Free youth mental health sessions will be running throughout Perth these school holidays, designed to offer early intervention for young people in need.

Helping Minds has offices throughout WA, from Two Rocks down to Mandurah. The charity also operates regionally in Broome, Port Headland, Geraldton and Bunbury.

The main office opened in Subiaco in 1976 after several local families formed support groups to break down the stigma surrounding mental health. As demand grew, Helping Minds moved to its current bigger Perth office.

Throughout the spring school holidays, the organisation will be running specialised sessions for young people to access the supports they need, whether they are struggling with their mental health, or living with a struggling family member and have been forced into a “caring role”.

Chief executive Debbie Childs said kids often aren’t aware when they are in a position like this.

“We’ve noticed the school holidays can be particularly challenging for some families, so it’s an opportunity for young people to connect with other young people that are having similar experiences. The focus isn’t therapy in a clinical setting, it’s about building well-being and confidence and resilience.”

This year, several programs will run throughout October for kids aged seven to 12, using fun activities to teach coping strategies and connect them with new friends.

The Fremantle program will run on October 7 and 8, designed for young people who have a family member or a friend living with a mental health challenge.

In Pearsall, children will be able to attend Art for the Mind on October 8 and 9. This uses creative arts to build wellbeing strategies.

Wellbeing Wonderland will be held in Butler on October 1 and 2 and includes a visit to Yanchep National Park.

The Midland program on October 8 and 9 helps kids understand their emotions through building with Lego, while the Ballajura program on October 1 to 2 aims to help kids at risk themselves.

“It’s about trying to combine fun activities with evidence, informed approaches to build that resilience and confidence. We find that kids really like coming to the school holiday programs, and we do have a lot of returns,” Ms Childs said.

Helping Minds is a not-for-profit organisation and its services are funded through the Mental Health Commission and Department of Social Services, depending on the circumstances.

“We’ve seen kids as young as seven who may be getting up in the morning, getting mum a cup of tea and some pills to get her started with her day, and then they’re having to go to school themselves. And because this is something they’ve always done, they don’t realise that it’s anything out of the ordinary,” Ms Childs said.

“The school holiday program gives the children the chance to identify for themselves things they may be finding challenging and then look for ways and strategies that we might be able to help them cope with those feelings.”

Outside of the school holiday sessions, Helping Minds has a variety of programs for young people to access ongoing support, including one-on-one counselling, in-school appointments, high school talks and referrals to other organisations if necessary.

Ms Childs said it’s important for young people and families to know that they’re not alone, as early intervention can often avoid a crisis down the road.

The upcoming school holiday sessions can be registered for free online. They require a phone assessment from Helping Minds and consent form from the child’s parents.