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Questions about appropriate gaming/ media? 

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Questions about appropriate gaming/ media? 

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Common Sense Media: Age-Based Media Reviews for Families

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Common Sense Media is the leading source of entertainment and technology recommendations for families. Parents trust our expert reviews and objective advice.

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Being online is an important part of how young people 'do' relationships. Young people are using online spaces for their social and romantic lives. They told us that they would like their parents and carers to talk with them more about this. We know that these topics aren't always easy to talk about, so #AskTheAwkward has been created to help you to explore online relationships with your secondary aged children, making these conversations part of everyday life.

A parent and carers introduction to Asking The Awkward

Unsure where to start? Our introduction to Asking The Awkward helps you to prepare for regular conversations with your child about online relationships and related topics. It also offers advice on how to keep conversations positive and what to do if your child tells you something that worries you.
Download A parent and carers introduction to Asking The Awkward here.
#AskTheAwkward help sheets

The #AskTheAwkward films explore lots of topics. To help you get talking, we've picked out the key topics from each film and created help sheets with what you need to know, suggested conversation starters and links to further information.
Download the #AskTheAwkward help sheets here.

This film is also available with subtitles and in BSL

This film is also available with subtitles and in BSL

This film is also available with subtitles and in BSL

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#AskTheAwkward - help to talk with your children about online relationships

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Talking regularly with your child about relationships and sex can help develop shared understanding, trust and support between you. #AskTheAwkward has been created to help you to explore online relationships with your secondary aged children, making these conversations part of everyday life. Available in subtitled and BSL versions. Talk little.

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Liverpool has 3 Locality Early Help Hubs in the City. To encourage effective multi agency working, they share, as closely as possible, their boundaries with other services e.g. Clinical Commissioning Groups, Adult Services, Social Care Teams, Health Visitor Neighbourhoods.

Within each Hub, there are a range of professionals who work together to support the Early Help agenda. This includes representatives from the police, children's services, health, housing, DWP, Parent and Infant mental health, therapeutic social workers and school family support service. Each Hub is also located within a Children's Centre.

Each Hub has a Consultant Social Worker who is able to offer support and advice about case related matters. They can also seek assistance and share information with the partner agencies based in the Hubs when needed.

Each Locality Hub will also be able to:

1. Receive referrals from approved agencies and identify the most appropriate agency to lead on an EHAT.

2. Receive step-down cases from Social Care to ensure families continue to receive support following a social care intervention.

3. Give advice to partners on the levels of need guidance and whether a MARF needs to be completed.

4. Support Lead Professionals with advice where the Early Help intervention has become 'stuck' and there is little or no change in improving the outcomes for the child.

5. Provide information, advice and support for Lead Professionals in relation to relevant multi-agency support available in the local Hub footprint.

NORTH
Contact Consultant Social Worker
Telephone 0151 233 3637
Email EHLHnorth@liverpool.gov.uk

CENTRAL
Contact Consultant Social Worker
Telephone 0151 233 5241
Email EHLHcentral@liverpool.gov.uk

SOUTH
Contact Consultant Social Worker
Telephone 0151 233 4447
Email EHLHsouth@liverpool.gov.uk

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Liverpool has 3 Locality Early Help Hubs in the City. To encourage effective multi agency working, they share, as closely as possible, their boundaries with other services e.g. Clinical Commissioning Groups, Adult Services, Social Care Teams, Health Visitor Neighbourhoods. Within each Hub, there are a range of professionals who work together to support the Early Help agenda.

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Kinship Carers Liverpool offers a number of different services for carers from all walks of life. From someone to talk, to help and advice, direction to helpful and relevant services, links to other kinship families, all the way through to our free activities programme for kin families.

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What is WhatsApp? A safety guide | Internet Matters

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Learn about WhatsApp and its safety features to keep kids safe online.

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Liverpool and Sefton Mental Health Support Team (MHST) - Alder Hey Children’s Hospital Trust

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Find out more about the Liverpool and Sefton MHST team, what they do, where they are and more. Click here for more information.

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The newest issue of the Liverpool Parenting Newsletter is now available. Please read and share among friends and colleagues for up-to-date information on Parenting Services and Support in Liverpool.
Liverpool Parenting Newsletter

LIVERPOOL'S PARENTING JOURNEY

"Developing A Happy Child Into A Fulfilled Adult"

Parents - and by parents we are referring not just to mums and dads but anyone who is involved in raising children of any age - are the single biggest influence on a child's life: caregiver, role model, teacher and guide all rolled into one.

We know that whilst raising children can be a hugely rewarding role, it can at times be extremely challenging. We recognise this and want to work with parents to support them to grow and develop in their role. We want our Liverpool parents to feel confident in their ability to care for their children but also reassured to know that help is available to them when they need it to equip them for the journey and ultimately, make parenting an even more rewarding experience.

Being able to access the right support at the right time can help prevent problems from arising or escalating. Please click here to find out more about the wide range of support available for parents and families in Liverpool and use the interactive Filter options to find the relevant support required.

*You can call one of our 3 Early Help Locality Hubs ( North, South, and Central) who can provide phone support for practitioners and parents offering information, guidance and signposting.

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Family and Parenting Journey | Liverpool Family Information & SEND Directory

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The newest issue of the Liverpool Parenting Newsletter is now available. Please read and share among friends and colleagues for up-to-date information on Parenting Services and Support in Liverpool.

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YPAS - support for children, young people and families 

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YPAS - support for children, young people and families 

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Providing mental health and emotional wellbeing services for Merseyside's children, young people (aged 5-25 years old) and families

Providing mental health and emotional wellbeing services for Merseyside's children, young people (aged 5-25 years old) and families

Providing mental health and emotional wellbeing services for Merseyside's children, young people (aged 5-25 years old) and families

Providing mental health and emotional wellbeing services for Merseyside's children, young people (aged 5-25 years old) and families

Providing mental health and emotional wellbeing services for Merseyside's children, young people (aged 5-25 years old) and families

How are you feeling today?

Click the emoji that best describes how your feeling today.

Serving a Merseyside population of over 150,000 children and young people. YPAS delivers a wide range of wellbeing and therapeutic services for children, and young people aged 5 to 25 years old and their parents and families. Our citywide services consist of individual support and open access groups. They are delivered from: three community hubs, primary schools, secondary schools and GP practices and other community education settings.

Each and every one of us has mental health and it's just as important to look after it, as we do our physical health.

Open Access Groups Calendar

Thank you ever so much to Hannah for your support over the last few months.
Parent/Carer

Thank you YPAS, firstly as a whole for the service you provide. Thank you for letting Lilly come and see you when needed. Special thank you to Dagmar for literally everything she has done for Lilly. We are so grateful. Thank you.
Young Person Aged 14

I received amazing support specifically from Paul. He made the process easy and efficient after waiting months trying to do it alone. Extremely grateful having accessed the service and at the amazing support I've received.
Young Person Aged 23

My son has recently finished therapy with YPAS and even though it was difficult to get him to engage with her due to his disability she was brilliant with him. She was patient, understanding and very supportive. Thank you for all your help and support.
Parent/Carer

I have been working with grace and I am feeling so much better in myself thank you Grace. :)
Young Person Aged 18

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YPAS delivers a wide range of wellbeing and therapeutic services for children, and young people aged 5 to 25 years old and their parents and families.

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School nurses are registered nurses who specialise in public and child health. The team of school nurses, community staff nurses and clinical support workers work closely with children and young people, parents, carers and teachers, promoting health and wellbeing in accordance with our Healthy Child Programme (5-19 years and also up to 25 years for those supported through SEND).

School nurses are available from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday, both during term time and school holidays.

Once a child reaches school age, their health records are transferred from the health visitor to the school nurse.

Your child/young person school health record will move with them through their school life and where necessary into adult services. This will ensure that any ongoing health issues can continue to be monitored and supported effectively as a child moves into school.

What we offer

We offer:

Routine screenings such as hearing, distance vision, height and weight measurement

Health assessments for all children when they start school

Confidential one-to-one appointments for children or parents

A health contact in Reception, Year 6, Year 9, Year 11 and Year 13

Signposting and referral to other services

Health promotion and targeted interventions following the completion of health questionnaires

Accept referrals from Parents, carers and young people

Referrals from Schools and other agencies to support children young people and their families on an individual basis via the school nurse referral form.

Questionnaires

Please note - these are examples of questionnaires that you or your child will be invited to complete via an electronic link. If you have any questions about the questionnaire, you can contact your school health team who will be happy to assist'.

