Note that the sites below are provided by third parties and not endorsed by Council.

Topics on this page:

Schools and education
Early Learning
Parent representation
Parent involvement in learning
Homework help
Online safety
Careers planning
Health and wellbeing
Active Travel Mental health
Bullying and violence
Drugs and alcohol
Relationships
Financial management
Students with additional needs
Gifted and Talented students
Gender issues
General parenting advice

Schools and education

• See here for information and resources to help families starting school.
• ACT's Education Directorate runs ACT public schools, under the direction of the Education Minister, Yvette Berry. The Directorate takes enrolments online, and has information for parents and detailed policies and much more on their website. Their guide on starting school is excellent.
• If you need to raise concerns about something at school, check our guide. You can call the Education Directorate with complaints or feedback: 62055429
• The Australian Curriculum describes what students should learn in each year of school. Check out the excellent information for parents
• NAPLAN tests are run by ACARA (Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority). They also have information for parents
• The My School website gives information on the performance and resources of more than 9500 schools
• Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) use research about education to improve learning.
• Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth (ARACY) promote "evidence-based programs and strategies to improve the wellbeing of children and youth".

Early Learning

• See here for information and resources to help families starting school.
• Starting Blocks is a brilliant new site from ACECQA designed specifically for parents of children from birth to 5 years. It has tips on how to choose a quality child care service, appropriate developmental milestones and suggestions on how to encourage your child's development at home.
• The History of ACT Preschools was put together by previous Canberra Preshool Society council members.
• ACECQA have all you need to know about NQF - the National Quality Framework for childcare and preschools.

Parent representation

• Council is an effective representative of ACT parents and your school's P&C is an excellent way to be heard.
• If you need to raise concerns about something at school, check our guide.
• Parents and carers are also represented on ACT school boards.
• The Australian Council of State School Organisations (ACSSO) is the National Parent Body.

Parent involvement in learning

• This Council fact sheet provides parents and carers with basic information about supporting their children at school. Available from Companion House in Arabic, Tamil, Burmese, Mon and Karen.
• The ACT Education Directorate has this website with practical tips for supporting your children and enhancing their learning, for various age groups.
• The Learning potential App and website helps parents 'be more involved in their child's learning from highchair to high school.' It has loads of age-specific tips to help you make the most of everyday opportunities to learn.
• Great start is a fabulous website with ideas and activities to help parents make the most of everyday learning possibilities. Families are busy, so some ideas tie into activities that you are already doing, others will only take a few minutes. There is also extra information so parents can learn more about the literacy and numeracy that a child will be developing and how this will link to learning in later life.

Homework help

• ABC's Education site has a fabulous range of information and videos on common homework topics.
• Headspace have a guide to coping with exams.

Online Safety

• The Office of the Children's eSafety Commissioner has excellent parent resources and information about keeping your kids safe online and assessing how you're doing. Young &eSafe helps young people counter online hate with advice & resources developed by young people, stories, short films and expert advice. Their image-based abuse portal provides tangible support and advice to anyone who has had intimate images or videos shared without their consent. For young children, this family tech agreement sets boundaries - with the help of the Playschool toys! The eSafety Office is also well worth following on Facebook or Twitter.
• Think U Know work to stop online exploitation, and can speak to parents at school events. They also have this excellent 7 day family online safety challenge- 7 easy actions you can take to protect your kids.
• Check out this excellent Guide to Parental Controls (2022, Romanian site).
• It can help for parents to understand the tactics which online bullies use. This excellent article , and this list are great places to start.
• Raising Children has a guide for keeping younger kids safe (6-8 years).
• This is a great guide to sharing photos with friends and family while keeping them private, avoiding the pitfalls of sharing photos of your children (and other children in the background at school) on social media.
• The Australian Council on Children and Media (ACCM) website offers a variety of helpful resources including ’Know before you go’ and ‘Know before you load’ that gives an objective review of movies and apps that are currently available.

Careers and pathways planning

• The Education Directorate's Pathways Planning website aims to support students as they transition from one school level to the next and on to further education or employment. It helps them to consider their strengths and career options and plan for their favoured pathway (entry requirements etc). Students can share their considerations with parents as they work through the program at school.
• The myfuture site helps people of all ages make career decisions, plan career pathways and manage work transitions and includes a specific section for parents assisting their children with career questions.
• CareersXpo is an annual ACT event showcasing career options.

Health and Wellbeing

• The Student Wellbeing Hub has advice and information to help parents and carers support children and build positive communication with their school.
• To keep the kids active and outdoors, checkout the great ideas at Nature Play Canberra.
• Suffering from a lack of lunch-box inspiration? Try the Healthy Lunchbox Week resources or the FreshTastes website. See also ACT Education's fact sheets on lunchboxes and tap water.
• In response to requests from schools, Lung Foundation Australia has produced information sheets for young people, parents and schools on vaping and its dangers for young people.
• The Healthy Schools Network provides a 'one stop shop' for ACT school teachers wanting to tackle school health and wellbeing issues.
• Avoiding RSI in kids. This presentation was given at a Council meeting and provides tips for helping kids use devices safely.
• Walking and riding to school has many health benefits - see below for resources.

