Developing an integrated response to the needs of parents and children

Abstract

There is increasing recognition that the factors that influence mental health outcomes for children of parents with a mental illness are bi-directional and mediated by the parent- child relationship, as well as genetic and other environmental factors. Therefore, in order to improve outcomes for children, there also needs to be consideration of the needs of parents. Over recent years, there has been a significant increase in literature identifying the benefits of family-focused interventions in improving outcomes for parents and children. The range of interventions that specifically focus on the parent-child relationship has also expanded. However, the services that currently exist are predominantly individually focused. This presents many challenges when trying to integrate family-focused interventions into routine practice.L715203222014-07-11 <br />