Parent Mental Health Day 2026: What Parents and Carers Need and What Employers Can Do

Two perspectives. One shared responsibility.

Parent Mental Health Day, on 30th January, is not just a moment for awareness, it’s a moment for encouraging openness and meaningful shared understanding. For listening carefully to the experiences of parents and carers, and for examining how workplaces can either ease or intensify the pressures families carry every day.

The reality parents are navigating

Charlotte, you work closely with parents through your work at Power of the Parent — what first drew you to this space, and why do you believe parents’ mental health deserves specific attention from employers?

It came from a very personal place. I had one heck of a bumpy time becoming a parent in the workplace. I knew deep down that I still added value,

had ambitions and could do a great job - but the environment I was in, and the societal narrative got the better of me. It was a quick way to feel disconnected to who I was, and because we live in a world that peddles beliefs around ‘losing yourself’ being not only normal, but expected, when you become a parent, I believed it.
The foundations of mental health support work really well for parents and it doesn’t need to be something we give ‘special treatment’ to. Ironically, that’s why I think it needs specific attention right now - because we’ve made it out like it’s a mystery to solve and filed under ‘too complex’, so it can get shelved or assumed it’s not a workplace conversation all too quickly.

Pressures that often stay invisible at work

From your work with parents, what pressures are they carrying right now that most employers don’t fully see or understand?

Being a parent right now is complex - we’re routinely told how we’re failing, we’ve got more ‘advice’ at our disposal than any previous generations and looking after our children’s safety is no longer reserved for ‘what time do I need to be in for my tea?’.

Why this matters — even when parents are still “doing the job”

What impact does parental stress or poor mental health have on performance, engagement, and retention — even when parents are still ‘doing the job’?

Bluntly, we need to remember as employers there’s a very real commercial impact and business performance suffers. The cost to recruit, the impact on the wider team if you don’t act quickly, your reputation as an employer - all numbers and stats you want to keep on the right side of.

Where well-meaning support can miss the mark

What are the most common mistakes you see employers make when they try to support working parents?

Assuming line managers will ‘just know’ what to do. They need help too, because they’re leading people they’re worried about saying the wrong thing to, or feeling like they have to know the answers to everything, immediately. They don’t need scripts, they need practical guidance that helps them navigate policies whilst meeting their valued team members in day-to-day reality.

Leadership, honesty and psychological safety

How important are managers and senior leaders in creating an environment where parents feel able to be honest, without fear that it’ll count against them?

They’re incredibly important. Pivotal. Essential. Your not-so-secret-sauce.

Why early support matters

Why is it so important for employers to support parents’ mental health early, rather than waiting until someone reaches breaking point?

We’re already fighting against narratives that rest needs to be earned and asking for help is a sign of weakness. The problem is, the longer we leave it, the longer the recovery may take. And why would we want that for someone?

A challenge for Parent Mental Health Day

On Parent Mental Health Day, what’s the one thing you’d like employers to stop, start, or rethink when it comes to supporting parents?

I’d love them to remember (perhaps rethink) that this isn’t a moment in time or a one-size-fits-all.
If you don’t engage properly with this topic for another 364 days, that’s a problem. And if you assume all parents will face the exact same mental health and wellbeing experiences, there are assumptions you need to shake.
How can you make the support mechanisms really accessible (in every sense)? Is it easy to find what’s available if you’re not quite ready to ask for help? Are there different formats of support knocking around?
There’s a rich tapestry of options out there - let them flow through!

What it looks like when employers respond

Charlotte’s perspective highlights what parents are experiencing and what often gets missed. Oakland’s perspective shows how listening to those realities can shape practical, human decisions inside an organisation.

Supporting parents in a demanding consulting environment

Can you tell us a bit about Oakland and why supporting working parents has become such a clear priority for the business, particularly in a consulting environment that isn’t always 9–5?

At Oakland, many of our team are parents, juggling busy home lives alongside ambitious careers, and we don’t believe those two things can (or should) be separated. As part of our commitment to being a truly inclusive employer, we’re always looking at how we can better support people in balancing work and home life. After all, our people are the backbone of Oakland’s success.

What parents actually need — not what employers assume

You’re only the third company in the UK to achieve the Careers After Babies Award. What did that process surface for you about what parents actually need as opposed to what organisations often assume they need?

One of the biggest learnings was that supporting working parents isn’t always about big, expensive initiatives. Often, it’s the smaller, more human changes that make the biggest difference.

Policies, people and confidence

You’ve introduced a mix of flexible working, structured re-onboarding, improved paternity leave, and practical facilities. What difference have you seen these changes make for parents returning to work and for the wider business?

Flexible working has long been part of Oakland’s culture, but we’ve continued to build on this with enhanced paternity and shared parental leave. This gives parents more time to be with their children and removes some of the pressure that can come with returning to work. We’ve also created a genuinely welcoming environment for returning parents, including practical facilities such as a dedicated breastfeeding room to support office visits, feeding and pumping.

Leadership, visibility and trust

Leadership visibility is a big part of your approach. Why was it important for leaders at Oakland to talk openly about family life, and how has that shaped culture and trust?

Many members of our senior leadership team are parents themselves, so they understand first-hand the realities of balancing a demanding career with family life. That empathy has helped make conversations about family completely normal at Oakland.

The human side of support

Support for parents often focuses on policies, but you’ve also invested in coaching and peer groups. How do those human elements support parents’ mental health, particularly during big transitions?

Simply knowing you’re not alone can make a huge difference. Having a network of colleagues with shared lived experiences is reassuring and brings people together.

A final lesson for employers

For employers who want to support parents better but don’t know where to start, what’s the single most important lesson you’ve learned from this journey?

Don’t make assumptions. Ask your people what they need. Seek direct feedback not only from current parents, but also from employees who are planning their families. One size does not fit all, and listening is the most powerful place to start.

Employee perspectives:

Thank you to Power of the Parent and Oakland for contributing to this blog.

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