Should youths need parental consent to seek mental health support?

When she wanted to attend a mental health programme at Impart, Sarah approached an adult former coworker to sign the consent form instead, worried that her parents’ “bad impression” of mental health issues would make things harder at home.

Impart eventually facilitated a conversation with her parents and got their consent for her to attend programmes, including those focused on coping skills to manage emotions.

Even so, Sarah believes youths should have greater control over whether their parents are informed about their mental health care. “If the child doesn’t feel comfortable, it’s going to be hard for them to open up,” she said.

Even youths with supportive parents may prefer to seek help privately.

Leon (not his real name), now a 25-year-old undergraduate, told his parents about his depression and anxiety partly because he needed their financial support for treatment.

He still feels young people should have “complete privacy” when seeking support, except where self-harm or safety concerns are involved.

“I found it helpful to work on myself first without their involvement. Speaking to someone new also gave me an opportunity to start fresh, without feeling judged,” he said.

Some parents acknowledged that requiring their consent from the outset could discourage youths from getting help, even as they expressed a desire to be involved in their children’s care.

Ms Moonlake Lee, a mother of two and CEO of Transforming Lives, a social enterprise focusing on neurodiversity, said she would rather her child seek qualified mental health support than “suffer in silence” if they are not ready to confide in her.

“Wanting to be involved and insisting on being involved from the outset are two different things. My priority is that my child gets help, even if I am not the first person they turn to,” she added.

Parents interviewed agreed that they hope to be informed if their children faced significant risks of self-harm, serious deterioration in mental health or other safety concerns.

Parent coach Joline Lim, a mother of two, said she would want to be as involved as possible in her child’s decision to seek professional help. Beyond offering emotional and financial support, parents can also help assess whether a professional is suited to their child’s needs, she added.

“Not every child has a safe adult, or adults who are able to support their distress,” said the 41-year-old. “Even in a loving family, a child might worry about upsetting their parents, being judged or adding to their stress.”

STRIKING A BALANCE

Rather than applying the same parental consent requirements across all mental health services, observers called for clearer guidelines that take into account a young person’s maturity, safety and the level of care required.

They also suggested that a formal process for nominating a trusted adult, such as a sibling or relative, could help youths from unsafe homes access support without involving their parents.

Dr Kuek from SUSS said practitioners currently operate in a “grey zone” across schools, community agencies and hospitals, with some concerned about complaints from parents or potential legal liability if they provide support without consent.

He recommended aligning consent requirements with Singapore’s four-tier mental health care model, allowing youths under 18 to access lower-risk services such as basic counselling and mental health screening without parental consent.

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