title: Mentally ill families. When are the children unsafe?
abstract: This article examines the impact of parental mental illness on the behaviour and development of children. Early identification and intervention is crucial; too often the child is not considered, particularly if the parent is not frankly abusive. Supports and aid to parenting may be crucial for mentally ill parents to prevent relapse and promote the child's mental health. General practitioners have a crucial role in this process.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Austin Repatriation Medical Centre.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Buist
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D001315:Australia; D002648:Child; D002669:Child Welfare; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005194:Family Practice / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology*; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology