Parental mental illness course opens for bookings

Our course leads explain the significance of a new self-study course and answer some commonly asked questions

This week, our new self-study course, Supporting children of parents with a mental illness: a systemic approach, opens for bookings. Produced in partnership with Our Time Charity, the course draws on whole-family and systemic approaches, as well as lived experience testimonials, to provide comprehensive guidance on how to support children and families affected by parental mental illness.

Reflecting on the creation of the course and its importance, Shona Grant, Course Lead and Senior Lecturer at The Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust commented: “As part of the systemic training portfolio at The Tavistock and Portman NHS Trust, I’ve been very grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the development of the course in collaboration with Our Time Charity. This partnership reflects the need for a whole systems approach to achieve the best outcomes, particularly for the one in three children affected by parental mental illness, which remains central to our mission.”

Jade Cormack, Course Lead and Development Manager at Our Time Charity added: “For many young people, growing up with a parent struggling with their mental health can be a difficult and overwhelming experience. It is often isolating, confusing, even frightening. We know that many professionals and volunteers find it daunting to address these children’s needs and offer meaningful support. We wanted to create a practical and engaging training course that empowers anyone working with young people to feel equipped with the tools to help them thrive”.

Still wondering whether the new course is for you? Shona and Jade answered three questions to help you decide: 

What are the aims of this course?

There are five key learning outcomes associated with the course. You’ll be supported to:

1. Examine the short- and long-term impacts of having a parent with a mental illness, including attachment patterns and cognitive and emotional development;
2. Explore ways to help children develop resilience, through a biopsychosocial lens, and including the key principles of multi-family, systemic practice;
3. Use case studies from the National i-THRIVE Programme, and KidsTime interventions to identify barriers to accessing support and strategies to overcome them;
4. Consider how an integrated whole family approach can promote engagement and shared decision-making, empowering children and families to be involved in their care;
5. Critically reflect on your professional practice and implement strategies to enable children and young people to thrive.

Do I need experience in mental health to do the course?

This course is most helpful for any professional or volunteer who works with, or is interested in working directly with, children, young people or families affected by parental mental illness, and you don’t a specialist mental health background. Shona explains more in this short video:

How do I fit the course around a busy schedule?

The course provides six hours of learning, divided into five units which you can go through at your own pace in any location of your choosing. You’ll listen to lived experience testimonials, explore videos and interactive content and consolidate learning through reflective activities and quizzes. We understand that it can be difficult to fit professional development around a busy schedule, so you’ll have a year to complete the course and revisit content.