School health team 1

Team 1 School Nursing Caseloads

Charlene Kehoe( charlene.kehoe@merseycare.nhs.uk)
Queens Drive Clinic - 0151 295 8415

NHS email for professionals only (Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5pm): Mcn-tr.schoolhealthteam1@nhs.net

School health team 1

This team covers the following home address postcodes for Children and young People who are not registered with a school, electively home educated or attending an alternative education provision

Alternative Education Provision: L4, L5, L6, L7, L9, L10, L11

Awaiting Admission of School: L4, L5, L6, L7, L9, L10, L11

Not in Education, Employment or Training: L4, L5, L6, L7, L9, L10, L11

Elective Home Education: L4, L5, L6, L7, L9, L10, L11

School health team 2

School health team 2 nursing caseloads:

Yew Tree Clinic - 0151 296 7920

NHS.net email for professionals only (Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5pm): Mcn-tr.schoolhealthteam2@nhs.net

School health team 2

This team covers the following home address postcodes for Children and young People who are not registered with a school, electively home educated or attending an alternative education provision

Alternative Education Provision: L12, L13, L14, L15, L16, L25, L27

Awaiting Admission of School: L12, L13, L14, L15, L16, L25, L27

Not in Education, Employment or Training: L12, L13, L14, L15, L16, L25, L27

Elective Home Education: L12, L13, L14, L15, L16, L25, L27

School health team 3

School health team 3 caseloads

Life House - 0151 295 3315

NHS.net email for professionals only (Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5pm): Mcn-tr.schoolhealthteam3@nhs.net

School health team 3

This team covers the following home address postcodes for Children and young People who are not registered with a school, electively home educated or attending an alternative education provision

Alternative Education Provision: L1, L2, L3, L8, L17, L18, L19, L24

Awaiting Admission of School: L1, L2, L3, L8, L17, L18, L19, L24

Not in Education Employment or Training: L1, L2, L3, L8, L17, L18, L19, L24

Elective Home Education: L1, L2, L3, L8, L17, L18, L19, L24

School Health Team 4 SEND

School Health Team 4 SEND caseloads

Team Leader: Michelle Kinsella

NHS.net email for professionals only (Monday to Friday, from 8.30am to 4.30pm): mcn-tr.schoolhealthteam4SEND@nhs.net
Base address:
V7 Building
Kings Business Park
Prescot
L34 1PJ

The team are on site in the following schools: Redbridge High School, Millstead School, Sandfield Park School, Princes Primary School, Springwood Heath Primary School and Palmerston School.

They are also responsible for the following Independent Schools: Lakeside, Cavendish, Royal School for the Blind, SENDSCOPE, Liverpool Progressive, Birtenshaw and St Vincents'​​​​​​.

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School Health Teams :: Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust

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School nurses are registered nurses who specialise in public and child health. The team of school nurses, community staff nurses and clinical support workers work closely with children and young people, parents, carers and teachers, promoting health and wellbeing in accordance with our Healthy Child Programme (5-19 years and also up to 25 years for those supported through SEND).

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Shout 85258 is a free, confidential, 24/7 text message support service if you're feeling overwhelmed or are struggling to cope.
To start a conversation with someone from Alder Hey, text the word GREEN to 85258 if you're under 18, text HEAL if you're over 18.

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The Liverpool CAHMS Partnership offers emotional and mental health support for children and young people in Liverpool.

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The NSPCC is the UK’s leading children’s charity, preventing abuse and helping those affected to recover. Help us be here for children. Please donate now.

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Alcohol services -Liverpool

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Home visits are available to service users who are housebound due to physical and/or mental health issues. Home visits can be made to various settings including nursing/care homes, hostels, homes for older people who have mental ill health, and supported accommodation. Home visits cannot be offered to patients by shared care services and are transferred to Brook Place. These set Brook Place apart from other non-statutory drug service providers in the city.

Specialist drug services for substance misuers who are pregnant

At Brook Place we also offer an assessment and care package including practical support and advice for pregnant women and those who already have children. We work closely with specialist doctors and enhanced midwives from Liverpool Women's Hospital as well as close liaison with social services - attending and contributing to child protection conferences.

In-Reach clinics

In 2014, we began to deliver specialist in-reach clinics at hostels in Liverpool city centre. Prior to this, hostel residents have, for a number of reasons, had difficulty in engaging with treatment services. Since clinics were set up, and drug treatment has become more accessible to them, more service users have engaged with our service and stay in treatment for longer periods.

Face to face appointments

A Drug Rehabilitation Requirement (DDR) is part of a Community Order (CO) issued in court to provide offenders with drug treatment to enable them to reduce/stop criminal activity and drug use. We offer weekly (sometimes twice weekly) face to face appointments where clients are tested for drugs/alcohol and engage in psychosocial interventions to address their drug use.

We provide opiate substitute prescribing, group work, access to detoxification and rehabilitation and activity hub services to assist with leisure, employment and educational needs. DRR orders can last between six months and three years. We work in partnership with probation practitioners to ensure clients care needs and sentence requirements are met and we're now co-located, working in probation offices.

18 month pilot intensive supervision court

This is similar to DDR, but with greater intensity and support to the individual, with the inclusion of the judiciary at Liverpool Crown Court. A partnership is in place between treatment providers, probation, Ministry of Justice and the judiciary who meet regularly, and with the client, to provide treatment to address a range of problematic substance and alcohol use, rather than custodial sentences.

Prolific priority offenders

They are managed by the Integrated Offender Management Unit and are released from custody on Home Office License with conditions on the license to attend for mandatory drug testing and treatment. Again, this involves close working relationships with probation practitioners. For this client group, failure to engage, and/or positive drug test results, can result in recall to prison for the remainder of their license.

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Drug and Alcohol Service :: Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust

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Support and relevant contacts for people suffering from drug or alcohol addictions and misuse.

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On Thursday 30 November from 2:30am - 7:30am, you won't be able to contact Childline whilst we do some important maintenance to our systems. This means that 1-2-1 chats, calling and messages to Childline will be unavailable. You'll still be able to use the Childline website for advice and information.

If you're in danger or it's an emergency, you should always call 999

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Get help and advice about a wide range of issues, call us on 0800 1111, talk to a counsellor online, send Childline an email or post on the message boards.

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We rely on the support of our local community for food donations, volunteering and finances. Can you help us stop UK hunger?

Our foodbank works using a voucher referral system. Find out more about how we work.

Heartfelt thanks from a client in South Liverpool

Speak to our money advice worker to see if she can help.

Where we are
Get directions & opening times

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South Liverpool Foodbank | Helping Local People in Crisis

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We rely on the support of our local community for food donations, volunteering and finances. Can you help us stop UK hunger? Our foodbank works using a voucher referral system. Find out more about how we work. Heartfelt thanks from a client in South Liverpool Speak to our money advice worker to see if she can help.

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Believe in children | Children’s charity

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Barnardo’s is a children’s charity that protects and supports children and young people in the UK who need us. We help bring out the best in them.

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Sorting Our Emotions Into Four Zones

Feelings are complicated. They come in different sizes, intensities, and levels of energy that are unique within our brains and bodies. To make them easier to talk about, think about, and regulate, The Zones of Regulation organizes our feelings, states of alertness, and energy levels into four colored Zones - Blue, Green, Yellow, and Red. The simple, common language and visual structure of The Zones of Regulation helps make the complex skill of regulation more concrete for learners and those who support them. We learn to regulate our Zones to meet our goals and task demands, as well as support our overall well-being.

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Learn about the Zones of Regulation a powerful framework and curriculum to help students develop emotional self-regulation and control.

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Every family who adopts is entitled to an assessment of their support needs at any time - regardless of the length of time after the actual adoption took place.

Our adoption support team is made up of social workers and support workers who will meet with you and discuss all the options available to you, and, through the assessment, identify packages of support which may be helpful for your family.

We also give you access to a dedicated phone line so you can speak to someone whenever you feel you need help.

What's on offer?

Our team responds to the needs of children and their parents and a wide range of support can be offered - from general advice and information to direct work, training and group work.

Support groups - these allow parents to meet each other and gain an advanced understanding of their children's difficulties and work on strategies that encourage change.

Direct work with children and young people - including anger and anxiety management, lifework, sessions on issues such as racial identity, self-esteem, trauma, abuse and how to tackle contact and attachment difficulties.

Training for parents - including lifework, therapeutic play, parenting programmes and sessions that look at race and identity.

Newsletters - to keep adopters updated on the latest developments, training and recourses available

Funding applications - currently from the Adoption Support Fund (ASF). These are for specific therapeutic interventions that have been identified through the Assessment of support needs, and are delivered by suitably qualified therapeutic providers.

Contact us

Get in touch and ask us more about the help and support we offer.

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Support we give you - Adoption in Merseyside (AiM)

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Every family who adopts is entitled to an assessment of their support needs at any time - regardless of the length of time after the actual adoption took place. Our adoption support team is made up of social workers and support workers who will meet with you and discuss all the options available to you, and, through the assessment, identify packages of support which may be helpful for your family.

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Winston's Wish is the UK's childhood bereavement charity. We support children and their families after the death of someone important.

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It can feel awkward talking to your child about sharing nudes and semi-nudes. We've got advice to help you understand the risks and support them if something makes them feel upset or worried.

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The ADHD Foundation Neurodiversity Charity - an integrated health and education service.

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Supporting children with a parent in prison 

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Supporting children with a parent in prison 

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Children Heard and Seen support children, young people and their families who are impacted by parental imprisonment. We strive to support their needs, listen to their concerns and ensure that their voices are heard. All support is offered at no cost to the family and without need for agency referral.

We offer 1-1 support with trained staff, volunteer mentoring, parent support, peer support groups for children, online activities for children, and activity days.

Please get in touch for more information on how to access support for yourself or your child on or info@childrenheardandseen.co.uk

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Children Heard and Seen support children, young people and their families who are impacted by parental imprisonment. We strive to support their needs, listen to their concerns and ensure that their voices are heard. All support is offered at no cost to the family and without need for agency referral.

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The sensory service aims to provide a comprehensive, holistic approach to supporting children and young people with Sensory Impairment (Vision Impairment, Hearing Loss, Multi Sensory Impairment), with a focus on helping them to achieve their full potential and lead fulfilling lives.

