support for children

What she discovered is something many families are now facing.

Across Australia, access to emotional support for children is becoming increasingly difficult. Waitlists for services can stretch from six to 12 months, leaving parents to manage complex emotional and behavioural challenges on their own.

At the same time, changes to the NDIS system are adding further pressure. Some families are losing funding or seeing support reduced, making private care unaffordable.

Layered on top of this are broader challenges, including cost-of-living pressures and the realities of parenting in a digital world.

Screen use, emotional regulation and behavioural issues are becoming common concerns in households nationwide.

The most difficult moments can become the starting point for something more constructive

Turning personal struggle into practical support

Field says her own life choices have also shaped how she shows up, both as a parent and a practitioner.

“I recently reached ten years of sobriety.

“Back then, I hadn’t hit rock bottom, but I felt disconnected from the person I wanted to be. I remember waking up on Sundays hungover, grabbing KFC, and thinking, " This isn’t who I want to be.

“It was difficult to walk away because that lifestyle was all I had known. I loved the friendships, the environments, and the social side of it all. But I knew I didn’t want to be that kind of parent.

“I wanted to be present.”

Today, she channels that experience into her platform, Happy Souls Kids, which focuses on helping children build emotional resilience in an engaging, accessible way.

“Happy Souls Kids came from both my personal experience and what I was seeing in my work,” she said.

“It’s a platform that leverages athletes and role models to teach children the art of emotional regulation, resilience and mindfulness.

“We achieve this through gamified learning and storytelling, allowing children to learn in an engaging and relatable way.

They are rewarded for their learning and can exchange those rewards for real-life experiences.”

A growing issue for modern families

Her story reflects a broader shift playing out across the country.

More parents are navigating emotional challenges without the level of support that once existed, often feeling isolated in the process.

At its core, the issue goes beyond access to services. It is about how families adapt, respond and find new ways to support their children in an increasingly complex world.

And, as Field’s experience shows, sometimes the most difficult moments can become the starting point for something more constructive.