Abstract
Frameworks within which services are delivered to people with mental health problems neglect the specific needs of those with dependent children. These children have been identified as having risks to their development and well-being. A system of monitoring social assessments of mental health crisis is used to examine the characteristics of parents assessed in seven Local Authorities across 3 calendar years. Parents of dependent children are underrepresented, and are more likely to be women and to suffer from affective psychosis. Ethnic minorities are over-represented. Parents are less likely to be detained following assessment. Further work is needed to establish whether the needs of the family as a whole are addressed.
Highlights
Frameworks within which services are delivered to people with mental health problems neglect the specific needs ot those with dependent children
The family group involving a parent with severe mental illness and dependent children is uniquely vulnerable, but there is no single service dedicated to their needs; mental health services tend to focus upon adult vulner asebrivliitcye,s antod fwamhiilleiestheof C"chhilidldrerenn Aicnt naeuethdo",risetshe dearth of resources, and the targeting of abused children, may again serve to exclude this parti cular group of families from meaningful service input (Department of Health, 1995)
The findings reported in this paper are taken from an ongoing system which monitors Approved Social Work assessments under the 1983 Mental Health Act
Summary
Frameworks within which services are delivered to people with mental health problems neglect the specific needs ot those with dependent children. These children have been identified as having risks to their development and well-being. The family group involving a parent with severe mental illness and dependent children is uniquely vulnerable, but there is no single service dedicated to their needs; mental health services tend to focus upon adult vulner asebrivliitcye,s antod fwamhiilleiestheof C"chhilidldrerenn Aicnt naeuethdo",risetshe dearth of resources, and the targeting of abused children, may again serve to exclude this parti cular group of families from meaningful service input (Department of Health, 1995). The focus of interest in this paper is the parental status of people assessed
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
