This resource is for health, social and community service practitioners who engage with children and families from diverse ethnic backgrounds. It covers foundational concepts and practices, and is best suited to professionals who have not undertaken extensive or specialist training in transcultural child mental health.

The resource draws from both Australian research and stakeholder consultations to explore the experiences and circumstances that contribute to child mental health outcomes and service access in CALD communities. It also provides practice ideas to consider when working with children and families from CALD backgrounds.

Key messages:

• Children from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds may have specific experiences which affect their mental health. It is important to use a social determinants lens when exploring the factors that contribute to the mental health of children from CALD backgrounds.
• The types of mental health concerns, how they present and whether families seek support, can be different for children from CALD backgrounds, compared to children from non-CALD backgrounds.
• Acculturation and differential acculturation play an important role in mental health outcomes for children from CALD backgrounds.