Family courts are concerned with children’s welfare, including safety from harm, and so may seek advice from mental health services concerning possible risks to children who are cared for by a mentally ill parent. Psychiatric disorder affects an individu al’s social and psychological functioning. It leads to difficulties in work and family life, including parenting.1 The effects are seen in children’s physical, cognitive, social, emotional, and behavioural development. Effects are mediated primarily through changes in the quality of parenting and family interactions, although environ mental and genetic influences also contribute.2 An assessment of ‘parenting’ can therefore be central to advice provided to the family justice system where a parent is mentally disturbed.
This article provides an overview for such assessments, based on established principles for good practice, maintaining child welfare at centre stage.