Active Travel

• This Family Challenge is a great place to get started with a new routine of walking or riding to school (you might only walk some of the way or only a day or two a week)
• Our Tips for Active Travel will help you address some of the practicalities.
• The benefits of walking or riding to school are well established

Mental Health 

• MindMap is a dedicated portal for children and young people (up to 25 years of age) to help navigate Canberra’s mental health system and find the right service and support for your current needs. The navigation tool guides you to the most appropriate services and resources by asking you a set of questions. Wait times are also indicated.
• Head to Health is the Austalian Government's portal to help you find digital mental health services from some of Australia’s most trusted mental health organisations. It brings together apps, online programs, online forums, and phone services, as well as a range of digital information resources.
• Youth Focus has an excellent summary of supports for anxiety, depression and self harm.
• Beyondblue's Healthy Families site is a fabulous resource for parents with handy mental health checklists. There is also a guide for parents to anxiety and depression in young people which provides professional advice on supporting your child through difficult times, getting support and looking after yourself, including real-life stories from young people and the adults who care for them.
• The Generation Next Youtube Channel has the latest strategies and information on youth mental health in an easy to listen to form. It provides useful tips to better support your young people and covers topics from racism to eating disorders, anxiety to sexual abuse.
• ReachOut is a leading mental health organisation for parents of teens. They have practical support, tools and tips, including Apps to quickly help you find the most relevent help for your child's situation. Everything is evidence based to help parents and young people cope with tough times. They also offer free online coaching sessions for parents.
• BRAVE is a free, online therapy for children aged 8-17 year who are experiencing anxiety. It is proven to be effective and comprises 10 sessions of cognitive behaviour therapy which parents can complete together with their child or separately.
• Headspace is the national youth mental health foundation, helping young people through tough times. They also have a guide to surviving exams.
• Suicide prevention and support: www.livingisforeveryone.com.au
• Walking and riding to school has proven benefits for the mental health of children and young people - see resources above.

Bullying and Violence

• If you’re concerned about bullying or violence, you can call the schools complaints line: 62055429
• The Student Wellbeing Hub includes resources that nurture student responsibility and resilience, build a positive school culture, and support students who are impacted by anti‐social behaviour, including bullying. 
• Bullying No Way provides information for parents and carers about bullying, harassment and discrimination in schools, and what to do if your child is being bullied.
• Reach Out have some great resources to help parents of teens with bullying.
• This printable download is a quick reference that children and young people can carry with them, and a resource that parents/carers and teachers can use to start conversations about the importance of shared community values and the role that bystander behaviour can play in preventing, reducing and responding to bullying and violence.

Drugs and Alcohol

• Drinkwise has information for parents on how to be a good role model, advice about talking to your kids about alcohol, and managing teen drinking.
• Positive Choices is a web portal with information on illicit drugs, reducing harm and making good choices, for parents, schools and secondary students.
• QuitNow is the Federal Government's quit smoking site.
• In response to requests from schools Lung Foundation Australia has produced information sheets for young people, parents and schools on vaping and its dangers for young people.

Financial Management

• ASIC's Money Smart site provides financial advice for all age groups, including the under 25s.  MoneySmart Teaching provides teaching resources and training so that schools can develop the financial literacy of young Australians. 

Students with additional needs

• ILPs (Individual Learning Plans) - your questions answered and how to make them work for your child.
• The Education Directorate has information on support, units and programs available for students with disability at ACT public schools. They also have information on specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, and accessing support.
• You can connect with others on Facebook via Canberra Autism Info, Canberra Autism Spectrum Parents and Carers, Disability Inclusion and Equality in Canberra, or  Canberra Dyslexia Information Facebook page.
• Autism Connect is Australia’s first national autism helpline. Delivered by Marymead Autism Centre in partnership with Amaze for the ACT region, the helpline provides free, evidence-based, and independent information, advice and referrals to help autistic people, their supporters and professionals. 
• Disability ACT have advice and services for all stages of life.

Gifted and Talented Children

• For local connections and conversations, contact the This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (and on Facebook)
• ACT Education Directorate have information on their G&T policy and parent fact sheets.
• The US National Association for Gifted Children has parent resources.
• The Davidson Institute has a great range of articles to search and read through.
• Help supporting the emotional needs of gifted kids.
• The Acceleration Institute has everything you need to know about accelerated programs.

Gender issues

• The ACT Safe and Inclusive Schools Initiative provides information and support to schools and parents on including members of their community who are gender diverse or same-sex attracted. It's the place to go if you don't feel confident discussing gender diversity with your kids  Parents of children questioning their gender/sexuality can also directly access support. P&Cs can also request information or even an information session for their community.

General parenting advice

• Triple-P Parenting tips and parenting courses are now available Free to all parents online. They have proven, positive approaches and simple strategies to help in all those little moments.
• Great start is a fabulous website with ideas and activities to help parents and carers make the most of everyday learning and events. Families are busy, so some ideas tie into activities that you are already doing, others will only take a few minutes. There is also extra information so parents can learn more about the literacy and numeracy that a child will be developing and how this will link to learning in later life.
• The Raising Children Network has information and practical tools on child health, safety, learning (including at home, schools and homework), parental wellbeing, family management and kids activities.
• Starting Blocks focuses on helping kids through their first 6 years