Advisory on Parent and Caregiver Mental Health and Well-Being 

“Parents have a profound impact on the health of our children and the health of society. Yet parents and caregivers today face tremendous pressures, from familiar stressors such as worrying about their kids’ health and safety and financial concerns, to new challenges like navigating technology and social media, a youth mental health crisis, an epidemic of loneliness that has hit young people the hardest. As a father of two kids, I feel these pressures too,” said U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy. “With this Advisory, I am calling for a fundamental shift in how we value and prioritize the mental health and well-being of parents. I am also outlining policies, programs, and individual actions we can all take to support parents and caregivers.” 

Parents experience many unique stressors that come with raising children; such as the common demands of parenting, financial strain and economic instability, time demands, concerns about children’s health and safety, parental isolation and loneliness, difficulty managing technology and social media, and cultural pressures. Mental health conditions also disproportionately affect parents and caregivers, especially those facing circumstances of family or community violence, poverty, and racism and discrimination. 

 

Caregivers Also Struggling 

A key support for parents called out by the Surgeon General includes early childhood education and care. There are millions of caregivers who take responsibility for caring for children when their parents cannot. However, the financial stress related to child care costs is cited as a significant contributor to parental stress – with prices rising by 26% in the past decade.  

Although child care is becoming more expensive for parents, child care providers are struggling to make ends meet and provide for themselves. Child care providers do the critical job of supporting the proper development of those in their care while working under challenging conditions for low pay. A study by the Stanford Center on Early Childhood reports that 44% of providers experience material hardship, including difficulty paying for utilities (28%), food (26%), healthcare (22%), and housing expenses (22%). Another study from Stanford reports that 50% of child care providers experienced moderate-to-high levels of anxiety symptoms and/or symptoms of depression.  

Although the Advisory mainly focuses on the needs of parents, the Surgeon General recognizes that caregivers face many of the same stressors as parents and need similar support.  

 

Supporting Parents and Caregivers 

The Surgeon General’s Advisory states that the well-being of parents and caregivers is a public health priority calls for a shift in culture, policies, and programs to ensure all parents and caregivers can thrive. The Advisory offers recommendations on how policymakers, employers, communities, Health and Social Service Systems, researchers, families and friends, and parents and caregivers can take action. Some highlighted recommendations include increasing access to paid family leave, improving early childhood education and child care, and investments in mental health care.  

As a parent of caregiver, the Surgeon General has five recommendations for how you can support your own mental health and well-being: 

1. Remember, caring for yourself is a key part of how you care for your children. 
2. Nurture connections with other parents and caregivers. 
3. Explore opportunities to secure comprehensive insurance coverage for yourself and your children. 
4. Empower yourself with information about mental health care. 
5. Recognize how mental health challenges manifest and seek help when needed.  

 

Discover what you can do to support parents and caregivers, learn more about the advisory, and access shareable resources to raise awareness.