National Survey: Parents’ top concern is children’s mental health, but many lack awareness and access to resources and services

CHICAGO, IL – July 24, 2024 – A recent national survey by Action for Healthy Kids (AFHK) reports that among parents’ top concerns for their children’s health is their mental health, but less than 20% of parents indicated awareness of all the mental health resources and services schools provide to support children’s mental health and well-being.

The Parent and Child Mental Health Survey asked more than 1,000 parents and caregivers from across the country what worries them most about their children’s health and what would help resolve those concerns. The survey was designed to understand parents’ perceptions of safe and supportive school environments and schools’ role in providing support and resources for youth mental health.

Key findings from the survey include:

Parent Concerns

• 76% of parents surveyed worried about their child spending too much time on a computer, television, or tablet.
• 70% of parents surveyed worried about a student or another individual bringing a weapon to school.
• 67% of parents surveyed were concerned about their child struggling with their mental health.

 Mental Health

• Less than 20% of parents surveyed were aware of all the mental health resources and services schools provide to support children’s mental health and well-being. About 40% had limited to no awareness of the types of resources and services their child’s school offers.
• 63% of parents surveyed are supportive of schools providing training for parents and caregivers to better understand and support their child’s mental health; only 17% shared that they are aware of training in their child’s school.

Race and Ethnicity

• 55% of middle and high school parents identifying as Black and 39% of parents identifying as Hispanic worry more about their child experiencing racism, as compared to 15% of parents identifying as White.
• 42% of parents identifying as Black and 49% of parents identifying as Hispanic, believe their schools provide their child with access to talk with a trusted teacher or other adult at school; nearly 68% of parents identifying as White believed their schools provide this resource.

Gender/Sexual Identity

• Of the 63 parents who responded their middle or high school student identifies as LBGTQIA+, 57% reported their child feels safe and supported with 43% saying no/unsure.

This survey is part of a series of surveys exploring parents’ mindsets commissioned by Action for Healthy Kids in partnership with the CDC Foundation. You can find the report from the Parent and Child Mental Health Survey online.

To respond to parents’ needs for more mental health supports, AFHK launched the Confident Connections campaign to offer more than 30 free resources for parents and caregivers of children in grades K-12 to learn about and support youth mental health. The resources, based on findings from the Parent and Child Mental Health Survey, were created with input from AFHK’s parent advisory board.

With approaches including conversation prompts and family games, Confident Connections provides guidance to parents and caregivers to engage in meaningful conversations, activities to connect in authentic ways, and information to deepen their understanding of youth mental health. The resources are based on age-appropriate approaches for children from grades K-12.

“In our surveys, parents and caregivers have been consistent in their desire for access to more resources to support their child’s mental health,” said Rob Bisceglie, Executive Officer & President at Action for Healthy Kids. “Through our Confident Connections campaign, AFHK is providing parents and caregivers with many of the resources they want and need to address the mental health issues that concern parents the most.”

“These resources offer helpful tips for parents and caregivers to stay close, connected, and involved with their children and adolescents, at home and in their schools,” said Dr. Kathleen Ethier, Director, CDC’s Division of Adolescent and School Health. “Adolescents experience fewer health risks when their parents know what is going on with them and their lives—staying engaged can make a big difference in preventing youth mental health issues.”

“Supporting parents and caregivers is crucial in fostering the mental health and well-being of our students,” said Catherine Zilber, vice president of infectious disease programs at the CDC Foundation. “By providing these resources, we can create a nurturing environment that promotes resilience, reduces stigma and ensures every student has the opportunity to thrive.”

About the Survey

Action for Healthy Kids conducted two waves of the Parent and Child Mental Health Survey:

• Wave 1 was a 48-question online survey of 1,016 parents and guardians across the U.S., from both rural and non-rural areas, with children enrolled in public K-12 schools. The survey was fielded in English and Spanish in December 2023.
• Wave 2 was a 56-question online survey of 1,047 parents and guardians across the U.S., from rural and non-rural areas, with children enrolled in public K-12 schools. The survey was fielded in English, Spanish and Korean in March – April 2024.

This project on Improving Mental, Behavioral and Academic Supports to Students and Families, Part 2 is supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $434,555 with 100 percent funded by CDC/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by CDC/HHS, or the U.S. Government. The contents also do not necessarily support the official views of the CDC Foundation. 

ABOUT ACTION FOR HEALTHY KIDS

Action for Healthy Kids believes that healthy children make a better world. As a national nonprofit, Action for Healthy Kids’ mission is to foster learning environments that support optimal child health and well-being. Through its core programming and family-school partnerships, Action for Healthy Kids has impacted more than 20 million children in 55,000 schools nationwide to address systemic challenges in underserved communities. To learn more, visit actionforhealthykids.org.

