How Do Families Experiencing Adversity Seek Information and Services to Support Their Child's Mental Health? A Qualitative Study.

Caregivers experiencing adversity prioritised feeling understood and not being judged when seeking information and support services for their children's mental health.

• Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 caregivers experiencing adversity.
• Framework analysis was employed to analyse transcripts.
• Feeling understood and non-judgement were identified as primary priorities across participants when seeking and using relevant information and services.
• This priority applied both to information sources and to service providers encountered during help-seeking.

Caregivers faced multiple common challenges when seeking information and support services for their children's mental health.

• Challenges identified included experiencing too much or not enough relevant information.
• Lack of time was identified as a barrier to seeking support.
• A 'solution burden' — the responsibility placed on caregivers to find appropriate support — was identified as a challenge.
• Caregivers reported being unsure how to progress in seeking appropriate support.
• These challenges were identified through framework analysis of 13 caregiver interviews.

Caregivers used a range of online search strategies to seek information and services to support their child's health needs.

• Online searching was a common approach among the 13 caregivers interviewed.
• Despite frequent online information-seeking, caregivers faced challenges navigating the abundance of available resources.
• Caregivers expressed difficulty in identifying relevant and trustworthy information from the volume of online content.

Caregivers expressed a preference for a digital solution that was practical and non-judgemental to meet their information and service needs.

• Preferences for digital solutions were a specific focus of the semi-structured interviews with 13 caregivers.
• Caregivers described a need for a solution that provided 'the right information and services at the right time.'
• A digital navigation platform providing evidence-based information and services was identified as a potential solution to assist caregivers navigating the complex help-seeking process.
• The preference for non-judgemental digital tools aligned with the broader priority of feeling understood and not judged in all forms of support-seeking.

The study used a qualitative design with semi-structured interviews and framework analysis to explore caregiver experiences.

• Sample consisted of 13 caregivers experiencing adversity.
• Data collection method was semi-structured interviews.
• Transcripts were analysed using framework analysis.
• The study explored two specific aims: caregivers' priorities and challenges in seeking information and services, and their preferences for digital solutions.