Gresham College  When a parent has a mental illness...  Alan Cooklin

Children of parents with mental illness  65,000 Children and young people in England and Wales defined as caring for a parent with mental illness (Aldridge and Becker)  But  1,000,000 children and young people in UK significantly affected by a parent’s mental illness.

Patients with mental illness  68% of women are parents  And  57% of men

Effects on a child  About 70% of children report significant difficulties  And....  With one ill parent, about 70 % of child having at least minor adjustment difficulties

With 2 parents with major mental illness  Child can have up to 40% chance of developing serious mental illness  BUT  Not as bad as it sounds....read on...

 Still more likely not to develop the illness, than to develop it  And  Much that can be done  1 st hear from some children and young people

Ricci

Mathew

Chineye

Diane

Nathan

And little things matter.....  Chineye 4 years on

What children and young people say they need....

1.To have a frank discussion about their parent’s illness so they can think about the situation more objectively, and to have their questions answered honestly and openly 2. To know that there is an adult who will act as their advocate

3. To know that their situation is not uncommon 4.To have access to a place or a group where they can mix with other children and young people who have had similar experiences

5. To understand mental health problems 6. To know that they are responsible for the illness 7. Help with their fear that they might ‘catch’ the illness

 8. To understand how mental health services work  9. To know what to look out for if their parent is becoming ill  10. To know what is normal behaviour for an adult  11. To know how to access help

 13. For their contribution to be recognised  14. For their knowledge of their parent and his or her illness to be listened to and respected

1999 – Merseyside Young Carers  “…then the worst thing was when the mental health services got involved…”  How can we change that experience for children and young people ?

 Explanation and having a chance to understand the illness is still top of the list with all the children and young people we have talked to  And to meet the complaint the explanations need to take account of what the children and young people may uniquely know themselves:

What makes a difference  Finnish adoption study  But.....much smaller interventions can make a big difference:  = A neutral concerned adult to talk to - not a therapist or counsellor.  = Understanding the illness on the basis of a good explanation

And many young people know a lot

Some points for explanations

 Engage the child’s competence  Provide a medium which can connect child, parents and professionals  Avoid patronisation

Bethlehem’s adaptation of the Wise Mouse

 And when there is no explanation……..

And still most children and young people receive no proper explanation

 Or an explanation without shape or context………..

Where should this happen ?  Mental health teams, children and families social services, child and adolescent mental health services, or voluntary bodies  Often best is in young carer’s groups......but then there has to be a local one, they – the workers – have to understand the illness, and the child has to be put in touch with them

The ‘Kidstime workshops’

One explanation  Generic not diagnostic  ‘Technical’ to increase emotional distance

 And with encouragement some children will construct their own imaginative explanations……….