Australia is facing a silent epidemic: one in six of our children is living with a mental health condition, yet our policies and investments remain stubbornly focused on adults, leaving our youngest citizens in the shadows.
Last week, I caught up with a friend and colleague Professor Frank Oberklaid, a tireless champion for child wellbeing. I always admired Frank when we worked together at the Royal Children’s Hospital in the late 90’s. He was passionate then and he’s still fired up about child mental health but this time he is sounding the alarm—and it’s time we all listened.
The facts are as stark as they are shocking: more than half of all adult mental health issues begin before age 14, with warning signs often emerging as young as five.
By the time a child finally receives help, problems have often become entrenched, complex, and far harder—and costlier to treat.
Frank Oberklaid’s message is blunt: prevention and early intervention are not just more humane, they are more effective and economically sensible.
But our current system waits for crisis. We rely on parents to spot problems, even as they struggle to find time and information in the chaos of modern life.
We stigmatize mental health, making it harder for families and teachers to speak up. We treat mental health as a private battle, not a public responsibility.
Oberklaid offers a radical, practical alternative. Schools, he argues, are the great equalizer—a universal, non-stigmatizing platform where every child can be seen, supported, and taught the skills of resilience. Programs like Smiling Mind are already training teachers to spot trouble early, build coping strategies, and connect families with help before problems spiral. You can read all about the impact of this program here.
He’s also changing the conversation. The Children’s Wellbeing Continuum - a simple tool that frames children’s experiences from “Good” to “Overwhelmed”—is giving parents, teachers, and health professionals a shared language to spot and discuss mental health struggles without shame or blame. It’s a game-changer, breaking down barriers and making early support possible.
The truth is, we know what works. We know that teaching emotional and self-regulation skills, building resilience, and supporting families pays dividends for a lifetime. We know that early action saves money, heartache, and futures.
So why are we still waiting for children to break before we offer help? Why are we still treating child mental health as an afterthought?
Don’t forget the parents -and my friends at SchoolTV . It’s never been more challenging for parents to raise happy, healthy and resilient children. The SchoolTV platform provides schools with an extensive range of wellbeing resources for parents, so they can work together in partnership to ensure better wellbeing for all students. Make sure your child’s primary school knows about both SchoolTV and the Smiling Mind program which teaches, our wonderful primary school teachers how to deliver mental fitness in an evidence based way.
Frank Oberklaid’s call to action is clear: prevention is not a luxury, it’s a necessity. If we want a thriving, resilient nation, we must invest in our children’s mental health - now, not later. Anything less is a failure of imagination, compassion, and common sense.