Using Co-design to Improve Child Mental Health Literacy of Parents
Tracks
Online
| Monday, March 28, 2022 |
| 2:36 PM - 2:56 PM |
Overview
Ms Melissa Cheah & Ms Shae Wissell, Mcri
Speaker
Ms Melissa Cheah
Senior Project Officer
Mcri
Using Co-design to Improve Child Mental Health Literacy of Parents
Abstract
Introduction: The parents’ role in child mental health is not only as help-seekers for but also as nurturers of their children. However, parents often lack confidence to function in these roles. To improve parents’ child mental health literacy, it’s important to connect parents with reliable and evidence-based information. Using a co-design approach, a mobile app with an integrated push notification feature was developed for parents of children aged 0-12 years to learn about social and emotional wellbeing in children, explore concerns they might have and where they can seek help or support.
Method: App development involved co-design workshops, prototyping, testing designs, mind mapping, iterative development and in-depth user testing. The majority of co-design activities were completed virtually during the COVID-19 pandemic. The co-design group consisted of 85 parents and 21 high level experts from peak organisations. It also included CALD, ATSI, disability and LGBTQI+ representation.
Results: Parents wanted to know what is considered ‘normal’ child behaviour and emotions and when their child might need help. Parents valued an app that was an easy to use and learn. Professionals emphasised the importance of careful framing of messages and providing support for parent wellbeing.
Progress: An app (Raising Healthy Minds) was launched, 28 September 2021. Users consent to receiving push notifications and sharing their personal data and interactions with the app. This data is used to ‘listen’ to parents’ concerns and interests around child mental health, and the language used to express such concerns. These learnings will guide future app development.
Conclusion: Co-design with parents ensured that the product meet their needs and addressed their concerns. Whilst parents did not express wanting information about parent wellbeing, co-design with professionals emphasised the importance of including such content. Data collection will allow the app to continually improve and evolve with usage.
Method: App development involved co-design workshops, prototyping, testing designs, mind mapping, iterative development and in-depth user testing. The majority of co-design activities were completed virtually during the COVID-19 pandemic. The co-design group consisted of 85 parents and 21 high level experts from peak organisations. It also included CALD, ATSI, disability and LGBTQI+ representation.
Results: Parents wanted to know what is considered ‘normal’ child behaviour and emotions and when their child might need help. Parents valued an app that was an easy to use and learn. Professionals emphasised the importance of careful framing of messages and providing support for parent wellbeing.
Progress: An app (Raising Healthy Minds) was launched, 28 September 2021. Users consent to receiving push notifications and sharing their personal data and interactions with the app. This data is used to ‘listen’ to parents’ concerns and interests around child mental health, and the language used to express such concerns. These learnings will guide future app development.
Conclusion: Co-design with parents ensured that the product meet their needs and addressed their concerns. Whilst parents did not express wanting information about parent wellbeing, co-design with professionals emphasised the importance of including such content. Data collection will allow the app to continually improve and evolve with usage.
Biography
Melissa Cheah (PhD) is Senior Project Officer at the Raising Children Network. She along with Shae Wissell managed the development of the Raising Healthy Minds app. Melissa’s worked with he Raising Children Network for over 6 years and is experienced in knowledge translations in areas of child development and health.
Shae Wissell
Senor Project Officer | The Centre for Community Child Health
Murdoch Children's Research Institute
Using Co-design to Improve Child Mental Health Literacy of Parents
Biography
Shae Wissell is a Senior Project Officer at the Centre for Community Child Health, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute and currently manager’s the Raising Health Minds project.
Over the last 17 years, Shae has built strong clinical, executive management and research skills across health, not-for-profit and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community sectors. Shae’s clinical expertise as a Speech Pathologist spans from infants through to the elderly across several clinical settings including private practice, primary and secondary schools, sub-acute and rehabilitation.
As well as working clinically, Shae has worked on large federal and state health and mental health initiatives and most recently oversaw the delivery of specialist outreach services to regional, rural and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities across Victoria.
Shae is an executive director sitting on a national not for profit, social enterprise board and several subcommittees. She is also a published researcher with her latest peer reviewed paper issued in the Australian Journal of Learning Difficulties.
