An Access Key is a document that describes a physical space and how to access it. With the support of the Victorian Youth Disability Advocacy Service (YDAS) and examples from other headspace services, we have written an Access Key for our headspace Centre in Pakenham.

Access Keys are used to describe the features of a venue. This includes getting to the centre as well as navigating the inside space. They are designed to be suitable for all people, regardless of ability. 

Not all places and spaces are easy to access. We hope our Access Key will give young people more agency and control over how they participate.

If you have any questions, concerns or feedback, please get in touch. You can call us on 1800 367 968 - press 2 for Narre Warren (they will be able to assist with Pakenham enquiries) or email headspaceDNWenquiries@each.com.au

You can read our Access Key here

Easy Read version

We also have Access Keys available in Easy Read format. 

The Easy Read version uses plain language, short sentences and tells people exactly what they need to know. This version of our Access Key is in large, spaces print without colour. 

You can read the Easy Read version of our Access Key here.

Navigating life outside of school can be daunting and difficult. It is hard to know where to begin to find support. 
This "Life after Secondary School" resource serves as a guide to the post school options available to you. 

Click here to download your free copy.

There are a range of ways you can access headspace Pakenham

If you are a young person, friend, parent or carer and wish to make a FREE appointment 

• you can call us on 1800 367 968
• pop into our centre which is located on the corner of Main Street and McGregor Road in Pakenham
• email us at headspaceDNWenquiries@each.com.au

If you have any questions or inquiries about what we do at headspace Pakenham, please don't hesitate to give us a call.

Our staff at headspace Narre Warren & Pakenham love to engage with our local community.

Below are some of the options our Community Engagement team often provide:

headspace Resource Packs: 

Materials & Merch packs - Includes a variety of headspace fact sheets, posters, and brochures. Suitable for any service, organisation, school or individual within the 12 - 25 year old age range. These packs can be dropped off to you during an event or any other time!

headspace Presentations:

Staff Presentations - If you would like to request a presentation for your school, club or organisation, please send a request through to Request.headsapceCC@EACH.com.au to discuss this with one of our Community Engagement staff. We are happy to talk about what options we have available and what would be best suited to your group. Our National Schools team may also be able to attend your school with relevant, tailored presentations for your setting.

headspace Centre Tours:

headspace Narre Warren Site Tour (Short - 15 mins) - A site tour and overview of services we offer and how to access them. Suitable for groups of 5-15 people. Currently due to Covid, large group tours are not available, however, we will be able to do them in the future.

headspace Promotion Table/Stall:

Supervised event table - A headspace-staffed table, involving handouts, games, headspace merch and some great conversation! Possibility of some clinical staff attendance and maybe an appearance by our YAC's! Suitable for school, health, education and employment-centred events. 

Marquee Stall - For bigger, outdoor events we have our headspace Marquee that we can bring to set up a table or two under. Similar to the event table, we can bring staff, YAC members, headspace merch & resources, and also some engaging games

Tailored Promotional Events:

headspace Cup - With the goal of promoting our services, getting in touch with the local community and inviting you all to meet some of our staff, a headspace Cup is perfect for sporting settings that want to make an event out of getting their communities in touch with local support services. This event can be as big or small as you want, with the winner receiving a trophy and their club/team name engraved on the headspace Cup Perpetual shield. This event can be organised for multiple sporting codes. For more information email request.headspace@each.com.au.

You tell us - Given the importance of both Youth Mental Health promotion & the promotion of services to support those in your community, if you have an idea of how we can get involved with your community, let us know and we'll see if we can organise something!

Please get in touch with our Community engagement team by emailing us at Request.headsapceCC@EACH.com.au, or call our main line number 1800 367 968.

Are you looking for headspace resources to distribute to young people and their family and friends?

Complete our Resource Request Form and we will contact you to confirm your request

Due to high demand for resources, we may not be able to supply the desired number of resources. Please allow up to 5 business days for us to confirm your request.

