Search results for ‘Subject term:"mental health problems"’ Sort:
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The 'toxic trio': how good is the evidence base?: summary
- Authors:
- SKINNER Guy C. M., et al
- Publishers:
- National Children's Bureau, University of Cambridge, University of Kent
- Publication year:
- 2020
- Pagination:
- 4
The term ‘toxic trio’ was coined to describe the risk of child abuse and neglect stemming from a child’s exposure to i) domestic violence, ii) parental mental health issues and/or iii) learning disability, and iv) parental alcohol and/ or v) drug misuse. The concept emerged from research commissioned by the DfE, including the analyses of Serious Case Reviews. Capturing policy makers’ and professionals’ imaginations, the ‘toxic trio’ became a shorthand for identifying risk in child protection practice and embedded in assessment processes, national data collection and the family justice system. Despite the term’s currency, this review found little quality evidence of the incidence of the ‘trio’ factors in child maltreatment, little consideration of intersectionality and minimal attempts to build models explaining the supposed relationships. Parental mental ill-health, domestic violence, drug or alcohol use, and parental learning disability are undoubtedly important factors in children’s lives. However, they are not the only significant factors and the social and economic context in which these issues are experienced have a major impact on their consequences for children. The focus on the ‘trio’ has crowded out other factors which would lead to a different orientation to practice, one that recognises that securing and maintaining trust between parents and services is a key issue, underpinned by an understanding that good parenting requires resources as well as skills. (Edited publisher abstract)
Parents with a mental health problem: learning from case reviews
- Author:
- NATIONAL SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO CHILDREN
- Publisher:
- NSPCC
- Publication year:
- 2015
- Place of publication:
- London
This briefing highlights risk factors and key learning for improved practice from case reviews where the mental health problems of parents was a key factor. It is based on case reviews published from since 2013. The briefing identifies the following risk factors for practitioners to be aware of: disclosure of suicidal feelings; threats to kill; stress factors; domestic abuse; drug or alcohol misuse; and lack of engagement with services. Pointers to improve practice include: giving better consideration of the impact of mental health issues on parenting capacity; the need for children's services and adult services to work together and think of the whole family; listening to parents; having the confidence to question and challenge; and ensuring assessment is a shared task between children's social workers and adult mental health. (Edited publisher abstract)
Treatment implications based on measures of child abuse potential and parent mental health: are we missing an intervention opportunity?
- Authors:
- SOLOMON David A., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Children and Youth Services Review, 43, 2014, pp.153-159.
- Publisher:
- Elsevier
This paper discusses the results of MMPI-2-RF (Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 Restructured Form) and Child Abuse Potential Inventory assessments in a sample of identified perpetrators of child maltreatment. Results indicated that child abuse potential (CAP) scores were most strongly correlated with internalizing symptoms (e.g., depression and anxiety) while correlations between abuse potential and externalizing symptoms (e.g., substance use and aggressive behaviour) and thought dysfunctions (e.g., delusions and hallucinations) were comparably weaker. Internalizing problems predicted elevations on the overall CAP Abuse Scale as well as certain CAP subscales, while other classes of problems did not. Because the results of this study indicate a clear relationship between internalizing symptoms and child abuse potential, it is suggested that psychotherapy and other interventions aimed at reducing such symptoms may be beneficial in the prevention of further maltreatment. (Edited publisher abstract)
Child protection and cross-sector practice: an analysis of child death reviews to inform practice when multiple parental risk factors are present
- Authors:
- FREDERICO Margarita, JACKSON Annette, DWYER Jenny
- Journal article citation:
- Child Abuse Review, 23(2), 2014, pp.104-115.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
This paper draws upon the findings of an analysis of 16 child death reviews of children known to child protection services in Victoria, Australia. The purpose of the research was to assist in understanding the impact on children of the coexistence of the parental risk factors of mental health problems, family violence and substance abuse. The common coexistence of the three risk factors was identified by the Victorian Child Death Review Committee in its analysis of child death reviews conducted by the Office of the Child Safety Commissioner. The researchers analysed a group of review reports and interviewed and surveyed practitioners in a range of fields. Lessons from filicide research have been integrated into the findings identifying lessons for policy and practice, and the importance of multi-service collaboration. A framework for understanding different elements of sharing knowledge is presented. Key Practitioner Messages:Research on filicide and child death reviews can contribute to understanding risk to children and informing practice; The need to pay increased attention when parental substance abuse, mental health problems and family violence coexist; A gender analysis contributes to understanding families and informing systems responses; A multi-service collaborative framework can support sharing of knowledge when parental risk factors coexist. (Edited publisher abstract)
Keeping the child in mind: child protection practice and parental mental health
- Authors:
- JEFFREYS Helen, ROGERS Nancy, HIRTE Craig
- Publisher:
- Government of South Australia. Department for Families and Communities
- Publication year:
- 2011
- Pagination:
- 57p., bibliog.
- Place of publication:
- Adelaide
The association between adult mental health disorders and child abuse and neglect has been well documented. This study sought to identify the numbers of substantiated child abuse and neglect cases in South Australia where parental mental health difficulties are identified as a significant risk factor. It also aimed to examine how child protection workers identify parental mental health disorders, what they classify as such, and how this impacts upon their decision-making. The study was undertaken in 3 stages: analysis of administrative data relating to cases of child abuse and neglect from a statutory child protection agency (Families SA, Department for Families and Communities); in-depth analysis of 30 randomly selected cases, through interviews with the Families SA caseworker; and focus groups with Families SA’s Psychological and Anti-Poverty Services. The results suggested that parental mental health difficulties are likely to be present in approximately half of all substantiated cases of abuse and neglect. Most parents presented with borderline personality disorder or low intensity depression. These parents typically did not have a formal clinical diagnosis and were not connected with adult mental health services. The impact of these mental health difficulties on their parenting skills, engagement with caseworkers, and decision making of the caseworkers is discussed.
