Wellbeing at High School
A digital guide for parents, carers and kin.
Welcome to high school
The early years of high school can be a challenging time to navigate. Alongside excitement and new opportunities, young people may also experience uncertainty and changing health needs as they grow.
We’re pleased to share the following digital guide for parents, carers and kin, bringing together key topics and a mix of local Central Coast support services and broader supports from across NSW and Australia. Click on the topics below to explore:
Screen Time
Social Media
Gaming
Online Safety
It Takes a Village: Supporting Young People
Hear local experts discuss issues such as school refusal, vaping, self‑harm, anxiety, and social media.
Strategies to help young people manage anxiety in their first years of high school
This webinar will help you build confidence in responding to their needs and strengthening their wellbeing.
Parent Mental Health Masterclass
Explores topics like anxiety, challenging behaviours, depression, and responding to risk or distress
Local Services
- headspace – a free mental health service for young people between the ages of 12 to 25. There are three locations on the Central Coast – Gosford, Lake Haven and Wyong.
- Medicare Mental Health Kids Hubs, Central Coast – support children aged 0–12 with mild to moderate developmental, emotional, relational or behavioural concerns, and offer guidance for families, carers and kin.
- NSW Mental Health Line - for young people with more severe mental health concerns requiring support from health professionals.
- The Brave Program - a free 10-session online program to help young people manage anxiety
- Smiling Mind - a free app for guides mindfulness activities.
- YourCrew app – a free app for young people to ask for help.
Healthy Habits
Food: Prioritise regular, balanced meals
A mix of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and protein across the day help stabilise energy, support concentration, and regulate mood. Teens who eat regularly, especially breakfast, tend to cope better with stress and stay more engaged in school
Movement: Encourage movement every day, in ways they enjoy
Physical activity improves sleep, reduces stress, and lifts mood. It doesn’t always need to be structured sport – walking, skating, dancing, riding, or short bursts between study all count and help teens feel more grounded.
Sleep: protect a consistent sleep routine
Young people do best when they get 8 -10 hours of sleep each night. Good sleep helps their brain, mood and overall health.
- Keep wake-up times on school days and weekends within two hours of each other.
- Avoid screens an hour before bed.
- Eat dinner at a reasonable time to avoid going to bed too hungry or too full.
Ideas for affordable, nourishing meals and snacks.
Short, practical tips for teens and families, including snacks, after‑school eating, and navigating busy schedules.
Short, practical tips for teens and families, including snacks, after‑school eating, and navigating busy schedules.
Evidence‑based guidance for adolescents, including balanced eating patterns and food group examples.
Drinking plenty of water helps young people stay energised, focused, and feeling their best throughout the day.
Most teenagers need 8-10 hours of sleep each night. Some need as little as 7 hours or as much as 11 hours.
Teenagers tend to go to bed later & have less regular sleep – there are things you can do to help maintain good sleep habits
Physical Activity
Being active through movement is incredibly beneficial for adolescents, not only for their physical growth, but also for developing social skills, building emotional resilience and enhancing cognitive abilities in school.
- They participate in at least 60 minutes a day of moderate to vigorous physical activity that makes your heartbeat faster. This can be in one session or several shorter ones throughout the day.
- On at least 3 days, this should include vigorous activities and activities that strengthen muscle and bone, such as running, climbing, push-ups, sit-ups, lifting weights and yoga.
Free local activities
Go4Fun
Pickleball
Fit for life
Parkrun
Street Gym
Vaping
Vapes and other nicotine products continue to be marketed to young people, despite containing harmful chemicals and highly addictive nicotine.
Vapes are proven to cause real harm and affect lung health. Taking steps towards helping teens quit vaping isn’t easy but the end goal is worth it. Tips for starting a conversation:
- Keep communication open and calm.
- Be clear and honest about the risks.
- Help them plan how to respond if offered a vape or other nicotine product.
- Ask what support they need and how you can help.
Alcohol
Making safe choices
Prevent under-age drinking
Oral health
FREE general and specialist dental services are available for children and young people across the Central Coast. All children under 18 can access free public dental care once a parent or guardian signs the Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS) bulk‑billing consent form.
