Overview

Editors: Andrea Reupert and Darryl Maybery

Monash University

This recent special issue is a well researched response to the repeated calls for progress in the evidence and evaluation basis of interventions for children and families where a parent has mental illness.

This important collection of reports brings together a wide range of expertise from Australian and international researchers, clinicians, consumers and carers. It offers some solutions to families with mental illness whilst also highlighting the difficulties encountered when developing a rigorous scientific evidence and evaluation basis when children are involved.

The aim of this collection is to reduce the schism between research, policy and practice and to encourage dialogue between all concerned; to ensure that the voices of all are heard and heeded in working together to advance mental health promotion, prevent mental illness, and foster early intervention approaches to mental health.

The promotion of mental health and prevention of mental illness is a strategic and policy priority in Australia and is reflected in similar directions internationally... To my mind this is a very important journal for mental health. Graham Martin OAM

This is an invaluable resource for researchers, clinicians, policy makers, consumers and carers alike.

Table of Contents

Families where a parent has a mental illness

Guest editors: Andrea Reupert and Darryl Maybery

CONTENTS

Editorial: On managing change - Graham Martin, Editor in Chief

Guest Editorial: Practice, policy and research: Families where a parent has a mental illness - Andrea Reupert and Darryl Maybery (Guest editors)

Guest Editorial: Children aged 0-5 with a parent who has a mental illness: The need for early intervention - Nick Kowalenko

Guest Editorial: Building the evidence base for families living with parental mental illness - Joanne Nicholson

Guest Editorial: A message from Britain: Inquiries into child deaths - will it ever change? - Michael Gopfert

Estimating consumer parenthood within mental health services: a census approach - Deb Howe, Samantha Batchelor and Katarzyna Bochynska

Taking a closer look: A cross-sector audit of families where a parent has a mental illness - Sabin Fernbacher, Melinda Goodyear and John Farhall

Prevention of emotional problems and psychiatric risks in children of parents with a mental illness in the Netherlands: I. The scientific basis to a comprehensive approach - Clemens Hosman, Karin van Doesum and Floor van Santvoort

Prevention of emotional problems and psychiatric risks in children of parents with a mental illness in the Netherlands: II. Interventions - Karin van Doesum and Clemens Hosman

Australian programs and workforce initiatives for children and their families where a parent has a mental illness - Andrea Reupert, Melinda Goodyear, Kylie Eddy, Chris Alliston, Paola Mason, Darryl Maybery and Elizabeth Fudge

The Koping Program: A decade's commitment to enhancing service capacity for children of parents with a mental illness - Sophie Morson, Denisse Best, Nikki de Bondt, Mary Jessop and Thy Meddick

CHAMPS: A peer support program for children of parents with a mental illness - Melinda Goodyear, Rose Cuff, Darryl Maybery and Andrea Reupert

Commentary on consumer and carer participation in a national mental health promotion initiative - Chris Alliston, Cecelia Kluge and Elizabeth Fudge