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Family

Strong, positive relationships with our families help us to feel supported. Having people around us to encourage us can help us manage stress and maintain our wellbeing, especially during these difficult times.

With social distancing and isolation, it’s easy to feel disconnected from your family. Unless they are isolating with you, which can bring its own stresses. Supporting children through this time can also be challenging. Family is the place where we share the load, in good times and bad ones.

Find 10 minutes each day to tell family members how special they are to you.

Relationships Australia South Australia offers several services to help support your family, help you stay connected and keep your family relationships strong and positive. You can find them here https://www.rasa.org.au/services/all-services or call 1300 364 277 or 1800 182 325.

Find out about our COVID-19 response https://www.rasa.org.au/covid-19.

Look after your family during COVID-19 by:

  • Staying connected with family members via online or over the phone.
  • Spending time talking about what is happening and allowing children to ask questions.
  • Maintaining family routines as much as possible, like eating meals together and bedtime stories.
  • Having fun together and building positive memories.
  • Being patient with each other as changes unfold and allowing family members to have quiet time and/or time for work.
  • Embracing opportunities to do things differently.
  • Actively listening and encouraging and supporting each other.
  • Focusing on your strengths as a family, how you have managed difficulties before as a family and how you can do the same during COVID 19.
  • Keeping in touch with elderly relatives via phone and video calls too, and perhaps send postcards, photos or artwork, or film short videos to share with them.

 If you or someone you know is experiencing any of the following, seek help early:

  • Your children are looking at you with fear in their eyes
  • Losing your patience more often and feeling angry
  • Child/ren are harder to handle than usual
  • Difficulties staying calm
  • Feelings of hopelessness
  • Not feeling like you are being the best parent / carer you could be
  • Your children seem to be feeling wary/afraid, either of you or someone else
  • Disconnection with a child, birth parents or family through adoption
  • Estrangement from family due to sexual orientation, illness or other reasons
  • Not sure how to help your children handle this stressful time
  • Feelings of hopelessness or being unable to go on

Telephone and online supports:

For people under 25 years of age:

  • Kids Helpline (for people between 5-25 years of age) 1800 551 800
  • headspace (for people between 12-25 years of age) 1800 650 890

 Here are some useful links you might want to explore:

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