If you have any questions feel free to give us a call on 1800 367 968

Frequently asked questions about headspace 

1. Who is headspace?

headspace is a youth mental health foundation that provides early intervention mental health services to 12 - 25 year olds, along with assistance in promoting young people’s wellbeing over 4 core areas: mental health, physical health, work and study support and alcohol and other drug services. headspace is a safe, youth friendly and confidential service, and we aim to help give people the skills to manage their symptoms so that they can live a happy and healthy life.

 2. What can headspace help me with?

headspace have a number of professionals here to help support you in the best way possible. Young people can come to Narre Warren or Pakenham headspace to see counsellors, mental health social workers and occupational therapists, psychologists, doctors, nurses, Peer Support workers and more! We can support you in a number of ways and for all sorts of problems including (but not limited to) if:

• You are having trouble at home
• You are feeling down or upset
• You are feeling anxious or worried
• You are feeling nervous all the time
• You are having trouble managing your anger
• You are questioning your gender or sexuality
• You are having trouble with friends and/or relationships
• You are being bullied at school
• You are looking for employment
• You are having trouble with your medication

3. How much does headspace cost?

headspace Narre warren and Pakenham services are FREE. If we don’t have a service available at our centres, we will help you look for other free services or services that are low cost in our area. headspace is covered by Medicare and we only require you to bring your Medicare card to your first appointment. Don’t worry if you are unable to access this card! We will sort this out upon your initial visit to headspace.

4. Do I need to make an appointment?

Most young people will make an appointment before coming into headspace, however at headspace Narre Warren and Pakenham you can also drop in without an appointment. One of our friendly intake workers will see you if they are available. headspace Narre Warren and Pakenham will usually have one intake worker available each day, on each site, so that you can get the support you need at the right time.You can also call us to make an appointment on 1800 367 968. Other people can also make an appointment for you on your behalf if you are not feeling comfortable to do so yourself. This might be a family member, friend, GP or school counsellor. Our opening hours for both centres are as follows:

• Monday: 9:00am - 5:00pm
• Tuesday: 10:00am - 6:00pm
• Wednesday: 10:00am - 6:00pm
• Thursday: 10:00am - 6:00pm
• Friday: 10:00am - 6:00pm
• Saturday & Sunday: CLOSED

If you are not ready to come into our centre for an appointment, our free and confidential online support may be of assistance to you. eheadspace is a free online service for young people where you can talk to a trained professional about anything that is going on for you. This is a really great first step to accessing support if you don't feel ready to see someone within our centres. eheadspace offers free web chat, email or phone conversation to young people and their families between 9am - 1am.

5. What do I do if I need help in an emergency?

At headspace Narre Warren and Pakenham, we understand that things can happen for young people that may be distressing. This could include thoughts of wanting to hurt yourself, or thoughts of suicide. If this is going on for you - attend your nearest emergency department. In our regions, these are located at:

• Dandenong emergency Department - 135 David St, Dandenong VIC 3175
• Casey Hospital Emergency Department - Casey Hospital, 62-70 Kangan Dr, Berwick VIC 3806
• Or call the Psychiatric Triage Service on 1300 369 012 for 24 hour mental health emergency support.

6. Are my sessions private and confidential?

When you talk to someone at headspace, what you say is kept confidential. This means that nothing you say can be passed on to anyone else without your permission. We also won’t tell your parents or carers any information about you accessing our service unless you want us to. However, there are a couple of exceptions. If we are seriously worried about your safety or the safety of others, we - by law - try to keep everyone safe. This means that we might have to share these concerns with someone else and break this confidentiality to help keep you or others safe.
If you are aged under 16 years, we will need a trusted adult to consent to you accessing the service. 

7. Do I need a referral to come to headspace?

You don’t need a referral to see one of our intake workers. The intake worker will speak to you regarding the services we can offer based on what you need. A mental health treatment plan may need to be created so you can access our ongoing counselling services.