Parents as patients: supporting the needs of patients who are parents and their children
- Authors:
- HENSHAW Carol, et al
- Publisher:
- Royal College of Psychiatrists
- Publication year:
- 2011
- Pagination:
- 62p., bibliog.
- Place of publication:
- London
Previous research has indicated that 10-15% of children in the UK live with a parent who has a mental disorder. Many of these parents are aware of the negative impact of their problems on their children and are fearful of losing custody of them. This report provides a practical summary of key issues involving the interactions and influences between parental psychiatric disorder and child mental health and wellbeing. Particular issues considered in this report include: young carers; the impact of parental psychiatric disorder on children; child abuse and death; fathers with mental illness; mental illness in asylum seekers and refugees who are parents; and issues for professionals. The links between poverty, mental ill health, discrimination and social exclusion mean that psychiatrists and other mental health professionals must consider the family context of service users and understand of the needs of children and their mentally ill parents. The report takes into account the recent evidence base, demographic changes, changes in policy and services and new legislation. Nine recommendations are made to shape and develop services.
The relationship between child abuse, parental divorce, and lifetime mental disorders and suicidality in a nationally representative adult sample
- Authors:
- AFIFI Tracie O., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Child Abuse and Neglect, 33(3), March 2009, pp.139-147.
- Publisher:
- Elsevier
The objectives of this study were to determine how the experiences of child abuse and parental divorce are related to long-term mental health outcomes using a nationally representative adult sample after adjusting for sociodemographic variables and parental psychopathology. Data were drawn from the National Comorbidity Survey (NCS, n = 5,877; age 15–54 years; response rate 82.4%). Logistic regression models were used to determine the odds of experiencing lifetime psychiatric disorders and suicidal ideation and attempts. Parental divorce alone was associated with some psychiatric disorders after adjusting for sociodemographic variables, while child abuse alone was associated with psychiatric disorders and suicidal ideation and attempts after adjusting for sociodemographic variables. However, having experienced both parental divorce and child abuse together resulted in significantly increased odds for lifetime PTSD, conduct disorder and suicide attempts compared to having experienced either parental divorce or child abuse alone. These results were attenuated when further adjusting for parental psychopathology. When the experience of parental divorce is accompanied with child abuse, the associations with some poor mental health outcomes are significantly greater compared to the impact of either parental divorce or child abuse on its own. Therefore, parental divorce is an additional childhood adversity that significantly contributes to poor mental health outcomes especially when in combination with child abuse. Parental psychopathology attenuated these relationships suggesting that it may be one possible mechanism to explain the relationships between child abuse, parental divorce, and psychiatric disorders and suicide attempts.
Caregiver mental health, neighborhood, and social network influences on Mental Health needs among African American children
- Authors:
- LINDSEY Michael A., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Social Work Research, 32(2), June 2008, pp.79-88.
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
In this study, the authors examined the combined effects of caregiver mental health, alcohol use, and social network support/satisfaction on child mental health needs among African American caregiver-child dyads at risk of maltreatment. The sample included 514 eight-year-old African American children and their caregivers who participated in the Longitudinal Studies of Child Abuse and Neglect. A structural equation model was created with caregiver mental health/alcohol use and caregiver social network support/satisfaction as the exogenous variables and child mental health need as the endogenous variable. Caregivers with less-supportive networks and whose capacity to parent was challenged by alcohol, depression, or other mental health problems had children with elevated mental health needs. These findings confirm the need to examine the effects of caregiver influences (for example, caregiver mental health and social network support/satisfaction) on mental health among African American children at risk of maltreatment and to further explain how the social networks of caregivers are accessed when caregivers and children have mental health problems. Implications for identifying mental health needs among this vulnerable group and improving their connections to formal mental health services through social network-level interventions are discussed.
Parental mental health and child protection - making the links through training
- Author:
- PEARCE Jennifer
- Journal article citation:
- Child Abuse Review, 12(2), June 2003, pp.114-118.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
This article refers to the impact on single discipline working on professional understanding of mental disorder, particularly as it relates to child protection. The dilemmas of bringing a multi-agency group with diverse experiences and knowledge base together into one training event are considered, with suggestions as to how the difficulty might be addressed. Topics of common concern are identified and training techniques and methods described. The benefits and outcomes of joint training across disciplines and agencies is acknowledged in relation to child protection and parental mental disorder
Parental mental health as a child protection issue: data from the NSPCC National Child Protection Helpline
- Authors:
- LEWIS Vanessa, CREIGHTON Susan J.
- Journal article citation:
- Child Abuse Review, 8(3), May 1999, pp.152-163.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Describes how analysis of a sample of child abuse referrals to the NSPCC Child Protection Helpline showed that in 10 per cent a parent or carer was reported as having a mental health problem. Mothers were the parent affected in the majority of these cases. The mental health sample differed from other referrals in an increased concern about emotional abuse and less about sexual abuse; greater levels of violence and discord between parents; and more agency involvement. Issues of potential labelling and therapeutic needs are discussed.