Parental mental ill health and substance misuse are factors that can have a negative impact on parenting capacity and often co-exist. Children and young people may be adversely affected by their parent's mental ill health or substance misuse but may also experience difficulties themselves with mental ill health and substance misuse.
Many parents experience some difficulties regarding their mental wellbeing and these can range from mild difficulties to significant mental illness. For most, this will not affect their ability to care for their child. For some, however, their mental ill health may be serious enough to negatively affect their parenting so that the child’s welfare is compromised.
Adult mental health services in Camden are delivered by the Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust.
For details on joint working with mental health where parents are receiving a service or to refer parents for a service, please see the CSFH/adult mental health services joint protocol. Childrens Services And Adult Mental Health Joint Working Protocol 2023
For guidance on making decisions about whether it is appropriate for a child to visit a parent who is a mental health in-patient please see the Visiting of children to inpatient psychiatric settings guidance.