young carers

Parental mental health : messages from research, policy and practice

This review focuses on one particular aspect of parenting and family life. It is about children living in families where a parent has mental health problems. The aim of this review is to identify – from a range of publications – sources and messages that might help practitioners and managers improve their understanding of the circumstances of children and families living with parental mental health problems, and find responses that have the potential for achieving positive change.

Carers' health: working for a positive future - a one-day conference, the Roxburghe Hotel, Edinburgh, Monday 6th October 2004

Report of the proceedings of a one-day conference which aimed to debate and discuss some of the key issues relating to the health of carers such as the levels of investment from central and local government, available training and the attitudes of health professionals.

Young carers: assessments and services - literature review of identification, needs assessment and service provision for young carers and their families

This literature review examines the ways in which young carers come to the attention of voluntary and statutory agencies, and factors inhibiting identification. It identifies the ways in which young carers’ needs are assessed and it examines approaches to service provision by both statutory and voluntary agencies. The review also identifies approaches that are successful in meeting the social, educational and health needs of young carers.

Whole family pathway

This resource is for practitioners who work to support or may come into contact with young carers. It is not an assessment tool but a "map" for both families and agencies to follow so they can see what choices, what responsibilities and what lines of accountability for services may be available. When using the "Whole Family Pathway", practitioners should refer to the Key Principles of Practice for supporting young carers and their families.

Disabled parents : examining research assumptions

This review seeks to bring a somewhat hidden issue into the light, examining it and considering how the knowledge identified here might influence the future direction of services. Parenting as such has, rightly, gained increasing prominence over the last few years – but the parenting support needs of disabled parents have been largely ignored. This review was developed with two aims in mind. First, to bring together the research literature on disabled parents and, second, to set that research within the context of the policy and practice thinking of its time.