These may be achieved by:

-Early identification and assessment

-Access to appropriate equipment and technology

-Provision of training and education

-Direct Teaching intervention

-Promotion of Social Inclusion

-Environmental Audit
Who we are?
The Sensory Service is headed by 2 Operational Leaders (VI , Hearing Needs), Specialist teachers (Qualified teachers of VI, Qualified Teachers of Deaf Children & Young People), Educational Audiologist Support Mentor for CYP with Vision Impairments, CSWs, Deaf Educational Instructor/BSL Tutor, Habilitation specialist ( Mobility and Independent leaving Skills), Learning Support Assistants and Reprographic technicians.
What we do?
The Sensory Service provides support for those with either a Vision Impairment or a Hearing Loss and their families. The Sensory Service is an Educational Service which supports children with a permanent hearing loss and visually impaired children and young people aged 0 to 19 or 25 (with an EHCP). This may take the form of direct work with a child or young person, small group work with several children, planning work with a class teacher offering practical support and ideas for getting the best from your class, help and guidance with planning, differentiation and target setting, or more strategic work with a SENCo or school leadership team. We work in collaboration with the young person, schools and educational settings, parents/carers and other agencies using a person-centred approach.

The Sensory Service will apply the NATSiP Eligibility Framework (see link below) when deciding on the need and level of interventions. The NATSiP criteria is fluid and can change according to a number of factors such as transition and change of condition.

Vision Impairment

Your child has been referred to the Sensory Service following a vision assessment made by a medical professional.

The following information explains how we aim to help and support your child.

Our service offers the following:

assess how the child/young person is using their functional vision in a school setting and inform planning.

offer training to school staff to ensure that the child/young person has access to the curriculum and the staff are aware of their needs.

direct teaching for some pupils with a very high level of need to acquire specialist skills such as Braille and use of specialist equipment to enable them to access the curriculum independently.

monitor progress of pupils to ensure that student's individual needs are met, in accordance with the Children and Family Act.

provide advice on the differentiation and adaptation of teaching materials.

advise on technology which can improve access to the curriculum or the environment and deliver training for its use e.g. magnification software, braille note taker.

offer a multi-agency approach to ensure an effective exchange of pupil information by meeting regularly with the Developmental Vision Team at Alder Hey.

offer mobility assessment at home and in school.

offer training by our Habilitation specialist on cane techniques, road awareness, pedestrian crossings, recognition of location, safe travel from one area to another, ability to use audible information, etc.

offer training on independent living skills.

support the child/ young person and families at transition within and between educational settings.

where needed provide direct support in the classroom with Learning Support Assistants or Braille communicator to support the learning, educational progress and inclusion of pupils

provide adapted document braille and large print depending on the needs of the child/young person.

assessment for Education Health Care Plans and for SEN support.

The Sensory Service will apply the Natsip Eligibility Framework (see link below) when deciding on the need and level of interventions. The Natsip criteria is fluid and can change according to a number of factors such as transition and change of condition.

We are in line with the vision of the "Liverpool Promise" promoting the inclusion of children and young people with Visual Impairment and the development of inclusive practices. Our aim is to improve the outcomes and opportunities for children and young people with visual impairments in keeping with the Liverpool Promise.
Useful websites:

Frequently Asked Questions (Vision Impairment):

Who decides which school my child will attend?

Many visually impaired children and young people will attend either primary or secondary mainstream schools, decided by family or carers. Other children and young people who have additional needs may attend a special school which will be decided by parents and carers in partnership with the Local Authority.

Will my child need an Education Health and Care Plan?

The majority of visually impaired children will not have an Education Health and Care Plan. However, children with a severe vision loss or visually impaired pupils with additional needs can request your local authority to carry out an assessment if you think your child needs an EHC Plan. Those children and young people with more complex needs who attend a special school will have an Education Health and Care Plan outlining their needs and how those needs can be met.

Are there opportunities for my child to meet other visually impaired children and young people?

The Sensory Service has a Parent Support Group for parents of pre-school children which meets regularly.

We are also working closely with different charities to ensure that children with a visual impairment can meet with their peers outside school times e.g. Henshaws.

Role of a Qualified Teacher of Children and Young People with Vision Impairment (QTVI)

The role of the Qualified Teacher of Children and Young People with Vision Impairment (QTVI) may include some or all the following:

managing referrals from health, settings and families to education with clear referral routes and eligibility criteria (Following the Natsip recommendation).

providing direct support to babies and young children with vision impairment and their parent carers in the home to support early development and learning through play and to promote parental confidence.

assessing children and young people's functional vision in liaison with health professionals

liaising with health professionals on the range of available low vision devices and how to use them

advising in mainstream and specialist early years, school and FE and HE settings on strategies for curriculum access and independent learning

teaching the specific skills that your child needs to learn because of his visual impairment. Generally these are adapted ways of doing everyday activities and methods of participating in the school curriculum, such as reading and writing in braille, using a low vision device, or independent living skills. These skills are often known as additional outcomes.

conducting various assessments of your child to determine his abilities and needs.

making referrals for additional services your child may need, such as for habilitation training (Mobility and Independent Living Skills).

meeting with family members, your child's teacher, and other members of the educational team to discuss his progress and make suggestions for strategies to make his school work accessible and to include him to the greatest extent possible in all school, classroom, and extracurricular activities

preparing or obtaining learning materials, textbooks in the appropriate accessible format for your child (such as braille, large print, audio, or electronic format).

advising on access arrangements for exams

analysing the classroom and other environments for access and safety related to a student's visual impairment, and advising other members of the team about how best to organize the classroom and materials.

providing consultation and training for teachers, teaching assistants and other school personnel on effective strategies for teaching students with visual impairments

using strategies to help develop the visual and communication skills of children and young people with additional or complex needs.

providing a birth to 25 service, including effective transition arrangements at key stages from birth through awareness raising, training, transfer of information and ensuring specialist equipment is in place in the new setting.

supporting students through transition into post 16/FE provision and into independent adulthood

The QTVI may work together in your child's regular classroom to help with the ongoing lesson, in an empty classroom, or in a designated resource room, alone or with a group of students. He or she might also meet with your child before or after school. Or, he or she might only observe your child occasionally in order to consult with the teacher about your child's progress. How often they meet depends on the services designated by your child's Learning Support Plan.

In recognition of the above skills QTVIs are required to hold a mandatory qualification (MQ), which addresses a wide range of specialist outcomes. The importance of this qualification has recently been restated by DfE in the 2015 SEND Code of Practice.

Details of the MQ are set out in a national specification which is available at
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/mandatory-qualifications-specialist-teachers

For further information about RNIB (Royal National Institute of Blind People) please visit RNIB.

For more information about VIEW (Professional Association for the Vision Impairment Education Workforce) please visit VIEW

For more information about Natsip (National Sensory Impairment Partnership) please visit Natsip

Role of the Registered Qualified Habilitation Specialists (RQHS)

Referrals for the RQHS usually arise from the QTVI.

The primary purpose of this role is to maximise the independence and inclusion of blind and visually impaired children and young people.

Specifically this will include:

Providing assessment, advice and training for children with a sensory impairment and their families or carers.

Maximise the abilities of children and young people, providing them with the opportunity to achieve the optimal level of independence.

Work with schools to promote inclusion and increase mobility requirements through providing advice and staff training on appropriate approaches, techniques and the environment.

Provide targeted training that will maximise the child's or young person's development of mobility and independence skills.

Teach children skills to look after him/her and to carry out everyday living activities that are appropriate for their age.

Model person-centred planning across the service and with key partners, ensuring that outcomes-based assessment is evidenced in all areas of work with a clear focus on engagement with families, children and young people.

Carry out Environmental Audits of educational settings and promote best practice ensuring settings make reasonable adjustments to support the inclusion and safety of children and young people with visual needs.

Hearing Impairment

Hearing impaired children and their families are supported by the Sensory Service. The Sensory Service is an education service which supports hearing impaired and visually impaired children and young people aged 0 to 25. Referrals usually come from hospital but parents and carers, schools and other agencies are also welcome to make referrals which we will then follow up.

Following referral, the service provides early intervention and support in line with the Nationally Agreed Criteria Natsip for involvement. It aims to work in partnership with parents and carers with regard to the specific challenges resulting from hearing impairment.

From diagnosis to leaving school, specialist Teachers of the Deaf and support staff work with families, schools and all other relevant agencies to ensure hearing impaired children and young people enjoy the same opportunities as their peers.

The service provides a range of support for pupils and schools (depending on the level of hearing loss) including training for school staff, advice with regard to the implications of hearing loss, one to one teaching support, support from a learning support assistant and the provision and maintenance of Radio systems for those hearing impaired pupils who meet the criteria. (Radio systems are specialist equipment which help children and young people listen better through their hearing aids in noisy environments).

The service liaises closely with a range of other agencies to deliver seamless support for children and families. It also works as part of the team around the child to provide specialist support for pupils with additional and complex needs.

Hearing impaired children and young people who need sign language to access school curriculum will be offered a place either in the Deaf Resource Base at Knotty Ash Primary School or at the Deaf Resource base at Broadgreen International Secondary School.

Useful links for hearing impairment:

National Deaf Children's Society
Deafactive Newborn Hearing Screening Programme
Merseyside Society for Deaf People

Action On Hearing Loss (formerly Royal National Institute for Deaf People)
Liverpool Deaf Children's Society

Frequently Asked Questions (Hearing Impairment):

What support will my child receive after he or she has been diagnosed with a hearing impairment?

This is dependent on the level of hearing impairment and age of the child but after the referral, a teacher of the deaf will contact the family. If the child is very young then proposed support will be discussed at meeting with the family/carers. Any decision will be made in partnership with families and carers. We will help the family understand the implications of hearing impairment, hearing aid management, communication methods and refer to other agencies as appropriate.

