Affect on student's full participation · How can I deal with student's problems? · What can I do?

Can having a parent with a mental illness affect a student's full participation in school?

Firstly, its important to stress that parental mental illness may not affect a student's school participation. For example:

Parental mental illness may be well managed through medication or other treatments and may have little impact on the student.
Many parents will have mild or short-lived mental illnesses, and their children may not be unduly affected if the illness is of short duration.
Students may see school as a place where they can 'take time out' from their family difficulties and simply focus on participation and learning.
Many students will be able to effectively put into practice the excellent skills and abilities they've developed in progressing through adversities in their life.

Secondly, if a student with a parent with a mental illness is having difficulty at school, it's wise to remain open to other explanations for those difficulties. They may have little or no link to the student's family circumstances.

Any marked changes in manner or behaviour, or any persisting difficulties are triggers for school staff to explore the need for additional support for a student. There is a range of indicators that may alert you to the student having difficulties relating to their family situation including:

absences from school
incomplete homework
difficulty meeting work deadlines
periods of poor concentration or extreme tiredness
difficulties relating with peers and others
disturbed or self-destructive behaviour
or the student being involved in teasing or bullying,

It's important to note that the indicators listed above may also be observed in students with a range of other individual or family changes or problems (e.g. a student or parent with a learning disorder, a student or parent with an alcohol or substance abuse problem, or gambling addiction, changing family structures and circumstances, personal physical or psychological health issues) so it may be difficult to identify the cause of the student's difficulties.

School staff may also never learn that the cause of a student's difficulties are related to parental mental illness because;

Many parents and children choose not to reveal parental mental illness to others (often due to the current stigma attached to mental illness in society).
The parent or child may not wish to reveal that they have a mental illness because they are concerned about the confidentiality of information disclosed to you.
Some younger children simply do not realise that their parent is unwell.
The parent or child may not believe the parent has a mental illness.
The illness may not be diagnosed.
Some parents (and their children) try to keep their illness a secret, fearing that the child/ren will be taken into care.

However, schools do not always need to know the cause of a student's difficulties at school, as long as they have systems to offer support to enhance the student's successful participation in schooling.

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How can I deal with the student's problems if I'm not sure of the cause?

You're probably doing a great job already if you can acknowledge that a student is having difficulty accessing the curriculum, no matter what the cause. All children and families are different and it's important that you address the individual issues as they present themselves to you. Utilise the procedures/practices within your school to assist with the most common difficulties students encounter, "whatever the reason". For example:

Is there a school policy that covers negotiation of work timelines in the face of individual or family difficulties? (if so, are students fully aware of it?)

Do students have access to a 'homework' location outside of their home?

Is there a clear policy about student support and confidentiality so students know who can be approached for support and what is likely to happen if they do this?

Are there strategies to support hungry children or students with other care needs?

Can students access counselling services if necessary?

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What can I do if a student or parent reveals information about a parental mental illness?

Listen in a non-judgmental way and value each person's experience.

Assure the student/parent that they are not alone and that many parents - and other community members - have mental health problems at some time in their life.

Ensure confidentiality and respect privacy - for both the student and the parent - except in situations where you hold concerns for the parent, student or other person's safety, when you should alert your School Principal or refer the situation to your local child protection service or the Police. If there is a potential threat to the parent, student or other person's safety speak to your Principal or School Counsellor.

Ask the student/parent if they can foresee or are aware of any barriers to the student's school participation as a result of the parental mental illness (Parental mental illness does not automatically mean that the student will have difficulties accessing the curriculum or interacting with peers).

Encourage the student or parent to speak to an appropriate support service if major difficulties are identified. This may be a school counsellor, psychologist, the year level coordinator or school principal or a local community health or parenting support service.

Encourage the student/parent to realise that all families are different and that there's a lot to be celebrated about difference and the unique skills and experiences that students living with illness in their family bring to their school life.

Additional information about mental illnesses.

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