COPMI Launches Video Series For Youth

COPMI: Children of Parents with a Mental Illness.

COPMI is an online Australian mental health information resource for children, teens and parents. Recently COPMI has launched a brand new video series for youth living with a parent experiencing mental illness. These videos provide a wide range of information based on specific illnesses, treatments, coping strategies and much more.

These videos aim to be both educational and engaging for youth and so they are filmed with youth who have experienced similar struggles.

http://www.copmi.net.au/kids-young-people/about-mental-illness

Young Carers Article

The International Child and Youth Care Network released an article in their online journal for March on Young Carers. Young Carers: Children Caring for Family Members Living with an Illness or Disability, written by Andrea Harstone, Sara Bergen and Magdalena Sweetgrass can be found between pages 6-14 of the PDF. The article states "It is estimated that in Canada almost 570,000 children under the age of 12 live in households with parents who experience mood, anxiety or substance use disorders, corresponding to 12.1% of all children in this age group," and contains many of the underlying fundamental beliefs of our FAMEkids program, "Psychosocial education groups can be a useful tool to provide education and support to these young people. Lessons on stress reduction and emotional expression, as well as a place to know you are not alone and that other young people have similar experiences, can be a very useful component to ensure that young carers are supported in their role."