If your child is already at school then support, ranging from advice about classroom management, training for schools, on going advice for school staff, provision of specialist listening equipment (Radio Aid systems) through to one to one support from a support assistant and direct teaching from a teacher of the deaf is available.

All pupils with a permanent hearing loss will be added to our caseload with intervention being in line with Natsip guidelines ( Natsip).

Who decides which school my child will attend?

Most hearing impaired children and young people will attend either primary or secondary mainstream schools, decided by the family or carers. Other children and young people who have additional needs may attend a special school which will be decided by parents and carers in partnership with the local authority. Pupils with profound hearing loss who need signing support will attend the Deaf Resource Bases at Knotty Ash Primary School or Broadgreen International School.

Will my child need an Education Health and Care Plan?

The majority of hearing impaired children and young people will not have an Education Health and Care Plan. However children with a profound hearing loss or hearing impaired pupils with additional needs can request an Education Health and Care Plan. Those children and young people with more complex needs who attend a special school will have an Education Health and Care Plan outlining their needs and how these needs can be met. Children attending the Deaf Resource Bases will require an EHCP.

Are there opportunities for my child to meet other hearing impaired children and young people?

The sensory service has a Parent Support Group for parents of pre-school children which meets regularly at Merseyside Society for Deaf People (MSDP).

Read our latest parental feedback (July 2019) and get in touch with us........
'My son gets so much out of it playing with children who are similar to him with implants and hearing aids.''I think it's great for children, my kids love coming here''The sing-a-long music session in the last hour is great''I love the singing, dancing and the music session''Everything works perfect for us and our kids here'
Liverpool Deaf Children Society (LDCS) holds regular meetings and activities

The National Deaf Childrens Society (NDCS) has weekends for families e.g. for newly diagnosed children and activity weekends for older children

Merseyside Society for Deaf People (MSDP) holds afterschool and holiday activities

Who else might support hearing impaired children and young people?

The Sensory Service works closely with the staff at the Audiology department at Alder Hey hospital to help monitor the effectiveness of hearing aids and attend regular meetings at hospital.

Specialist speech and language therapists from the Permanent Hearing Impaired Network support children and young people with severe and profound hearing losses. The teachers of the deaf work closely with these therapists to meet communication needs and promote language development. Other speech and language therapists may also support hearing impaired children and young people with speech and language difficulties.

Educational psychologists may be involved with pupils if additional difficulties are suspected.

What is the role of the Teacher of the Deaf?

A Teacher of the Deaf is a qualified teacher who is additionally qualified to teach hearing impaired children. Teachers of the deaf provide support to deaf children and young people from the age of 0 to 25, parents and carers and their families and schools. They will give families information for example about the implications of their child's hearing loss, support with wearing hearing aids or a cochlear implant and ways to develop language development. Teachers of the deaf deliver a range of support to hearing impaired pupils in school including training for school staff, assessment of pupils language and communication needs, direct teaching, fitting and maintaining Radio Aid systems which help hearing impaired pupils listen better in classrooms, contributing to pupil support plans and reviews in a, person centred planning approach. They also liaise closely with a range of other agencies, notably specialist speech and language therapists and staff from the audiology department at hospital.

Care and Maintenance of Amplification Systems and Assistive Devices

The Service has close links with the Audiology Department at Alder Hey Children's Hospital and once parental permission has been gained by this department, the Service is informed of any new referrals meeting our service involvement criteria and/or any new hearing aid/BAHA fitting appointments.

Thereafter, the Sensory Service endeavours to provide regular follow up and on-going advisory and coaching support for the care, maintenance and management of personal amplification systems through either home visits for pre-school families or through regular nursery and/or school visits. Initially the aim of this support is to assess the benefits of optimum amplification usage and encourage consistency of usage both at home and in school but ultimately as a service we work in partnership with others to empower all our amplification users to become confident advocates for their listening needs within wider contexts.

For our personal amplification users we would encourage the viewing of the following NDCS links related to hearing aid and earmould care and maintenance:
How to change the tubing in your child's hearing aid How to look after your child's hearing aid
My Child is a Reluctant User of Hearing Aids - What Can I Do?

The Sensory Service recognizes that some pupils may decide to either reject their personal amplification systems or become reluctant users at home/school and this can be for a variety of different reasons including the impact of additional SEN factors, self-identity issues related to the pre-teen/teenager years or the child's own perceived 'negative stigma' from new peer groups/friends, usually related to cosmetic reasons of amplification visibility. Whilst the Sensory Service has robust measures in place to support amplification users through these transitional phases, we nevertheless work tirelessly with all our educational/health partners and families to work towards acceptable resolutions for the young person involved. See our information below for further details about the service we provide:
Reluctant Amplification User Info.

Useful Information for Schools and Settings on Hearing Loss

The NDCS provides information and support for families of deaf children, deaf young people and professionals: see their website

In particular the following pages which provide general information for schools and settings
Understanding Deafness: What is deafness? Levels of Deafness Glue Ear: A guide for parents Harvey gets grommets Mild Hearing Loss: Mild hearing loss Deaf Friendly Schools: Deaf friendly teaching for primary school staff Deaf friendly teaching for secondary school staff

Who to contact

Contact Name

Chris Haigh

Contact Position

Operational Lead for Hearing Impairments

Telephone

0151 233 5970 0151 233 5970 07510 586 971 07510 586 971

E-mail

dawn.mccoll@liverpool.gov.uk

Notes

Operational Lead for Hearing Impairments
Contact: Chris Haigh

Email: chris.haigh@Liverpool.gov.uk

Tel: 0151 233 5970 or 07510 586971
Operational Lead for Visual Impairments
Contact: Yohann Lespagnol

Email: yohann.lespagnol@liverpool.gov.uk

Tel: 0151 233 5970 or 07860 277632

Sensory Service Email address: sensoryservice@liverpool.gov.uk

Other Details

Availability

Referral required

Yes

Referral Details

Referrals usually come from hospital but parents and carers, schools and other agencies are also welcome to make referrals which we will then follow up.

Related links

Curriculum Framework for Children and Young People with Vision Impairment (CFVI) - RNIB - See differently
Visual Impairment Resource Hub

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Liverpool Family Information & SEND Directory | Sensory Service

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Aims of the Service: The sensory service aims to provide a comprehensive, holistic approach to supporting children and young people with Sensory Impairment (Vision Impairment, Hearing Loss, Multi Sensory Impairment), with a focus on helping them to achieve their full potential and lead fulfilling lives.

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Early Help is an early intervention/prevention service across Knowsley. Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub on 0151 443 2600 Option 1 then Option 1 again

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Action with Young Carers Liverpool | Barnardo’s

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Barnardo’s Action With Young Carers Liverpool, is a city wide service. A young carer is a child or young person under the age of 18 years, who provides unpaid

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Community Network

ADDvanced Solutions Community Network encourages, equips and empowers children, young people and their families living with neurodevelopmental conditions, learning difficulties and associated mental health needs. Our engaging, community-based, learning, coaching and mentoring programmes will help you and your family to better recognise, understand and meet your individual needs, enabling you to manage the day to day challenges.
Visit site

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ADDvanced Solutions Community Network encourages, equips and empowers children, young people and their families living with neurodevelopmental conditions, learning difficulties and associated mental health needs. Our engaging, community-based, learning, coaching and mentoring programmes will help you and your family to better recognise, understand and meet your individual needs, enabling you to manage the day to day challenges.

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This service is provided by Mental Health Innovations (MHI) and Crisis Text Line branded as SHOUT. You can read the MHI privacy policy and terms of service Download a poster for your school, college or workplace. here.
How does it work?

If you're experiencing a personal crisis, are unable to cope and need support, text AFC to 85258.

The trained Crisis Volunteer will introduce themselves, reflect on what you've said, and invite you to share at your own pace. You'll text back and forth, only sharing what you feel comfortable with. By asking questions, listening to you and responding with support, they will help you sort through your feelings until you both feel you are now in a calm, safe place. You might be provided with some signposting to other services that can provide you with further help, so that you can continue to get support.

Crisis Messenger can help with urgent issues such as:

Important information - mobile network disclaimer

It is free and confidential to text our service from the following major networks: EE, O2, Three and Vodafone. These include - BT Mobile, Tesco Mobile, Virgin Mobile, iD Mobile, Sky, Telecom Plus, Lebara and GiffGaff.

Some Android phones issue a warning that you will be charged for texting us. Provided you are on one of the networks listed above, this warning is incorrect and you will not be charged.

If you text us from a network that is not on this list there is a possibility that you may be charged for the messages and that they may appear on your bill. This applies to a very small minority of operators.

It is not possible to text the service from some networks, which do not provide the capability to message short codes. These include Lyca mobile. If your message will not send, or if you do not receive an automated message in response, it is an indicator that the service is not working.

If in doubt, please contact your mobile phone network before texting, or email [ info@giveusahout.org].

This service is powered by our trusted partners, Shout and Crisis Text Line.

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Children’s mental health - Every Mind Matters

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See tips and advice for parents and carers on how to support children and young people’s mental wellbeing, and give them the best chance to stay healthy.

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What is SEND?
SEND stands for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. A childor young person has SEND if they have a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision to be made for him or her in order to support them to make progress. A school or setting will often be able to offer this provision via the graduated approach to SEN Support. Therefore, if parents feel that their child has SEND, it is best to work together with the child's school or setting to consider the best ways to meet their child's needs. However, if parents feel that they would like external advice or support, there are many services on offer including , and .
Liverpool's Joint Local Area Inspection - Outcome Letter
Ofsted and CQC jointly inspect local areas to see how well they fulfil their responsibilities for children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The inspection of Liverpool provision for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities took place between 14 th and 18 th January 2019. At the end of the inspection, the inspection team evaluated all of the evidence gathered and produced Liverpool's Joint Outcome Letter. The letter explains the main findings and makes recommendations for improvement.

