| CAUTION: As people in this situation are often fearful that questions
relating to their children may result in the children being removed from
their care, it is important that this be undertaken in a sensitive manner with
assurances that in most situations, children thrive best if left in the care of
their parents but that parents may require some additional support and planning
to fulfill their parenting role. |
| Risk Area: Children's Health and Safety |
| Example Prompt Questions |
Assessment |
Intervention |
|
How are you managing as a family with your/your partner's
mental health problems?
Does your/your partner's mental health problem, medication and/or
treatment affect your ability to be the parent/s you want to be?
In what way?
How are your children coping?
How are you coping?
Do you ever find it difficult to spend special time with your
baby/children?
|
Ascertain any support needs and strengths the person may have in fulfilling
their parenting role.
Check growth and development of babies and young children (eg failure to thrive may
indicate the parent is psychologically unavailable to the infant).
|
If you have concerns about the safety and well-being of a child/young
person as a result of the parental mental health problem and/or of any
treatment approaches contact your local child protection service.
Work collaboratively with child protection services, the family and
other agencies (including the school as required) to develop a safety
plan for any child or young person assessed to be at risk of neglect or
maltreatment.
|
|
Consider referring the partner to a carer's support service
(Commonwealth Carer Resource Centre Phone: 1800 242636).
|
|
Affirm the parenting strengths of the person. Reassure them
that parenting is always challenging.
|
|
Work with family members and community service providers to support families to improve their
capacity to support, protect and care for their child/ren if required.
This may include:
domestic support (eg Phone Commonwealth Carelink Centre for information
about local services 1800 052222)
childcare or respite support (eg Phone Child Care Access Hotline 1800
670305)
parental support groups or skill development programmes
counseling to support the partnership of parents
referral to a social worker to access financial support.
|
|
Support parent-child attachment and early childhood development through
advice or referral to maternal & child health services or early childhood
centres.
|
|
What happens to your children if you are temporarily unable to
care for them?
|
Check if a plan is in place for continuity of care for the children.
|
Assist the parents to plan whilst the parent is well for continuity of
care for the child. (See Resource information for children 0-6 yrs for sample care plans.)
|
|
Are you pregnant or planning to have a (another) baby?
|
Check needs regarding contraception or pregnancy.
|
Support people with a mental illness who intend to have children or
are currently pregnant to access early antenatal care and to prepare for
the care and support of their infant/s. This may include:
revision of medications and their impact on pregnancy and/or
breastfeeding
planning with the parent/s for temporary care of the infant should the
parent become ill after childbirth (see Baby Care Plan)
strategies to assist the parent/s to gain appropriate
supports prior to the baby's birth.
Support access to advice regarding family planning.
Offer a copy of 'The Best For Me and My Baby'
booklet, developed for people with a mental illness.
|
| Risk Area: Lack of Information |
| Example Prompt Questions |
Assessment |
Intervention |
|
Does your/your partner's mental health problem affect
your/their parenting?
|
Check awareness of:
side effects of medication
co-morbidities
genetic factors.
|
Assist parents to access information about the possible implications of their mental illness, treatment
and/or co-morbid factors (e.g. substance abuse) on their parenting.
|
|
How have you explained your/your partner's mental health problem to
your children?
Do your children have lots of questions about your/your partner's
mental health problem?
Have you been able to use any books written for children about mental health problems to help explain
things or answer their questions?
|
Check for children's possible information needs.
|
Encourage the parent or caregiver to discuss the mental illness and it's
affect on the parent with the child.
Encourage the family to seek further information through local mental
health services, non-government agencies, mental health support
organizations or the SANE website http://www.sane.org/
|
|
Offer a copy of 'Family Talk', developed for families in
which a parent of dependent children has a mental illness.
Offer a list of books suitable for different
ages.
|
| Risk Area: Social Support |
| Example Prompt Questions |
Assessment |
Intervention |
|
Do your children ever miss any school because of your mental health
problem? (eg Do they arrive late if your medication
slows you down? When you are in hospital, can they still attend their normal school?)
|
Check school absenteeism and school progress.
|
Where appropriate, encourage the parent to speak to the
school or write a letter to them - see the 'Supporting Our Family' kit
for a downloadable example letter for parents to write to the school
http://www.howstat.com/comic
|
|
Do your children take on more responsibility than other children their
age?
|
Check care-giving burden.
|
Children/young people who are providing care for their parents may
gain support from programmes for young carers (Commonwealth
Carer Resource Centre, Freecall 1800 242 63).
Discuss other ways in which practical and emotional support may be
provided.
|
|
Do you and your children get out much? What's it like for your
family in the school holidays?
|
Check social participation of family and individual members.
|
Support respite for the parent and/or children.
In some states school holiday and weekend activities are conducted for
young carers and/or for children of parents with a mental
illness. Check services in your state:
|
|
How often do you get to see your child/ren?
(if parent separated from child)
|
Check for separation, grief and loss isses.
|
If the person with the mental illness is separated from their
child/ren, explore possible grief and loss issues and refer for counselling
as appropriate.
|
A GP is in a prime position to have contact with the range of people
affected by the poor mental health of a parent and to assist in:
identifying risk factors (e.g. health and safety concerns, lack of
information and/or social support)
strengthening and supporting families and children to enhance protective
factors.