Developmental paediatrician and Melbourne local Dr Billy Garvey may already be known to many through the podcast he co-hosts with his good friend Nick McCormack, Pop Culture Parenting. For those who are not familiar with it, Dr Billy (as he is known) picks a parenting concern and chooses an illustrative scene from an iconic ’80s or ’90s film or TV show as a jumping-off point for the discussion between the two dads, which is then followed in the next episode by responses to questions from listeners.

Dr Billy mentions often on the podcast and throughout his book, Ten Things I Wish You Knew About Your Child’s Mental Health, that as a doctor at one of the biggest tertiary paediatric hospitals in the world, he frequently wishes he met his patients years earlier. The waiting lists are long, and something that might have been a small problem initially may have had time to develop into a more complex situation. It’s apparent from his clinical work and the listener response to the podcast that there are many people – conscientious parents and caregivers, certainly, but also other professionals involved with the care or education of children, and engaged community members – who are keen to access the type of expertise and help he provides. Dr Billy himself is open about being highly motivated to make knowledge and help as widely accessible as possible, not only because of what he has seen professionally, but also because of his own childhood experiences.

With Ten Things I Wish You Knew About Your Child’s Mental Health, Dr Billy aims to set up his readers with the knowledge to equip the children in their care with the skills they need for good mental health, and to offer guidance about what a caregiver’s role is when challenges come up. The chapters each cover a major developmental topic (e.g. social skills, emotional development, anxiety), include anonymised real-life case studies, and each concludes with a clear summary of key lessons and, separately, strategies for parents. Consistent throughout is the same warmth, candour and insight for which Dr Billy has become known. The result is an engaging, digestible reference for anyone involved in the care, support or education of children and young people.