In response to the areas of concern identified, Liverpool has produced a Written Statement of Action (WSOA) that explains how Liverpool will tackle the areas of significant weakness identified. Liverpool has used the independent findings from Ofsted and the CQC as a driver for change and is committed to delivering the improvements required.

Liverpool's Written Statement of Action was deemed fit for purpose by Ofsted on 23 August 2019. The SEND Partnership is now working to implement and deliver the statement.

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What is SEND? SEND stands for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. A childor young person has SEND if they have a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision to be made for him or her in order to support them to make progress.

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Introduction

Many parents with mental health problems are able to give their children safe and loving care, without their children being negatively affected in any way. But sometimes, parents with mental health problems need support from family members, friends, neighbours and/or professionals, to help them care for their children.

We're using the term 'parental mental health problems' to mean that a parent or carer has a diagnosable mental health condition. This can include:

depression

anxiety disorders

schizophrenia

bipolar disorder

personality disorders.

Mental health problems can vary in severity and impact differently on people's day to day lives. This depends on parents' individual circumstances and the support they receive.

Parental mental health problems might occur alongside other stressful life experiences.

Challenges may arise as a result of the condition, contribute to the condition developing, or make it worse. For example if a parent is experiencing financial problems, this can negatively affect their mental health. And if the parent becomes unable to work due to their mental health, this can exacerbate their financial problems.

Coping with lots of challenges at once can make it difficult for parents to provide their children with the care that they need.

We've put together some information to help you recognise when parents with mental health problems need help to care for their children and how to provide appropriate support. This includes:

the impact of parental mental health problems on family life

signs that a child or their family might need support

carrying out assessments with families where parents have a mental health problem

providing appropriate and effective support

a summary of the relevant legislation and guidance from across the UK.

Impact of parental mental health problems

Many parents with mental health problems are able to manage their condition and minimise its impact on their children, particularly if they are able to access appropriate support. But sometimes it does affect their ability to cope with family life.

Parental mental health problems may affect children differently according to the severity and type of mental health condition, the child's age and stage of development, and the child's personality.

Coping with challenges

Some parents experience mental health problems along with other challenges such as:

divorce or separation

unemployment

financial hardship

poor housing

discrimination

a lack of social support

domestic abuse

substance misuse.

If they are facing several challenges at once, it can be very hard for parents to provide their children with safe and loving care, particularly if they are isolated or aren't getting the support they need (Cleaver, Unell and Aldgate, 2011; Gatsou et al, 2017; Grove, Reupert and Maybery, 2015; Hogg, 2013; Wolpert et al, 2015).

Research has found there is a greater risk to children's safety if parents with mental health problems are also experiencing domestic abuse or substance misuse (Cleaver, Unell and Aldgate, 2011).

Caring for children

Some parents and carers with mental health problems may need support to cope with the routines of daily life, such as housework, mealtimes, bedtimes, taking children to school, and taking children to medical and dental appointments.

They may also find it more difficult to:

control their mood and emotions around their children

recognise and respond to children's physical and emotional needs

engage socially with their children

set and maintain safe and appropriate boundaries and manage their children's behaviour.

If parents don't get the support they need from family, friends, neighbours and/or professionals, these challenges may escalate. In extreme cases, children may experience abuse and/or neglect.

Babies and younger children

Babies and young children rely on their parents and carers to give them the warm, nurturing care they need to grow.

If parents experience mental health problems in pregnancy or the first year of a baby's life, this can affect the way they are able to bond with and care for their child. This can have an impact on the child's intellectual, emotional, social and psychological development (Gajos and Beaver, 2017; Hogg, 2013).

This means it's important that practitioners are able to recognise if a new parent or carer is struggling with their mental health and help them access appropriate support.

Children's wellbeing

Many children whose parents have a mental health problem do not experience any negative effects. But if parents are not getting the right support to care for their family, this can have an impact on their children's wellbeing.

Signs that a child might need extra support include:

being worried about their parent or carer's condition

taking on a caring role for parents and other family members

putting the needs of their family above their own

having negative feelings about their parent's condition

finding it hard to make friends, feeling isolated or being bullied

not feeling able to talk to their parents or another trusted adult about their worries.

"My parents aren't having a good time. They both have mental health problems and anger issues. They are so aggressive and spark each other off.  I have been scared about something bad happening for a while. My parents don't seem to care about how much seeing them like this upsets me. I don't feel like I can talk to anyone about this. It feels like there is no solution to this situation and I am going to have to just deal with it and carry on hoping things will get better."
Childline counselling session with a girl aged 12
If a parent has severe mental health problems, children may have to cope with frightening and upsetting situations such as:

being separated from their parents, either because parents need to go into hospital and/or because the child is taken into care

a parent attempting to take their own life

a parent displaying extremely volatile behaviour.

If these things happen, it's important to consider how this has affected the wellbeing of everyone in the family and what support can be put in place.

Stigma

Sometimes families experience stigma related to mental health problems. This can make it harder for parents and their children to socialise, speak out and ask for support.

Parents and their families may experience discrimination from others, and this may be displayed consciously or unconsciously. For example, parents might find it harder to get work or access support services. Some children whose parents have mental health problems report being bullied.

Professionals have an important role to play in raising awareness about mental health problems, taking action to tackle discrimination and making sure families get the support they need.

Risk and vulnerability factors

All families experience challenges from time to time. This doesn't necessarily mean children are at greater risk of abuse. But when problems mount up, it can be more difficult for parents to cope - particularly if they are isolated or lack support.

The risks to children are greater when parental mental health problems exist alongside domestic abuse and parental substance misuse (Cleaver, Unell and Aldgate, 2011).

Responding

Responding

Reporting

If you think a child is in immediate danger, contact the police on 999. If have concerns that a child may not be receiving the care they need but they are not in immediate danger, you should share your concerns.

Follow your organisational child protection procedures. Organisations that work with children and families must have safeguarding policies and procedures in place.

Contact the NSPCC Helpline on 0808 800 5000 or by emailing help@nspcc.org.uk. Our trained professionals will talk through your concerns with you and give you expert advice.

Contact your local child protection services. Their contact details can be found on the website for the local authority the child lives in.

Contact the police.

Services will risk assess the situation and take action to protect the child as appropriate either through statutory involvement or other support. This may include making a referral to the local authority.
> See our information about recognising and responding to abuse
Assessment

The impact of parental mental health problems varies according to the nature of each parent's condition, their child's health and stage of development, and relationships with other family members.

Practitioners should assess whether a parent or carer's mental health problems pose a risk to their child's safety and wellbeing, and whether these risks can be mitigated with appropriate support. You should also consider whether there are any protective factors which will increase the family's overall resilience, for example if the parent or carer is already receiving effective support from mental health services.

You should carry out a holistic assessment which takes into account:

the child's wellbeing and development

the child's thoughts and feelings

the impact of every day parenting on the parent or carer's mental health

the parent or carer's ability to meet the child's needs

whether the child has taken on a caring role

the parent or carer's background, medical history and current circumstances

the parent's thoughts and feelings about caring for their child

the views of colleagues from other agencies who are involved with the family, such as teachers

whether the parent or carer has support from another parent or relative, or if they are coping with parenting alone.

You should also consider broader factors that might make it harder for the parent or carer to cope. These include:

substance misuse

domestic abuse

financial hardship

housing problems

relationship problems

social isolation.

Always take threats of suicide or threats to kill a partner or child seriously and take immediate action to keep children safe.

Protective factors

Factors which can help reduce the risk to children's wellbeing include:

parents and carers who acknowledge their difficulties and are willing to accept support from services

friends or relatives who are able to care for children and help with household chores when needed

families receiving support for other challenges, such as income support, benefits and housing advice

families receiving additional support from other professionals who can also monitor the situation and share concerns if necessary, for example teachers

children having a trusted adult they are able to ask for help when needed

wider community support such as young carer's projects (Cleaver, Unell and Aldgate, 2011).

Supporting children and families

Supporting children and families

Early help

It's vital to identify parental mental health problems as soon as they emerge and provide families with appropriate support.

NSPCC services which provide early support include:

Supports parents who are at risk of, or are experiencing mild to moderate anxiety and depression during pregnancy and the first year after birth.
> Find out more about Pregnancy in Mind

Prioritising children's needs

Anyone working with parents or carers who have mental health problems must maintain a focus on their children's wellbeing.

Advocacy and mentoring

Children should be given access to a mentor and/or advocate who they can talk to about their parent or carer's mental health and who can help make their views heard.

Children need someone they can contact for support if they need to, especially if there is an emergency.

Be aware that children may be wary about being offered therapy or counselling. Depending on their parents' experiences, they may have negative associations with this kind of support. They may also have fears about developing mental health problems themselves, and think that being referred to a counsellor is a sign of mental illness (Cooklin, 2013).

Peer support

Children whose parents have mental health problems should have the chance to interact with other children in similar situations. This allows them to both offer and receive support. Successful peer support networks can have a positive impact on children's wellbeing and resilience by:

increasing self-esteem

improving understanding of parental mental health issues

teaching communication and coping skills (Foster, 2016).

Many children and young people use Childline's peer support message boards to express their feelings, talk about their experiences and share advice with others.

Empowering children

Children and young people should play a positive role in, and contribute to decisions about, their parent or carer's care (Royal College of Psychiatrists, 2011).