8. What is a mental health treatment plan?

A mental health treatment plan provides the community with up to 10 counselling services under the “Better Access Mental Health” initiative. A MHTP is developed between yourself and your doctor. Our intake clinician will give you step- by- step instructions on how to get one. If you don’t have a doctor, our intake clinician will speak to you regarding other options. At our headspace centres, all your MHTP counselling sessions are FREE.

9. What happens at my first appointment with an intake worker?

When you first visit out centre, you will have a chat with an intake worker about what is happening in your life. The intake worker will ask you some questions about what has been going on and will try to work out a plan that will best support your needs moving forward. We encourage you to also be a part of the planning process so that you feel comfortable with the decisions being made for your care. 

10. Is headspace a LGBTIQA+ friendly place?

Absolutely! We support many young people with various gender identities and sexual preferences. Everyone is welcome at headspace regardless of gender, race or sexuality. Connect with our Support team to see if we are running our Pride group as well!

11. Do you have supports for my family as well as me?

We sure do! We have lots of resources for families and friends at our centre.
We offer family and friends support or counselling if needed. Across our sites, we have both a carer peer support worker and a family therapist, who work with the parents and carers of young peeople accessing headspace.

 12. If I’m not connecting with my clinician, is it okay if I see someone else?

Absolutely. If you are finding that you are not connecting with your clinician you are more than welcome to see someone else at our centre. You can do this by either asking an intake worker to link you with another clinician, you can see one of our friendly peer support workers who can also help link you with another clinician, or you can ask reception to book you in with someone else. There are many ways this can be done. Don’t be afraid to ask! Our top priority is that you are seeing someone you feel comfortable with, who is the best person to help support you through your journey.

 13. Why do I need to fill in a survey when I come to headspace?

Each survey you fill out goes to the clinician you are seeing so that they have an idea of how you have been feeling before seeing you in session. Filling out the survey also helps us with our funding so that we can keep providing a free service to the community that supports young people.

 14. What if I cannot make it to my appointment or I do not want to come?

That’s okay!  We would love it if you could call us on 1800 367 968 and let us know in advance! We can also help you rebook your appointment at the same time.

 15. Can I bring a friend with me to my appointment?

If you feel more comfortable with a friend, parent or carer in the room, this is okay! Whatever makes you feel comfortable is what we will support.

 16. If I have feedback, who do I speak to?

We always love getting feedback from our clients, parents or carers, both positive and constructive - This is what helps to make our service the best that it can be for young people. We have feedback forms on the table in our waiting room. These can be completed and put in our confidential box at reception. You are also welcome to ask our reception staff for a feedback form if there is none available to you. Our peer support workers have also created a story space template to help capture young people’s stories during their time at headspace. This is another great resource you can use to help capture any feedback you may have for our service.

 17. I would like help, but I am not ready to come in yet. What can I do?

If you are not ready to come into our centre, you can access our online counselling support at eheadspace. This website offers completely free and confidential web chat, email or phone conversations with qualified mental health professionals to young people and their families between 9am - 1am.

 18. What is a peer support worker?

A peer support worker is a young person with a lived experience of experiencing or supporting someone who is experiencing a mental health problem, who uses their experience to help support others going through a tough time. Our peer support workers all specialise in different areas, and they can help support you during your time at headspace.

• Peer support workers can help answer any questions you may have about headspace.
• You can see a peer support worker one-on-one at headspace while you are linked in with one of our clinicians.
• Peer support workers will attend your sessions with you if needed and will be an advocate for your health and wellbeing.
• A peer support worker offers non clinical support, whereby they can help you work on goals and support you through the challenges you may be facing.

What are Allied Health Practitioners?

At headspace , we have Allied Health Providers (AHPs) who can use the Mental Health Treatment Plan to support you. They're all accredited Mental Health Clinicians with an understanding of the challenges Young People often face.

A Mental Health Treatment Plan is a tool used by doctors, therapists, and clients to shape the focus of mental health therapy. A mental health care plan helps therapists and clients make positive change happen through purpose, focus, and direction.

How many sessions can I have in a year?

