Invisible families: identification and support for parents admitted to inpatient units

Part of the Child & Adolescent Mental Health Seminar Series

Between 12–25% of adult mental health service users are parents; however, under-identification means the true proportion remains unknown. Clinicians working in inpatient units are the least likely to routinely identify or engage with the parenting role of patients. This is despite well evidenced risks facing children of parents with serious mental illness.

In this seminar, Dr Dunn will present her work examining provision for inpatients with parenting responsibilities including findings from a Freedom of Information study, a co-developed intervention designed to support parents, and an investigation into how family visits to inpatient units are experienced by parents, children, carers and healthcare professionals. 

Dr Abby Dunn is Associate Professor of Psychology and an NIHR Advanced Fellow at the University of Sussex. Her research focuses on the intersection of parenting and mental health. She is currently leading two NIHR projects (>£1m) focused on improving care for parents admitted to psychiatric hospitals and their families. 

This seminar is open to all members of the University of Oxford. If you are not a member of the University but would like to attend, please contact us at oxchildpsych@psych.ox.ac.uk.

Hybrid seminar:
Attend in person at Department of Psychiatry - Seminar Room |  Attend online via Zoom (link here via SSO Login or email oxchildpsych@psych.ox.ac.uk to request the link)