Children want to be involved in interventions to support their parents, and they want their views to be taken seriously (Cooklin, 2013).

Giving children and young people accurate, age appropriate information about mental health problems can address any misconceptions or fears they may have and can give them the language to express themselves (Grove, Reupert and Maybery, 2015).

Allowing children and young people distance from their parent or carer's emotions and behaviours can enable them to develop their own thinking and emotions (Cooklin, 2013).

Explaining a parent or carer's mental health difficulties can be a platform for wider discussions about relationships and emotions in general.

Educating children about parental mental health problems can have a number of benefits including:

increasing the child's resilience

challenging the child's misconceptions about mental health

increasing the child's understanding and empathy for their parent or carer

improving communications between the parent or carer and child (Grove, Reupert and Maybery, 2015; Wolpert et al, 2015).

Speaking out

It's vital to build safe and trusting relationships with children so they can speak out about any problems they are experiencing. This involves teaching children what abuse is and how they can get help.

Our Speak out Stay safe service for schools helps children understand abuse in all its forms and know how to protect themselves.
> Find out more about Speak out Stay safe
Family support

Family members can be reluctant to discuss mental health with each other. Lack of communication can result in misunderstandings and may make children feel worried or alone.

Interventions which encourage families to communicate with each other can help everyone understand the impact of the mental health problems (Grove, Reupert and Maybery, 2015).

Families can benefit from meeting and sharing experiences with other families. This can:

prevent relapses

reduce feelings of isolation and stigma

offer positive ways to interact with each other

support more open discussion about mental health across the wider family (Wolpert et al, 2015).

Some interventions help family members to design and implement 'staying well' plans. This could include:

sign-posting to other helpful services

setting goals

developing problem solving skills

offering advice on managing stress

recognising the early signs of a relapse

(Gatsou et al, 2017).

Monitoring progress

Practitioners must maintain a focus on the wellbeing of the child. They should monitor and review children's progress throughout the period of intervention and respond appropriately.

Legislation, strategy and guidance

Legislation, strategy and guidance

Key legislation

In England and Wales, the Mental Health Act 1983 sets out the assessment, treatment and rights of people who have a mental health issue.

The Mental Capacity Act 2005 sets out a framework for acting on behalf of adults who are unable to make decisions about their own wellbeing.

In Northern Ireland, the Mental Health (Northern Ireland) Order 1986 sets out the assessment, care, treatment and rights of people who have mental health issues.

In Scotland, the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 sets out the care, treatment and rights of people who have a 'mental disorder'.

The Mental Health (Scotland) Act 2015 extends independent advocacy rights, services and accommodation to mothers who have mental health issues.

In Wales, the Mental Health (Wales) Measure 2010 provides for primary and secondary mental health services and independent advocacy across Wales.

Strategy

Public Health England (PHE) has developed a Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) toolkit to help health and wellbeing boards understand local needs and assess services (PHE, 2019a). Chapter six of the toolkit covers working age adults and asks health boards to consider how parental mental health might affect children (PHE, 2019ba).

In Northern Ireland, the Department of Health has published a mental health action plan (Department of Health, 2021).

In Scotland, the Government has published a Mental health strategy 2017-2027 (Scottish Government, 2017).

In Wales, the Government's strategy for mental health and wellbeing outlines plans to improve family, parenting and/or caring relationships, which includes parental mental health (Welsh Government, 2012). The mental health delivery plan 2012-2022 sets out how the strategy will be delivered (Welsh Government, 2020).

Guidance

In Northern Ireland, the Department of Health has published guidance on the assessment and management of risk in mental health and learning disability services. It shares principles of best practice for mental health and learning disability care professionals on assessing and managing the risk of service users to themselves or others (Department of Health, 2012).

The Department of Health's report on preventing harm to children from parents with mental health needs sets out actions for adult mental health services to help keep children safe (Department of Health, 2016).

In Wales, the Government has published guidance for practitioners on engaging with and providing support for parents to enhance their child's development, care and wellbeing. It includes a section on providing support to parents with mental health needs (Welsh Government, 2019a).

The Welsh Government's local mental health support services guidance sets out how local health boards can improve access to mental health care and support for individuals, including parents (Welsh Government, 2011).

The Welsh Government's code of practice on the Mental Health Act 1983 sets out how professionals should treat mental health issues and provide information to patient's families and carers. It includes best practice guidance on communicating and consulting with a child about their parent's mental health (Welsh Government, 2016).

Perinatal mental health

There is specific guidance for professionals on supporting parents' mental health during the perinatal period (during pregnancy and the first year after birth).

In England, chapter four of Public Health England (PHE)'s Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) toolkit (PHE, 2019a) covers perinatal mental health (PHE, 2019c). It aims to help health and wellbeing boards understand local needs and assess services.

PHE has published guidance for local maternity systems on supporting good parental mental health (PDF) (PHE, 2021a).

PHE has also published guidance for health visitors on supporting maternal and family mental health (PHE, 2021b).

In Scotland, the Government has published a delivery plan for perinatal and infant mental health 2020-2021. It sets out 10 pledges that have been developed with women who have experienced perinatal mental illness (Scottish Government, 2020).

The Scottish Government has published an action plan for peer support in perinatal mental health services for 2020-2023 (Scottish Government, 2021).

The Scottish Government has also published a strategy to improve perinatal mental health services for women with perinatal mental health issues, their children, partners and families (Scottish Government, 2019).

In Wales, the Government's maternity services strategy 2019-2024 includes an action to improve parental and infant wellbeing and mental health, and improve perinatal mental health care (Welsh Government, 2019b).

The Welsh Government has also published guidance on the Flying Start health programme. This includes information on assessing a parent's social, emotional and physical wellbeing and supporting mental health during the perinatal period (Welsh Government, 2017).

References and resources

References and resources

Cleaver, H., Unell, I. and Aldgate, J. (2011) Children's needs: parenting capacity: child abuse: parental mental illness, learning disability, substance misuse, and domestic violence (PDF). London: The Stationery Office (TSO).

Cooklin, A. (2013) Promoting children's resilience to parental mental illness: engaging the child's thinking. Advances in psychiatric treatment, 19: 229-240.

Department of Health (2021) Mental health action plan. [Accessed 18/06/2021].

Department of Health (2016) Rapid response report: preventing harm to children from parents with mental health needs. [Accessed 18/06/2021].

Department of Health (2012) Promoting quality care: good practice guidance on the assessment and management of risk in mental health and learning disability. [Accessed 18/06/2021].

Foster, K. et al. (2016) Outcomes of the ON FIRE peer support programme for children and adolescents in families with mental health problems. Child and family social work, 21: 295-306.

Gajos, J.M. and Beaver, K.M. (2017) Maternal depression and risk for antisocial behaviour in children. Child and family social work, 22(1): 349-363.

Gatsou, L. et al. (2017) The challenges presented by parental mental illness and the potential of a whole-family intervention to improve outcomes for families. Child and family social work, 22(1): 388-397.

Grove, C., Reupert, A. and Maybery, D. (2015) Gaining knowledge about parental mental illness: how does it empower children? Child and family social work, 20(4): 377-386.

Hogg, S. (2013) Prevention in mind: All Babies Count: spotlight on perinatal mental health. [London]: NSPCC.

Public Health England (PHE) (2021a) Maternity high impact area: supporting good parental mental health (PDF). London: Public Health England.

Public Health England (PHE) (2021b) Early years high impact area 2: Supporting maternal and family mental health. [Accessed 18/06/2021].

Public Health England (PHE) (2019a) Mental health and wellbeing: JSNA toolkit. [Accessed 22/06/2021].

Public Health England (PHE) (2019b) 6. Working age adults. [Accessed 18/06/2021].

Public Health England (PHE) (2019c) 4. Perinatal mental health. [Accessed 18/06/2021].

Royal College of Psychiatrists (2011) Parents as patients: supporting the needs of patients who are parents and their children. [Accessed 15/06/2021].

Scottish Government (2021) Perinatal mental health - peer support: action plan - 2020 to 2023. [Accessed 18/06/2021].

Scottish Government (2020) Perinatal and infant mental health programme board 2020-2021: delivery plan. [Accessed 18/06/2021].

Scottish Government (2019) Perinatal mental health services: needs assessment and recommendations. [Accessed 18/06/2021].

Scottish Government (2017) Mental health strategy 2017-2027. [Accessed 18/06/2021].

Welsh Government (2020) Mental health delivery plan 2019 to 2022. [Accessed 18/06/2021].

Welsh Government (2019a) Parenting engagement and support: guidance for providers. [Accessed 18/06/2021].

Welsh Government (2019b) Maternity care in Wales: a five year vision for the future. (2019-2024). [Accessed 18/06/2021].

Welsh Government (2017) Flying Start: health programme guidance. [Accessed 18/06/2021].

Welsh Government (2016) Mental Health Act 1983: code of practice. [Accessed 18/06/2021].

Welsh Government (2012) Together for mental health: a strategy for mental health and wellbeing in Wales. [Accessed 18/06/2021].

Welsh Government (2011) National service model for local primary mental health support services. [Accessed 18/06/2021].

Wolpert, M.et al. (2015) An exploration of the experience of attending the Kidstime programme for children with parents with enduring mental health issues: parents' and young people's views. Clinical child psychology and psychiatry, 20(3): 406-418.

Childline

If a child or young person needs confidential help and advice direct them to Childline. Calls to 0800 1111 are free and children can also read about contact Childline online or supporting a family member with a mental health issue on the Childline website. You can also download or order Childline posters and wallet cards.