Public dental services are available to children and young people who:
- live in the Central Coast Local Government Area
- are eligible for Medicare
- are under 18 years of age
- have a parent or guardian sign the CDBS bulk‑billing consent form
Contact the Oral Health Call Centre on 1800 679 336 for enquiries and appointments about dental services
Family support
Looking after a child or young person can be busy and demanding, and it’s easy for parents and carers to put their own needs last. Prioritising your own health and wellbeing helps you stay energised, patient and connected, and it sets a positive example for your family. Support is available if you’re looking to build healthier routines, reduce stress or simply feel more supported in day‑to‑day life.
Carer support
A carer is a family member, partner, friend etc. who provides daily care and support to a person with a disability, medical conditions, mental illness or who are frail aged. Carers are unpaid; however, they could be eligible for Centrelink carer payments. There is a range of services and supports available to support people in their caring capacity.
Maintaining Healthy relationships
Adolescence often brings new friendships and, at times, new relationships. Strong connections with family, friends, and community play a key role in supporting happiness and resilience. While conflicts are a normal part of growing up, ongoing unhealthy or harmful patterns should be addressed early.
Teen Disengagement & School refusal
Changes in routine can sometimes make students feel anxious, which might lead to missing school or refusing to attend. This can be challenging for parents and carers, who may wonder what steps to take and who to reach out to for support. Things you can do to support school engagement:
- Act early and seek help promptly.
- Listen with empathy to your child’s concerns.
- Praise and reward positive attendance behaviours.
- Consult your GP or School Counsellor if needed
Study and Exam Stress
As young people settle into high school, they may experience new study demands and moments of stress, especially around homework, assessments and exams. Building skills like time management, planning ahead and breaking tasks into manageable steps can help them feel more confident and in control.
Helpful resources for families and younger students include:
Useful websites for young people, parents and carers, and teachers
There are a number of other websites with helpful resources and information to support good health and wellbeing for young people.
Mental health and wellbeing
Teens 12–18 years (Raising Children Network) – tips for parenting teens
Smiling minds – a free mindfulness meditation app
Interrelate – a team of experts, resources and programs in counselling, separation support, mental health and education.
Emerging minds – develops interventions, training, programs and resources in response to the needs of healthcare professionals, children and their families.
WayAhead – NSW based organisation providing mental health information, community programs and statewide support to help families feel informed and connected.
Physical activity
- Join a local sports team. Whether it’s soccer, basketball, or netball, team sports are a great way to stay fit and make new friends.
- Strengthen muscles and bones through skipping, running, yoga, jumping, push-ups, sit-ups, lifting weights, lunges and squats. Youth clubs such as YMCA and PCYC run gym classes (Streetgym) and physical activity sessions for young people, after school or during the school holidays.
- Swap the bus for a ride or walk to school. Riding a bike is a great way to travel, and walking helps you get more steps in and keeps you active.
- Try something new like pickleball – it’s one of Australia’s fastest growing sports and it’s not hard to see why. It’s fun for everyone, regardless of age, skill or fitness level. Check out where you can play for free on the Central Coast.
- Skateboarding or rollerblading is not only fun, but a great way to add to the daily moderate physical activity minutes. Find a skatepark near you.
- Swim at the beach or pool. Swimming is a low-impact exercise that’s great for your whole body.
Screen time and online safety
Teenage screen time: tips for balance (Raising Children Network) – tips for managing screen time at home
eSafety Commissioner issues and advice – advice on how to help your child deal with online safety issues covering a range of different areas including gaming and privacy
ction
Sleep
Sleep and teenagers: 12–18 years (Raising Children Network) – strategies to improve your child’s sleep
Teenage sleep (Sleep Health Foundation) – facts about teenage sleep
Healthy food and drinks
Eat for Health – advice and nutrition calculators to show the amount and kinds of foods that we need to eat for health and wellbeing based on the Australian Dietary Guidelines
Healthy lunchboxes (Healthy Eating Advisory Service) – ideas on how to pack a lunchbox that kids will love
Healthy recipes (Healthy Eating Active Living) – includes a Kids’ Lunch section
Vaping
Vaping (Central Coast Health Promotion Service) – our page covering everything you need to know about vaping
Pave – new evidence-based app developed by Cancer Institute NSW together with young people to help them quit vaping
Other pages you might be interested in
