Parenting Flashcards
Parenting (mum with bpd)
Practical strategies include:
• Separating parenting from personality disorder: talking to children about personality disorder; shielding children from the symptoms; ensuring children do not take on adult responsibilities; maintaining simple routines at home; setting limits in a positive way; considering the children’s needs and feelings; spending enjoyable time together;
• Developing a Family Crisis Care Plan (see example appended);
• Reinforce role of the parent having treatment;
• Consider need for referral for further specialist intervention.
A variety of approaches can be taken to developing a Family Crisis Care Plan. They tend to be prepared in case children’s legal guardian (mother) is unable to care for them temporarily due to mental illness or hospitalisation. The plan aims to represent the intentions of the legal guardian at the time of creation, and includes who they are to stay with; who can visit / access them and other information like the children’s daily routine (daycare, school, activities, food, bedtime, etc.): things that help settle the children when upset (likes, dislikes, favourite toys or books, etc.); and any health or medical needs; and how the parent would like to keep in touch with their children. Ideally, all legal guardians will be aware of, and in agreement with, this plan.
A better candidate may:
• Provide a more sophisticated approach to encourage positive interactions between parent and child:
o Discuss the attachment bond and how this can be strengthened; o Reflect on the relationship patterns between the parent and child; o Use of mindfulness in interaction with the child;
• Be better at separating out the individual developmental needs of each child.
Family crisis management plan
A family crisis plan should specify:
who to contact on financial matters, such as when mortgage, rent or bills are to be paid
the family’s medical needs, if any
who is to provide child care
who is to perform domestic duties such as cooking, cleaning and pet care.
It should also list the names and contact details of extended family members, carers, friends, general practitioners and/or community workers who can give the family support, and in what capacity that support is to be given.
Care plans for children and babies
Care plans address the needs of children and/or babies in greater detail and minimise disruption to their routines.
Care plans should specify:
names and contact details of immediate family members or legal guardians
medical needs of the children, such as allergies and dietary requirements
family doctor contact
Medicare number
who to contact at school, kindergarten or a day-care centre
arrangements for getting children to and from school
details of out-of-home or extra-curricular activities, such as sport or music lessons and play groups
homework timetable
bath and bed times
baby-sitting contacts or other childcare options
For babies, a care plan should also specify:
a parent’s wishes for the temporary care of their baby
a baby’s feeding condition, whether breast-fed, bottle-fed or taking in solid foods
sleeping routines
vaccination dates and details
activities or routines that keep the parent connected to their baby.
You should advise families to make crisis and/or care plans easily accessible to all family members, carers and friends involved in the direct care of a person with a mental illness.
Crisis and care plans can also be given to other mental health professionals who have direct involvement with the family.
Other support
In conjunction with crisis and care plans, you can provide a practical guide to a range of government and non-government support services, groups and programs designed to assist families and other carers of people with a mental illness.
These include child protection services, planned respite, mutual support and self-help services, legal aid, advocacy groups, financial assistance programs, information resources, education and training centres, housing and accommodation services, and 24-hour helplines.