Related resources

Read our briefing on the learning from case reviews about parents with a mental health problem.
> See our research and resources on mental health
Further reading

For further reading about parental mental health, search the NSPCC Library catalogue using the keywords "mental health"; "mental health problems"; "parents with a mental health problem".
> Find out more about the Library and Information Service

Introduction

Many parents with mental health problems are able to give their children safe and loving care, without their children being negatively affected in any way. But sometimes, parents with mental health problems need support from family members, friends, neighbours and/or professionals, to help them care for their children.

We're using the term 'parental mental health problems' to mean that a parent or carer has a diagnosable mental health condition. This can include:

depression

anxiety disorders

schizophrenia

bipolar disorder

personality disorders.

Mental health problems can vary in severity and impact differently on people's day to day lives. This depends on parents' individual circumstances and the support they receive.

Parental mental health problems might occur alongside other stressful life experiences.

Challenges may arise as a result of the condition, contribute to the condition developing, or make it worse. For example if a parent is experiencing financial problems, this can negatively affect their mental health. And if the parent becomes unable to work due to their mental health, this can exacerbate their financial problems.

Coping with lots of challenges at once can make it difficult for parents to provide their children with the care that they need.

We've put together some information to help you recognise when parents with mental health problems need help to care for their children and how to provide appropriate support. This includes:

the impact of parental mental health problems on family life

signs that a child or their family might need support

carrying out assessments with families where parents have a mental health problem

providing appropriate and effective support

a summary of the relevant legislation and guidance from across the UK.

Impact of parental mental health problems

Many parents with mental health problems are able to manage their condition and minimise its impact on their children, particularly if they are able to access appropriate support. But sometimes it does affect their ability to cope with family life.

Parental mental health problems may affect children differently according to the severity and type of mental health condition, the child's age and stage of development, and the child's personality.

Coping with challenges

Some parents experience mental health problems along with other challenges such as:

divorce or separation

unemployment

financial hardship

poor housing

discrimination

a lack of social support

domestic abuse

substance misuse.

If they are facing several challenges at once, it can be very hard for parents to provide their children with safe and loving care, particularly if they are isolated or aren't getting the support they need (Cleaver, Unell and Aldgate, 2011; Gatsou et al, 2017; Grove, Reupert and Maybery, 2015; Hogg, 2013; Wolpert et al, 2015).

Research has found there is a greater risk to children's safety if parents with mental health problems are also experiencing domestic abuse or substance misuse (Cleaver, Unell and Aldgate, 2011).

Caring for children

Some parents and carers with mental health problems may need support to cope with the routines of daily life, such as housework, mealtimes, bedtimes, taking children to school, and taking children to medical and dental appointments.

They may also find it more difficult to:

control their mood and emotions around their children

recognise and respond to children's physical and emotional needs

engage socially with their children

set and maintain safe and appropriate boundaries and manage their children's behaviour.

If parents don't get the support they need from family, friends, neighbours and/or professionals, these challenges may escalate. In extreme cases, children may experience abuse and/or neglect.

Babies and younger children

Babies and young children rely on their parents and carers to give them the warm, nurturing care they need to grow.

If parents experience mental health problems in pregnancy or the first year of a baby's life, this can affect the way they are able to bond with and care for their child. This can have an impact on the child's intellectual, emotional, social and psychological development (Gajos and Beaver, 2017; Hogg, 2013).

This means it's important that practitioners are able to recognise if a new parent or carer is struggling with their mental health and help them access appropriate support.

Children's wellbeing

Many children whose parents have a mental health problem do not experience any negative effects. But if parents are not getting the right support to care for their family, this can have an impact on their children's wellbeing.

Signs that a child might need extra support include:

being worried about their parent or carer's condition

taking on a caring role for parents and other family members

putting the needs of their family above their own

having negative feelings about their parent's condition

finding it hard to make friends, feeling isolated or being bullied

not feeling able to talk to their parents or another trusted adult about their worries.

"My parents aren't having a good time. They both have mental health problems and anger issues. They are so aggressive and spark each other off.  I have been scared about something bad happening for a while. My parents don't seem to care about how much seeing them like this upsets me. I don't feel like I can talk to anyone about this. It feels like there is no solution to this situation and I am going to have to just deal with it and carry on hoping things will get better."
Childline counselling session with a girl aged 12
If a parent has severe mental health problems, children may have to cope with frightening and upsetting situations such as:

being separated from their parents, either because parents need to go into hospital and/or because the child is taken into care

a parent attempting to take their own life

a parent displaying extremely volatile behaviour.

If these things happen, it's important to consider how this has affected the wellbeing of everyone in the family and what support can be put in place.

Stigma

Sometimes families experience stigma related to mental health problems. This can make it harder for parents and their children to socialise, speak out and ask for support.

Parents and their families may experience discrimination from others, and this may be displayed consciously or unconsciously. For example, parents might find it harder to get work or access support services. Some children whose parents have mental health problems report being bullied.

Professionals have an important role to play in raising awareness about mental health problems, taking action to tackle discrimination and making sure families get the support they need.

Risk and vulnerability factors

All families experience challenges from time to time. This doesn't necessarily mean children are at greater risk of abuse. But when problems mount up, it can be more difficult for parents to cope - particularly if they are isolated or lack support.

The risks to children are greater when parental mental health problems exist alongside domestic abuse and parental substance misuse (Cleaver, Unell and Aldgate, 2011).

Responding

Responding

Reporting

If you think a child is in immediate danger, contact the police on 999. If have concerns that a child may not be receiving the care they need but they are not in immediate danger, you should share your concerns.

Follow your organisational child protection procedures. Organisations that work with children and families must have safeguarding policies and procedures in place.

Contact the NSPCC Helpline on 0808 800 5000 or by emailing help@nspcc.org.uk. Our trained professionals will talk through your concerns with you and give you expert advice.

Contact your local child protection services. Their contact details can be found on the website for the local authority the child lives in.

Contact the police.

Services will risk assess the situation and take action to protect the child as appropriate either through statutory involvement or other support. This may include making a referral to the local authority.
> See our information about recognising and responding to abuse
Assessment

The impact of parental mental health problems varies according to the nature of each parent's condition, their child's health and stage of development, and relationships with other family members.

Practitioners should assess whether a parent or carer's mental health problems pose a risk to their child's safety and wellbeing, and whether these risks can be mitigated with appropriate support. You should also consider whether there are any protective factors which will increase the family's overall resilience, for example if the parent or carer is already receiving effective support from mental health services.

You should carry out a holistic assessment which takes into account:

the child's wellbeing and development

the child's thoughts and feelings

the impact of every day parenting on the parent or carer's mental health

the parent or carer's ability to meet the child's needs

whether the child has taken on a caring role

the parent or carer's background, medical history and current circumstances

the parent's thoughts and feelings about caring for their child

the views of colleagues from other agencies who are involved with the family, such as teachers

whether the parent or carer has support from another parent or relative, or if they are coping with parenting alone.

You should also consider broader factors that might make it harder for the parent or carer to cope. These include:

substance misuse

domestic abuse

financial hardship

housing problems

relationship problems

social isolation.

Always take threats of suicide or threats to kill a partner or child seriously and take immediate action to keep children safe.

Protective factors

Factors which can help reduce the risk to children's wellbeing include:

parents and carers who acknowledge their difficulties and are willing to accept support from services

friends or relatives who are able to care for children and help with household chores when needed

families receiving support for other challenges, such as income support, benefits and housing advice

families receiving additional support from other professionals who can also monitor the situation and share concerns if necessary, for example teachers

children having a trusted adult they are able to ask for help when needed

wider community support such as young carer's projects (Cleaver, Unell and Aldgate, 2011).

Supporting children and families

Supporting children and families

Early help

It's vital to identify parental mental health problems as soon as they emerge and provide families with appropriate support.

NSPCC services which provide early support include:

Supports parents who are at risk of, or are experiencing mild to moderate anxiety and depression during pregnancy and the first year after birth.
> Find out more about Pregnancy in Mind

Prioritising children's needs

Anyone working with parents or carers who have mental health problems must maintain a focus on their children's wellbeing.

Advocacy and mentoring

Children should be given access to a mentor and/or advocate who they can talk to about their parent or carer's mental health and who can help make their views heard.

Children need someone they can contact for support if they need to, especially if there is an emergency.

Be aware that children may be wary about being offered therapy or counselling. Depending on their parents' experiences, they may have negative associations with this kind of support. They may also have fears about developing mental health problems themselves, and think that being referred to a counsellor is a sign of mental illness (Cooklin, 2013).

Peer support

Children whose parents have mental health problems should have the chance to interact with other children in similar situations. This allows them to both offer and receive support. Successful peer support networks can have a positive impact on children's wellbeing and resilience by:

increasing self-esteem

improving understanding of parental mental health issues

teaching communication and coping skills (Foster, 2016).

Many children and young people use Childline's peer support message boards to express their feelings, talk about their experiences and share advice with others.

Empowering children

Children and young people should play a positive role in, and contribute to decisions about, their parent or carer's care (Royal College of Psychiatrists, 2011).

Children want to be involved in interventions to support their parents, and they want their views to be taken seriously (Cooklin, 2013).

Giving children and young people accurate, age appropriate information about mental health problems can address any misconceptions or fears they may have and can give them the language to express themselves (Grove, Reupert and Maybery, 2015).

Allowing children and young people distance from their parent or carer's emotions and behaviours can enable them to develop their own thinking and emotions (Cooklin, 2013).

Explaining a parent or carer's mental health difficulties can be a platform for wider discussions about relationships and emotions in general.

