The acceptability of a single session family focused approach for children/young people and their parents attending a child and youth mental health service

ABSTRACT

Objective: This pilot study contributes to the parenting intervention literature by considering the acceptability of a single session, family focused approach using The Family Model in families with two generations of mental ill health attending a child-oriented mental health service. The Family Model provides clinicians with a visual diagram to support a semi-structured conversation between family members with the aim of developing a shared care plan. Service user and clinician experience regarding the acceptability of this intervention is provided.

Method: Self-report questionnaire feedback was used to ascertain parent, child/young person and clinician experience following a single session using The Family Model. Feedback was analysed and organised into thematically similar categories and summarised.

Results: Of the 43 family members involved, 32 provided feedback. Of the 12 clinicians, 6 provided feedback. Overall experience appeared positive. Key themes reported by family members included improvement in general communication and better shared understanding of the parent and child/young person’s predicament. Clinicians reported utility in developing a relational understanding of the problem and a family focused care plan.

Discussion: Preliminary data indicate the acceptability of this single session intervention using The Family Model in a small sample of service users and clinicians in a public sector mental health setting. Further work is required to demonstrate feasibility and clinical utility in larger samples and different settings.

KEYWORDS:

• Children of parents with a mental illness
• families
• parenting
• consumers
• single session
• the family model

Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the participation and feedback of the families, and the clinical and governance contributions of the staff of RNSH CYMHS.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

ORCID

Benjamin Hoadley http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8612-7808