Mature Minor Guide
As a young person matures, their relationship with their psychological care naturally evolves to reflect their growing independence and autonomy. The therapeutic relationship is built upon trust and privacy, and as such, much evolve with them. This guide is designed to help young people (and those that support young people) understand what it means when a young person is approaching, or has reached, the stage of being assessed as a "mature minor" and how people supporting them can continue to play a meaningful role in their psychological care and wellbeing.
What Is a "Mature Minor"?
In Australia, the law and professional standards recognise that young people develop understanding and decision-making capacity as they grow. A young person under 18 may be assessed as a "mature minor" when they "achieve a sufficient understanding and intelligence to enable them to understand fully what is proposed" (Marion's Case, 1992).
This is not simply about reaching a certain age. It is a clinical assessment of whether a young person has the capacity to understand:
The nature of the psychological service they are receiving
The benefits and risks of that service
What happens if they receive or do not receive the service
What consent means, including the right to withdraw it at any time
The limits to confidentiality
How Is a Young Person Assessed as a Mature Minor?
The assessment is made by the psychologist, not by parents or the young person themselves. It is routine yet considered clinical determination made by the treating clinician, based on their ongoing knowledge of the young person developed over the course of treatment.
Once the assessment is made, it is formally documented in clinical notes. The psychologist may revisit the assessment over time as a young person's capacity can vary depending on the complexity of a particular decision or changes in their circumstances.
This process does not require parental consent. However, parents are generally informed as a professional courtesy because their ongoing support and involvement is recognised as being genuinely valuable.
What Changes for a Child?
Once assessed as a mature minor the young person holds the same client rights as an adult in the context of their psychological care. In practice, this means:
Consent to treatment: A young person gives their own informed consent to all aspects of their psychological treatment, including the type and focus of therapy, treatment goals, therapeutic preferences and decisions to pause or end treatment.
Consent to third-party involvement: Any involvement of a parent or professional in a child's care now requires a young person's knowledge and consent. This includes private consultation with parents or professionals, reports, phone calls or other correspondence (emails, messages).
Control over their information: A young person's personal information is confidential to them. Disclosure to parents or others requires a young person's consent, except in limited circumstances where disclosure may result in risk of harm.
Access to correspondence: A young person has the right to be informed of any third-party correspondence sent to the psychologist about them and may request access to that correspondence.
What Changes for a Parent?
We understand this shift can feel significant, particularly for parents who have been closely involved in a young person's care. It is worth recognising that these changes exist to protect a young person's growing autonomy and to support their engagement with therapy. Research consistently shows that adolescents are more likely to engage openly and honestly in psychological treatment when they trust that their privacy is respected.
In practice, three things change:
Session involvement
Parents can no longer join sessions or request private consultation independently. A young person's knowledge and consent is required first. Parents are encouraged to speak with their child directly and ask whether they would be comfortable with parental involvement in a session or a specific topic being raised.
Access to information
Parents can no longer request client updates or access to their child's file without the young person's knowledge and consent. Parents are encouraged to ask their child directly about their progress, or to seek their child's permission before requesting information from the clinician.
Communication with the clinician
Parents should be aware that communications sent to the clinician, including emails, may be brought to the young person's attention and can be shared with them upon request. Clinical and sensitive matters are best raised in session rather than via email, where they can be explored properly and in context. Email remains appropriate for practical and administrative matters such as scheduling.
This does not mean a parent's involvement is over. It means their involvement now happens with their child, rather than separately from them.
How Can a Parent Still Be Involved in Their Child's Care?
A parent’s involvement remains valuable and, in most cases, strongly encouraged. Parental involvement now requires a child's knowledge and agreement. Some ways to remain part of the process include:
Transparent discussions at home. Often the most meaningful involvement happens outside the therapy room, listening without judgment, asking open questions and expressing a parent’s support in everyday life.
Collaborative discussions & goal-setting. With a child's agreement, a parent can be part of conversations with the young person about treatment goals and how they can support their progress at home.
Brief updates. A young person may agree for the psychologist to share general information about how treatment is progressing, but generally this is best done with the young person present.
Family or joint sessions. With a young person’s consent, a parent can be invited to attend part of a session to support the therapeutic work. Parents are encouraged to talk with their child about being involved in a session.
If a child is reluctant to involve a parent, this is worth exploring gently and openly with them. It is rarely a rejection of a parent and more often reflects a young person navigating their own identity and independence, which is entirely normal.
How to Communicate With the Psychologist
Parents often ask how communication should work once their child has been assessed as a mature minor. Here is what to expect:
All communication remains a part of a child's record: Emails, messages or other correspondence parents send to a psychologist will be noted and a young person will be made aware. A young person may request to see the content of that correspondence. There is no channel for communication between parent and psychologist that should exclude the young person.
The psychologist typically won’t respond privately: Any response to parental correspondence may similarly be shared with a young person if requested.
Contact is still welcome. Parents are always welcome to reach out, particularly if they have concerns about their child's wellbeing. The fact that parents' communication will be transparent to a child is simply something to be mindful of when deciding what to share.
For urgent safety concerns. Contact the psychologist directly. Genuine concerns about a young person's safety are treated as a priority and certain disclosures can be made without a child's consent when there is a real risk of harm (see below)
What Happens With Emails and Messages from Parents?
When a parent sends an email or message about their child, the psychologist is required to inform the young person that correspondence has been received. The young person may request to see it.
In practice, many parents find it helpful to approach communication by considering how they would feel if their child read the message. Messages that are open, focused on support and free from information the young person is not yet aware of tend to work most smoothly for everyone.
Practical Tips for Smooth Communication
Involve a young person in early. Before contacting the psychologist, consider whether a direct conversation with your child could address the matter. This often resolves the need to contact the psychologist at all, and it strengthens your relationship.
Be transparent in what you write. Because your child may read your message, correspondence that is open and constructive tends to work best.
Encourage a young person to share. Inviting your child to tell you about therapy in whatever way they are comfortable with respects their autonomy while keeping communication open at home.
Ask your child to be involved in their session. For significant concerns, asking a child if a parent could attend part of their session together is often the most therapeutically effective route.
Confidentiality Still Has Limits
Even after a child has been assessed as a mature minor, confidentiality is not absolute. The psychologist has professional and legal obligations that override confidentiality in certain situations, including:
There is a genuine risk of harm to a child or to someone else
There is a mandatory reporting obligation (for example, suspected abuse or neglect)
A court order or legal obligation requires disclosure
In these situations, the psychologist may share information with a third party or with relevant authorities without a child's consent.
Ask for Clarity About Your Situation
If you have questions about this process, please do not hesitate to reach out. Situations can be complex and specific solutions can be sought with your clinicians help. Your care for your child is evident in your engagement with this process. The goal is a therapeutic environment that works for your child, and a family relationship that continues to grow alongside their increasing independence.
This resource has been prepared in accordance with the Australian Psychological Society Professional Practice Guidelines for providing services for children and young people (2025) and the Psychology Board of Australia Code of Conduct.