How to raise awareness of parental mental health in the workplace

How can you prioritise mental health in the workplace?

We know that, across the UK, approximately 68% of women and 57% of men will experience a mental illness*.

Due to a lack of awareness of the specific impact of poor parental mental health, it may be something that your employer hasn’t considered.

So where do you turn to if you are a parent who is experiencing a mental illness? And how can we help to raise awareness together?

If you're an employer, parental mental illness is more common than you might think. Make sure you have specific support in place for people who are parents and are experiencing a mental illness. Learn more with our 4-week short course developed in partnership with UCL, which will help you explore society’s attitudes towards mental illness.

If you're a colleague, improve your understanding of parental mental health, and learn more about how you can support people around you. Helping people to keep in contact with friends and the support systems that are available is a great idea. Make a start by listening to our Podcast: My Family, Mental Illness, and Me.

If you're a parent who is experiencing poor mental health, there are lots of places to seek advice. Most importantly, look after yourself and get help when you need it. This can help your child to have the courage to ask for help when they need it too. Read our booklet on Parenting with a Mental Illness.

Most important of all, make sure you keep channels of communication open, and help to change the story for thousands of families around the country.

If you are a parent or young person and need help now, please contact one of our partner organisations.

Our Time is the only UK charity dedicated to improving outcomes for children & young people navigating life with a parent with mental illness. If you are an employer and are interested in partnering with us or putting together a package of support, please get in touch.

*UK Committee for UNICEF (UNICEF UK) report, Early Moments Matter, published 2022. The survey revealed that almost 60% of parents have struggled with their mental health – as cost-of-living increases and stretched services leave them without support, with parents on lower incomes most likely to struggle with their mental health. However, Our Time believes that the figure is likely to be much higher, given this report only representated parents with young children.