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Young carers, young victims or young survivors? . Seeing parental mental illness through the eyes of children and young people Alan Cooklin. 1999 – Merseyside Young Carers. “…then the worst thing was when the mental health services got involved…”
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Young carers, young victims or young survivors? Seeing parental mental illnessthrough the eyes of children and young people Alan Cooklin
1999 – Merseyside Young Carers • “…then the worst thing was when the mental health services got involved…” • How can we change that experience for children and young people ?
The Complaint • No explanation • (Worse still) No request for information or opinions from the child
The Need - as expressed by children and young people • To have a frank discussion about their parent’s illness. • To know that there is an adult who will act as their advocate. ..many other expressed, and predictable needs can both be seen under this umbrella, and can be responded to if the above are adequately provided. • …….Video 1.
And to meet the complaint, the explanations need to take account of what the children and young people may uniquely know themselves:
Children and Young People may know more… • Indicators of relapse: Video 2
‘’91% Unsuppported….!’ – recent news headline • National Young Carers Initiative – of the Children’s Society – report knowledge of 302 projects in UK, caring for 50-100 young people (including those on waiting lists). • Estimates 15,000 to 30,000 children and young people in Uk receiving some form of support.
Projects and estimates of need are for all ‘Young Carers’, including physical and mental disabilities in parents. • 170,000 Young Carers in England and Wales estimated by Aldridge and Becker, of which overall approx. one third re. a parent with mental illness. • Up to 1,000,000 children may be significantly affected by parental mental illness
A Dialectical explanation of mental illness • Needs to be ‘technical’ – but does not imply that illness has only biological origins • Needs to be ‘2-way’ – both to juxtapose child’s understanding with what is ‘known’, and • To debate the different perspectives • Video 5: Nathan’s last word.
A ‘dialectical’ explanation of Parental Mental Illness as the medium of work with children and their parents • Engages the child’s competence • Provides a medium which can connect child, parents and professionals • Avoids dangers of patronisation
