Working Parents Toolkit

Parent's Toolkit: Supporting Children's Mental Health

Brought to you by MindForward Alliance where People Plus Science are a signatory

 

Helping Working Parents Navigate Children’s Mental Health Challenges

At People Plus Science, we empower workplaces with evidence-based insights that strengthen wellbeing, performance and psychological safety. As a proud signatory of MindForward Alliance, we’re committed to supporting organisations and families with practical tools grounded in research and real-world experience.

Today, working parents face unprecedented pressure.
MindForward Alliance research highlights that:

  • 68% of working parents are worried about their child’s mental health, and

  • Nearly half (48%) say these concerns are affecting their work performance.

  • 12% have considered reducing their hours, and

  • 8% have thought about leaving their job to cope.

This isn’t just a personal challenge,  it’s a workforce challenge. And it requires workplaces to respond with compassion, clarity and resources that make a difference.

That’s why we’re proud to share the Parents’ Toolkit: Mental Health Difficulties in Children and Young People (Second Edition) — a comprehensive, accessible and expert-informed guide designed to support parents, carers and employers.

Download the Toolkit
Watch the Launch

About the Toolkit

Developed by MindForward Alliance, in partnership with Morgan Stanley and PwC UK, and strengthened by expert contributions from the King’s Maudsley Partnership, Place2Be and YoungMinds, this second edition builds on the success of the widely used 2022 version.

The toolkit gives parents and carers practical guidance across the topics that matter most, including:

  • School avoidance

  • Self-harm and safety

  • Mental health in neurodivergent children

  • Safe and healthy use of social media

  • Understanding early signs of difficulties

  • When and how to seek professional help

  • Supporting your own wellbeing while caring for others

Each section is concise, easy to navigate and linked to quality, trusted resources so parents are never left searching for reliable information.

Download the Toolkit

Why this matters for workplaces

The neuroscience is clear: when people experience ongoing stress — particularly related to their children — their cognitive load increases, emotional regulation decreases, and performance naturally shifts. When employers support parents with clear resources and psychologically safe practices, they:

  • Improve focus, productivity and decision-making

  • Reduce burnout and absenteeism

  • Strengthen retention, engagement and trust

  • Build a culture where people feel safe, supported and valued

This toolkit enables organisations to offer meaningful, practical support to the parents and carers in their workforce.

We encourage employers to share this resource widely with:

  • Working parents and carers

  • Employee Resource Groups (ERGs)

  • Wellbeing, HR and People & Culture teams

  • Managers and workplace wellbeing champions

How People Plus Sciene Supports Organisations

We help organisations translate insights into action by:

  • Embedding the toolkit within broader wellbeing strategies

  • Coaching leaders on sensitive conversations and psychologically safe practices

  • Providing neuroscience-based training to reduce cognitive load and support resilience

  • Aligning resources with organisational strategy, culture and change programs

If your workplace wants help integrating this resource, running parent-focused sessions, or building a wellbeing framework, we can partner with you.


Watch the Toolkit Launch