Authors: Sabin Fernbacher
Year: 2002
Event: 2002 TheMHS Conference
Subject: book of proceedings Women’s Mental Health Consultant, Enhancing Carer/Family Wellbeing
Type of resource: Conference Presentations and Papers
Abstract: This paper will explore some of the issues of care for children of parents with a mental illness. Parents with a mental illness frequently find themselves in a bind when becoming unwell. It would support them and their mental health if someone else could look after their child for a while. At the same time, respite places are hard to come by, especially on short-term notice. Workers might try to assist to find an alternative solution. However, if the parent is hospitalised and nobody else is able to take the child, Protective Services may be involved, purely for the reason to provide respite and care for the child. This situation has proven to be problematic for all involved.
What are some other solutions that could be possible in order to assist families and in particular single parent families, in this situation?
This paper will discuss some innovative solutions, provide case examples and a summary of interviews with mental health workers on their views about this issue.
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