Educating children about parental mental health problems can have a number of benefits including:

increasing the child's resilience

challenging the child's misconceptions about mental health

increasing the child's understanding and empathy for their parent or carer

improving communications between the parent or carer and child (Grove, Reupert and Maybery, 2015; Wolpert et al, 2015).

Speaking out

It's vital to build safe and trusting relationships with children so they can speak out about any problems they are experiencing. This involves teaching children what abuse is and how they can get help.

Our Speak out Stay safe service for schools helps children understand abuse in all its forms and know how to protect themselves.
> Find out more about Speak out Stay safe
Family support

Family members can be reluctant to discuss mental health with each other. Lack of communication can result in misunderstandings and may make children feel worried or alone.

Interventions which encourage families to communicate with each other can help everyone understand the impact of the mental health problems (Grove, Reupert and Maybery, 2015).

Families can benefit from meeting and sharing experiences with other families. This can:

prevent relapses

reduce feelings of isolation and stigma

offer positive ways to interact with each other

support more open discussion about mental health across the wider family (Wolpert et al, 2015).

Some interventions help family members to design and implement 'staying well' plans. This could include:

sign-posting to other helpful services

setting goals

developing problem solving skills

offering advice on managing stress

recognising the early signs of a relapse

(Gatsou et al, 2017).

Monitoring progress

Practitioners must maintain a focus on the wellbeing of the child. They should monitor and review children's progress throughout the period of intervention and respond appropriately.

Legislation, strategy and guidance

Legislation, strategy and guidance

Key legislation

In England and Wales, the Mental Health Act 1983 sets out the assessment, treatment and rights of people who have a mental health issue.

The Mental Capacity Act 2005 sets out a framework for acting on behalf of adults who are unable to make decisions about their own wellbeing.

In Northern Ireland, the Mental Health (Northern Ireland) Order 1986 sets out the assessment, care, treatment and rights of people who have mental health issues.

In Scotland, the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 sets out the care, treatment and rights of people who have a 'mental disorder'.

The Mental Health (Scotland) Act 2015 extends independent advocacy rights, services and accommodation to mothers who have mental health issues.

In Wales, the Mental Health (Wales) Measure 2010 provides for primary and secondary mental health services and independent advocacy across Wales.

Strategy

Public Health England (PHE) has developed a Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) toolkit to help health and wellbeing boards understand local needs and assess services (PHE, 2019a). Chapter six of the toolkit covers working age adults and asks health boards to consider how parental mental health might affect children (PHE, 2019ba).

In Northern Ireland, the Department of Health has published a mental health action plan (Department of Health, 2021).

In Scotland, the Government has published a Mental health strategy 2017-2027 (Scottish Government, 2017).

In Wales, the Government's strategy for mental health and wellbeing outlines plans to improve family, parenting and/or caring relationships, which includes parental mental health (Welsh Government, 2012). The mental health delivery plan 2012-2022 sets out how the strategy will be delivered (Welsh Government, 2020).

Guidance

In Northern Ireland, the Department of Health has published guidance on the assessment and management of risk in mental health and learning disability services. It shares principles of best practice for mental health and learning disability care professionals on assessing and managing the risk of service users to themselves or others (Department of Health, 2012).

The Department of Health's report on preventing harm to children from parents with mental health needs sets out actions for adult mental health services to help keep children safe (Department of Health, 2016).

In Wales, the Government has published guidance for practitioners on engaging with and providing support for parents to enhance their child's development, care and wellbeing. It includes a section on providing support to parents with mental health needs (Welsh Government, 2019a).

The Welsh Government's local mental health support services guidance sets out how local health boards can improve access to mental health care and support for individuals, including parents (Welsh Government, 2011).

The Welsh Government's code of practice on the Mental Health Act 1983 sets out how professionals should treat mental health issues and provide information to patient's families and carers. It includes best practice guidance on communicating and consulting with a child about their parent's mental health (Welsh Government, 2016).

Perinatal mental health

There is specific guidance for professionals on supporting parents' mental health during the perinatal period (during pregnancy and the first year after birth).

In England, chapter four of Public Health England (PHE)'s Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) toolkit (PHE, 2019a) covers perinatal mental health (PHE, 2019c). It aims to help health and wellbeing boards understand local needs and assess services.

PHE has published guidance for local maternity systems on supporting good parental mental health (PDF) (PHE, 2021a).

PHE has also published guidance for health visitors on supporting maternal and family mental health (PHE, 2021b).

In Scotland, the Government has published a delivery plan for perinatal and infant mental health 2020-2021. It sets out 10 pledges that have been developed with women who have experienced perinatal mental illness (Scottish Government, 2020).

The Scottish Government has published an action plan for peer support in perinatal mental health services for 2020-2023 (Scottish Government, 2021).

The Scottish Government has also published a strategy to improve perinatal mental health services for women with perinatal mental health issues, their children, partners and families (Scottish Government, 2019).

In Wales, the Government's maternity services strategy 2019-2024 includes an action to improve parental and infant wellbeing and mental health, and improve perinatal mental health care (Welsh Government, 2019b).

The Welsh Government has also published guidance on the Flying Start health programme. This includes information on assessing a parent's social, emotional and physical wellbeing and supporting mental health during the perinatal period (Welsh Government, 2017).

References and resources

References and resources

Cleaver, H., Unell, I. and Aldgate, J. (2011) Children's needs: parenting capacity: child abuse: parental mental illness, learning disability, substance misuse, and domestic violence (PDF). London: The Stationery Office (TSO).

Cooklin, A. (2013) Promoting children's resilience to parental mental illness: engaging the child's thinking. Advances in psychiatric treatment, 19: 229-240.

Department of Health (2021) Mental health action plan. [Accessed 18/06/2021].

Department of Health (2016) Rapid response report: preventing harm to children from parents with mental health needs. [Accessed 18/06/2021].

Department of Health (2012) Promoting quality care: good practice guidance on the assessment and management of risk in mental health and learning disability. [Accessed 18/06/2021].

Foster, K. et al. (2016) Outcomes of the ON FIRE peer support programme for children and adolescents in families with mental health problems. Child and family social work, 21: 295-306.

Gajos, J.M. and Beaver, K.M. (2017) Maternal depression and risk for antisocial behaviour in children. Child and family social work, 22(1): 349-363.

Gatsou, L. et al. (2017) The challenges presented by parental mental illness and the potential of a whole-family intervention to improve outcomes for families. Child and family social work, 22(1): 388-397.

Grove, C., Reupert, A. and Maybery, D. (2015) Gaining knowledge about parental mental illness: how does it empower children? Child and family social work, 20(4): 377-386.

Hogg, S. (2013) Prevention in mind: All Babies Count: spotlight on perinatal mental health. [London]: NSPCC.

Public Health England (PHE) (2021a) Maternity high impact area: supporting good parental mental health (PDF). London: Public Health England.

Public Health England (PHE) (2021b) Early years high impact area 2: Supporting maternal and family mental health. [Accessed 18/06/2021].

Public Health England (PHE) (2019a) Mental health and wellbeing: JSNA toolkit. [Accessed 22/06/2021].

Public Health England (PHE) (2019b) 6. Working age adults. [Accessed 18/06/2021].

Public Health England (PHE) (2019c) 4. Perinatal mental health. [Accessed 18/06/2021].

Royal College of Psychiatrists (2011) Parents as patients: supporting the needs of patients who are parents and their children. [Accessed 15/06/2021].

Scottish Government (2021) Perinatal mental health - peer support: action plan - 2020 to 2023. [Accessed 18/06/2021].

Scottish Government (2020) Perinatal and infant mental health programme board 2020-2021: delivery plan. [Accessed 18/06/2021].

Scottish Government (2019) Perinatal mental health services: needs assessment and recommendations. [Accessed 18/06/2021].

Scottish Government (2017) Mental health strategy 2017-2027. [Accessed 18/06/2021].

Welsh Government (2020) Mental health delivery plan 2019 to 2022. [Accessed 18/06/2021].

Welsh Government (2019a) Parenting engagement and support: guidance for providers. [Accessed 18/06/2021].

Welsh Government (2019b) Maternity care in Wales: a five year vision for the future. (2019-2024). [Accessed 18/06/2021].

Welsh Government (2017) Flying Start: health programme guidance. [Accessed 18/06/2021].

Welsh Government (2016) Mental Health Act 1983: code of practice. [Accessed 18/06/2021].

Welsh Government (2012) Together for mental health: a strategy for mental health and wellbeing in Wales. [Accessed 18/06/2021].

Welsh Government (2011) National service model for local primary mental health support services. [Accessed 18/06/2021].

Wolpert, M.et al. (2015) An exploration of the experience of attending the Kidstime programme for children with parents with enduring mental health issues: parents' and young people's views. Clinical child psychology and psychiatry, 20(3): 406-418.

Childline

If a child or young person needs confidential help and advice direct them to Childline. Calls to 0800 1111 are free and children can also read about contact Childline online or supporting a family member with a mental health issue on the Childline website. You can also download or order Childline posters and wallet cards.

Related resources

Read our briefing on the learning from case reviews about parents with a mental health problem.
> See our research and resources on mental health
Further reading

For further reading about parental mental health, search the NSPCC Library catalogue using the keywords "mental health"; "mental health problems"; "parents with a mental health problem".
> Find out more about the Library and Information Service

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impact on children of parental mental health

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Parental mental health problems | NSPCC Learning

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
How the mental health of parents and carers can impact on a child's wellbeing. Find out what works to support families where one or more parents or carers have a mental health problem.