A Mental Health Treatment Plan initially gives you 6 sessions per calendar year. That means 6 sessions from January 1 - December 31. Once you hit the 6 sessions though, you can ask for more if you and your clinician think you need them. Head back to your GP to discuss your mental health treatment plan. You can up to 20 sessions in a calendar year. At headspace Narre Warren and Pakenham, Mental Health Treatment Plan Sessions are FREE.

headspace Narre Warren and Pakenham have clinicians from different backgrounds, cultures, and a wide range of experience.

Please note: You cannot book your 7^th appointment without a 6^th session review. Your clinician will let you know when you are up to your 6^th session so you can go back to your GP before making your next appointment with us.

How often can I see my clinician?

You and your clinician can discuss the frequency of your appointments. This will be based on the support you may need and treatment plan. Generally, appointments there are 3 – 5 weeks between appointments.

What if I can’t attend headspace Narre Warren and Pakenham in person for my appointment?

headspace Narre Warren and Pakenham offer in person, phone, or zoom appointments. If you can’t attend your in-person appointment, give us a call and request to change the appt to phone or zoom so you don’t miss out!

My next appointment isn’t for a few weeks, what other supports can I access while I wait?

While you wait for your next appointment, you can access these services for support:

• MOST online – ask your clinician to make a referral on your behalf
• headspace Youth Health Clinic – ask to make a booking with one of our friendly GPs or nurses
• eheadspace
• kidshelpline – 1800 55 1800
• Your school wellbeing team
• Casey Council – Youth Counselling Team: 9792 7279 or text 0417347909
• Cardinia Shire – Youth Service Team: 1800 486 884

What happens if I miss my appointment?

We understand that things come up and you may miss your appointment. If you need to cancel, please give us a call, or send an email to reschedule 24 hours before your appointment time.

If you miss your appointment two or more times and have not contacted headspace, your clinician will close your file and any future appointments will cancelled. You will be referred to our Access and Brief Intervention Team for re-assessment and to discuss any barriers in you attending your appointments.

If we don’t hear from you in 2 months or more, we will close your file at headspace. If you’d like to return, you will be referred to our Access and Brief Intervention Team for re-assessment.

Can I request to change clinicians?

Yes, you can! We understand that you and your clinician may not be the ‘best fit’, however there may be limited availability based on your requests as well as extended wait times. We suggest speaking to your clinician about what’s not working so they can adjust the support they are providing you.

If you’re still wanting to change clinicians, give us a call on 1800 367 968 and ask to speak to Christina – Clinical Lead. At times we may not be able to meet your request to see a particular clinician or to offer in person appointments, however, we will speak to you about alternative options outside of headspace.

I need to speak to my clinician, but they aren’t available, who can I speak to instead?

If the matter is URGENT and need a response quickly because your mental health has gotten worse, please give Psychiatric Triage Service a call on 1300 369 012.

If you have a general question, please give us a call on 1800 367 968 and ask to speak to Christina – Clinical Lead. Christina will return your call within 48 hours.

If you need some tips, strategies or support, please login to eheadspace or the MOST platform.

I’ve finished my sessions with my clinician – now what?

Once you finish your mental health treatment plan sessions, you and your clinician can chat about accessing other supports such as:

• attending group programs at headspace Narre Warren and Pakenham
• attending youth specific services such as activity groups or counselling through local councils
• seeing your wellbeing team at school
• talking to a friendly GP through the headspace Youth Health Clinic
• using online services such as eheadspace

Are you considering running a fundraising event for headspace Narre Warren or Pakenham?

If your school, club or workplace are interested in running a fundraising event for headspace Narre Warren or Pakenham then we would like to hear from you.

Donations and fundraised money help support local health promotion and community awareness initiatives which:

• Encourage early help seeking
• Improve mental health literacy
• Raise awareness about local headspace services
• Involve local youth in awareness raising projects

For more information and fundraising support please contact us via email: Request.headspaceCC@EACH.com.au

You can also donate direct via this link: Donate Here