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Parent wellbeing is central to how families, children and communities thrive
The 2025 Parenting Today national survey asked participants a range of questions to deepen understanding of the wellbeing and mental health of parents across Australia.
Parent wellbeing matters because it shapes how parents cope, connect with their children and manage family life. It is closely linked to children’s development, mental health and wellbeing.
Despite this, parent wellbeing is often missing from policy conversations about child mental health, early intervention and prevention. Understanding how parents are faring is essential to building stronger families, more effective services and better outcomes for children.
Most parents are faring well...
Many parents reported positive experiences of parenting, including confidence, good physical health and a strong sense that parenting is rewarding.
found parenting rewarding
reported good, very good or excellent physical health
felt confident in their parenting.
... but many parents are carrying real pressure
More than half feel lonely at least occasionally, nearly half report moderate psychological distress, and tiredness and self-doubt are common.
said tiredness got in the way of being the parent they would like to be
felt lonely at least occasionally
experienced moderate psychological distress
experienced high psychological distress
These findings show that parents can value their role and feel capable while also experiencing significant pressure in other areas of their lives.
Feeling connected and supported can protect wellbeing...
The findings show that loneliness, self-doubt and low self-compassion showed the strongest associations with psychological distress.
By comparison, characteristics such as gender, education, household income and the age of a parent’s child had weaker relationships with distress.
Having a trusted person to rely on was associated with more positive mental health. An emotionally safe and consistent source of support may also help to promote good mental health.
had at least one trusted person they could turn to in times of need
of parents use family first for parenting support
of parents went to friends or other parents for parenting information
...but many parents judge themselves harshly
Many parents reported being hard on themselves about their parenting. More than half did not feel able to forgive themselves for parenting mistakes, while feelings of guilt and not being “good enough” were also common.
Greater self-doubt was also associated with a stronger desire to be less impatient with children.
did not feel they could forgive themselves for parenting mistakes
said they often have a sense of guilt about their parenting
feel they aren’t as good a parent as they should be
These findings show that parents’ distress and self-doubt can add to the pressures of parenting, and that connection and reassurance matter.
What the findings mean for how we support parents
The findings suggest that relationships and emotional support available to parents may be more closely associated with distress than many demographic or household characteristics.
This points to the value of universal, stigma-free approaches that strengthen connection, confidence and access to practical help.
Supporting parent wellbeing is not only about helping individuals cope. It also means creating services, communities and social conditions that reduce isolation, validate parents’ experiences and make support easier to find and use.
Parent wellbeing reports and resources
Browse the reports, briefs, infographics, webinars and other materials designed to help you understand, share and use the parent wellbeing findings.
Bring the parent wellbeing findings into your work
A tailored briefing can help your organisation understand the parent wellbeing findings, explore their implications and consider how they relate to your policy, service or strategic priorities.
Source: Parenting Today national survey 2025. Percentages may be based on valid responses and may not total 100% due to rounding