Many parents with mental illness will have the capacity, strengths and supports to help their children thrive. However, without the right support, parental mental illness can have long-term impacts on children’s mental health, development and wellbeing.

This course acknowledges the resilience and values of parents with mental illness, while recognising that mental illness can place great stress on the family. It also acknowledges that all practitioners have a key role to play in supporting children, parents and families to function cohesively where there is adversity.

The course guides you through a framework for talking with parents about mental illness. It demonstrates how practitioners in adult-focused services can conduct sensitive and respectful conversations with parents about their mental health, and how it might be affecting their parenting and their children’s social and emotional wellbeing.