National Survey: Parents share worries about their child’s mental health

The Parent and Child Mental Health Survey asked more than 1,000 parents and caregivers from across the country what worries them most about their children’s health and what would help resolve those concerns. The survey was designed to understand parents’ perceptions of safe and supportive school environments and schools’ role in providing support and resources for youth mental health.

Key findings include:

• Nearly two-thirds of parents want training to better understand and support their child’s mental health and well-being.
• Nearly 80% of parents believe schools should provide an employed mental health professional at their school.
• Nearly 70% of parents indicated that their child feels safe and supported at school when there is at least one trusted adult they can talk to.
• 95% of parents support schools including programs that promote diversity and inclusion and teach social skills, such as respect, cooperation, perseverance and empathy.
• The majority of parents responded that a safe and supportive school environment was associated with transparent communications, engaged school counselors and social workers, emotional social skills and physical safety.
• The biggest obstacle for kids getting help with mental health at school, according to parents, is the child themself thinking they do not need it.

“It’s clear from our latest survey that while parents are deeply concerned about their children’s mental health and safety at school, there’s a significant demand for more resources to address these issues,” says Rob Bisceglie, Executive Officer & President at Action for Healthy Kids. “We must prioritize creating environments where all students feel safe, supported, and understood, and parents need to know that they’re not alone.”

While a majority of the respondents shared top concerns about mental health, physical safety at school and time on electronics, there were some reported differences among ethnic and racial groups and across grade levels:

• Parents identifying as Black/African American and Hispanic were more likely to report being worried more about their child experiencing racism at school. Of the parents surveyed, 58% of those identifying as Black/African American and 45% of those identifying as Hispanic reported being worried about their child experiencing racism at school, whereas 22% of those identifying as White worried about their child experiencing racism at school.
• Parents of high school students were more likely to worry about school violence than parents of middle school and elementary students. Of the parents surveyed, 74% of high school parents reported being worried about a student or another individual bringing a weapon to school, compared to 64% of middle school parents and 63% of elementary school parents.
• Parents who identify as Black/African American and Hispanic were more likely than White parents to be concerned about their child being behind academically. Of the parents surveyed, 56% of parents identifying as Black/African American and 54% of parents identifying as Hispanic reported being concerned about their child being behind academically, compared to 40% of parents identifying as White.
• Parents of high school students were more likely to report being worried about their child struggling with mental health. Of the parents surveyed, 69% of high school parents reported being worried about their child struggling with mental health, whereas 63% of elementary school parents and 64% of middle school parents reported being worried about their child struggling with mental health.

“We’re seeing what parents are seeing. Despite the need, school-based mental health services are not always readily available. This is why it is critical that schools are increasing their focus on strategies that prevent mental and behavioral health problems,” said Dr. Kathleen Ethier, CDC’s Division of Adolescent and School Health Director.

This is the first in a series of surveys exploring parents’ mindsets commissioned by Action for Healthy Kids in partnership with the CDC Foundation. Download the full Parent and Child Mental Health Survey.

Action for Healthy Kids is using these findings to create free resources for parents, including fact sheets, conversation starters, videos, blog posts, targeted social media posts, webinars and a digital resource library.

“Our kids need to feel safe and supported at home and at school,” said Catherine Zilber, Vice President for Infectious Disease Programs at the CDC Foundation. “The findings from this survey highlight that parents want training so they can better understand and support their child’s mental health and well-being. By providing parents and caregivers with free resources, they can acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to create a nurturing environment that promotes positive mental health for their children.”

ABOUT THE SURVEY

Action for Healthy Kids conducted a 48-question online survey of 1,016 parents and guardians across the U.S., from both rural and non-rural areas, with children enrolled in public K-12 schools. The survey was fielded in English and Spanish in December 2023. This survey represents the first wave of the project.

This project on Improving Mental, Behavioral and Academic Supports to Students and Families, Part 2 is supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $434,555 with 100 percent funded by CDC/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by CDC/HHS, or the U.S. Government.  

ABOUT ACTION FOR HEALTHY KIDS

Action for Healthy Kids is dedicated to improving children’s health and well-being by bringing together and mobilizing educators, families, and other key stakeholders to help children lead healthy lives. Through its core programming and family-school partnerships, Action for Healthy Kids has impacted more than 20 million children in 55,000 schools nationwide to address systemic challenges in underserved communities. To learn more about its growing network of volunteers and champions, visit actionforhealthykids.org.