Do you need consent below 21?

Hangouts My Parents
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Hi everyone, I’m seeking some advice and support.

In 2024, I went through a really tough time due to family conflicts and relationship struggles, which led to an overdose. Since then, I’ve been working on healing and I’m currently seeing a therapist monthly. It’s been a journey, but I’m trying my best.

Right now, my partner is also struggling—she’s turning 21 this year and is in a same-sex relationship with me, but she’s facing a lot of internal conflict because her family is quite closed-minded and not supportive. She’s in university, and while she wants to seek professional help, she’s afraid her parents will find out and won’t accept it.

She came to me because she knows I’m in therapy and that my family is aware, but in her case, she wants to keep it private.

Does anyone know how someone her age (turning 21) can get mental health support without involving or informing her parents? We’re based in Singapore

Any resources, guidance, or shared experiences would mean a lot. Thank you.

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hi there @user2725 ! firstly, i hope that therapy has been helpful for you and it does sound like a road less travelled by others with what you went through ~
it is also really thoughtful of you for wanting to help outsource ways to connect your partner to services that could help them!
it mustn’t be easy for them to also want to take that first step, considering you did share that they wanted to keep it private. from my understanding, COMIT services are free-of-charge for their counselling services (i also do monthly counselling for free with them)
you can share this link with them mindline.sg | Free Mental Health Resources & Mindfulness Tools in Singapore where they can find the closest COMIT or mental health service provider to them!! for me, i just put my postal and filled up a form on the site i was directed to.

other than that, there’s also the ask-a-therapist topic if you or your partner wants to share more and get some insight from a professional online. hope i’ve helped in a way !! rooting for you and your partner in your mental health journey

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Hi @user2725!

You may also wish to check out the following resources which are catered to young people like yourself. :slight_smile:

CHAT: https://www.imh.com.sg/CHAT/Get-Help/Pages/default.aspx
Grovve: mindline.sg | Free Mental Health Resources & Mindfulness Tools in Singapore
Youth Integrated Team (YIT): SupportGoWhere

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Hey @user2725 :waving_hand:

Thank you so much for reaching out and for sharing so openly. It sounds like you’ve come a long way in your own healing journey, and I want to acknowledge the strength and courage it takes to keep going, to seek support, and now to extend that same care to your partner. That says a lot about your resilience and your compassion. :woman_gesturing_ok:

It’s completely understandable that your partner is feeling conflicted—navigating family expectations while also trying to care for her own mental wellbeing can be incredibly heavy. It’s also very valid that she wants to seek help while maintaining her privacy, especially if she feels her family may not be supportive.

As @carnello has pointed out, the service wayfinding tool on Mindline may be something your partner may be interested to explore. To my knowledge, there are specifically a number of services that allow individuals aged 18 and above to access support independently, without needing to inform or involve parents, such as:

  • CHAT (Community Health Assessment Team) – Offers free mental health assessments for youths aged 16–30. https://www.chat.mentalhealth.sg

  • Limitless – Provides mental health support to young people aged 12–25. Youths aged 18 and above can self-refer and consent to services on their own.

  • Care Corner INSIGHT Centre – Offers individual therapy and counselling services, with a focus on mental wellness and recovery. The age of consent is 18 and above. [Mental Health for Youth (INSIGHT) - Care Corner Singapore l]

  • TOUCH Mental Wellness – Offers counselling for youths and young adults, and individuals aged 18+ can access help confidentially.

  • SAMH (Singapore Association for Mental Health) – Provides accessible mental health support, with services open to those 18 and older without parental involvement.

If she’s studying in university, many institutions also offer free and confidential counselling services for students. These services are typically well-versed in handling situations where privacy is a key concern.

It can be helpful for her to mention her concerns about confidentiality during the first session—just to make sure expectations are clear and that she feels safe and supported from the start.

Last but not least, thank you again for being there for her—and for sharing your journey, too. It’s heartening to see how your own healing is becoming a source of hope for someone else. Healing isn’t linear, but you’re both taking thoughtful steps forward, and that’s something to be proud of. Wishing the best for you both and feel free to let us know if you have any other questions! :slight_smile:

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