Every parent wants their child to thrive.
We are asking government to recognise peer parent support as core youth mental health infrastructure.
Funded. National. Permanent.
Parents are one of the strongest protective factors in a young person’s recovery. Still, Australia has no funded national peer parent support network. In 2023 the Senate recommended the Government fund one. Three years on, it remains unfunded.
Together we can change that.
611 people have already added their name.
What parents are telling us:
44 of 45 parents (98%) believe peer parent support should be available to every parent in Australia.
40 of 41 (98%) say connecting with other parents has been helpful.
38 of 41 (93%) say support from other parents made a meaningful difference.
36 of 41 (88%) feel less alone as a parent.
40 of 45 (89%) wish support like EPIC had been available to them earlier.
33 of 45 (73%) had no access to peer support from other parents before EPIC.
25 of 36 engaged parents (69%) felt better able to respond before things escalated.
21 of 36 engaged parents (58%) reached out for support earlier than they otherwise would have.
Behind every number is a parent who found connection, confidence and people who understand.
“Supporting the parents is actually supporting the young people.”
“When I found EPIC I had nowhere to turn and no one to ask. Three years on I am confident in my abilities as a parent. My young person is now a fully functioning contributing member of our community. I am about to begin study in mental health so I can give back to others.”
“A young person in crisis affects their siblings and their parents. EPIC helped me feel less alone so instead of ending up in hospital myself I could lean on the community for support. EPIC supported all of us.”
The Cost of Caring
Every parent who steps up for a young person in crisis gives more than their time. Our 2026 Cost of Caring survey heard from 44 parents and carers. All 44 said supporting their young person had affected their household finances, and for 37 of them the impact was significant.
Work changes too. Twenty-three parents reduced their hours. Twenty-one used their leave or took unpaid leave. Fourteen stopped working or resigned, and ten turned down work, a promotion or a new role.
Most parents are carrying this without a map. Of the 44 parents, 39 either did not know any financial support or entitlements existed, or were not confident about what they could access.
Parents are the backbone of their young person’s recovery. Peer parent support is where they share what they have learned, find their footing and feel less alone carrying it. Backing parents means backing the whole family.
This is a proven model.
Four countries now fund parent peer support as part of their youth mental health system. Australia is the gap.
Ireland built a named national model in three years. Family Peer Support Workers now sit inside government Community Mental Health Teams with a recognised Department of Health grade code.
The United Kingdom created permanent paid peer support roles inside children's hospitals through a decade of parent led campaigning. The PLACE Network connects peer support groups nationally into NHS referral pathways.
Canada funds Family Peer Support Workers directly through provincial health authorities at no cost to families. Ontario funds two parent led organisations providing free peer support for young people's families.
The United States has made peer support Medicaid eligible since 2013. 33 states now include peer support for parents inside core health financing as a billable clinical service.
Australia has a Senate recommendation sitting unfunded. Ireland, the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States have already acted. It is time Australia did too.
EPIC is ready to be that network.
EPIC is the only independent peer led community in Australia built specifically around parents of young people navigating mental health challenges. Since 2021 we have grown to more than 600 members across Northern Sydney and beyond.
Our EPIC Connect model is ready to roll out locally led peer parent support groups across every Local Health District nationally. Each group would be backed by central training, governance and a digital platform.
Peer support in every community. Free, locally led and built on lived experience.
What we are asking for
Government recognises peer parent support as core youth mental health infrastructure.
Funded. National. Permanent.
The Senate recommended it in 2023. The community is ready. The evidence is here. Parents are asking to be part of the solution.
Every parent supported. Every young person better off.
Share this on your socials if you want to see change.
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Australia has no funded national peer support network for parents of young people with mental health challenges.
Not because it does not work. Because Australia has not funded it yet.
In 2023 the Australian Senate recommended the Government fund an independent peer support network for families. Three years on, nothing has changed.
Ireland, the UK, Canada and the United States have already proven this model works. Each now funds parent peer support as part of their youth mental health system.
EPIC has shown what is possible here in Australia too. Parents who felt less alone, more confident, more hopeful. The evidence exists. The recommendation exists. What is missing is the funding.
If you believe every parent deserves this kind of support, please add your name.
#youthmentalhealth #peersupport #backparents
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Every parent wants their young person to thrive.
For years, families supporting a young person through mental health challenges have carried it mostly alone.
We are asking the Australian Government to fund peer parent support as permanent national infrastructure.
Funded. National. Permanent.
It takes 30 seconds to add your name.
Every signature makes the case louder.
#backparents #youthmentalhealth #peerparentsupport
Share your experience
Are you a parent, carer or someone who works with young people? Your experience helps build the evidence for change. It takes around 6 minutes and is anonymous.
If you have any questions, suggestions, feedback. Please contact the EPIC team here.
Thank you for being here.
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