Child Talks+: A New Intervention to Support Families Affected by Parental Mental Illness

Abstract

Child Talks+ is a preventive intervention developed with the aim to assist mental health professionals in offering support to children of parents with mental health problems and/ or addiction problems. This brief report presents the intervention, which can be adopted by mental health workers, social workers and other healthcare professionals who are in contact with patients who are parents. Parents and their children are entitled to receive psychoeducation about the parents’ mental health problems. Interventions to provide knowledge and support will enable parents and children to have a mutual understanding of the situation in the family and possible changes in parental behavior. Common grounds can make it easier for the family to speak openly about mental health problems within the family. The intervention aims to enhance parenting communication skills. After completing the intervention, patients should feel more equipped to talk with the children about their mental health problems, as well as listen to the children’s needs and experiences.