Parents admitted to psychiatric hospitals often face the emotional challenge of being separated from their children. Now, researchers from the University of Surrey, University of Sussex and Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (SPFT) have developed a new programme to help parents maintain their bond with their children, while receiving care.
The programme, the first of its kind in the UK, was created with input from parents, caregivers and hospital staff to address the critical gap in mental health services.
Funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Applied Research Collaboration Kent, Surrey and Sussex (ARC KSS), the research focuses on supporting parents' unique needs, helping them stay connected to their children and prepare for life after they leave hospital.
"Parents in psychiatric care often feel their role as a parent is overlooked, says lead research, Dr Abby Dunn from the University of Surrey. "This programme gives them the tools to maintain that connection and feel more confident in their parenting."
The programme is made up of five session that provide parents with practical skills and emotional support. Topics include managing the challenges of parenting from a hospital, staying in touch with children and preparing for a smooth transition home.
Why it matters
Research shows that up to 45% of UK psychiatric inpatients are parents of dependent children. Yet, their parenting role is often ignored during treatment, adding stress to an already difficult situation. For children having a parent in hospital can lead to disruptions at home, struggles at school and even long-term emotional challenges.
"This programme is about more than just helping parents - it’s about protecting families and giving children a better chance at thriving, despite these challenges, " says Dr Dunn.
Positive feedback and a promising future
Eleven parents participated in initial rollout of the programme with positive feedback. Caregivers and hospital staff have also praised the programme for addressing an important but often overlooked need.
However, the study also highlighted how parents did not feel staff were appropriately engaging with their experiences and needs as a parent and hospital staff also expressed uncertainty about whether parents would want to talk about their parenting experiences.
This led to the development and design of a visual poster by parents to remind staff of the simple actions they can take to help support parents on the ward, including acknowledging they are a parent; being curious; checking in before and after their contact with their children; and dropping any assumptions. This work was supported by a local design agency Chimney Design who provided their service for free. These will now be printed and disseminated across mental health trusts in Kent, Surrey and Sussex for display in inpatient unit ward offices.
Looking Ahead
With promising results, the team hopes this intervention will serve as a model for broader implementation across psychiatric inpatient units. The study sheds light on the importance of co-production in healthcare innovation, to make sure that interventions are not only effective but also meaningful and empowering to the patients they serve.
For more information on the study, visit Frontiers in Psychiatry.
Download a copy of the 'Being a parent is the most important thing to me' poster here.
Download a copy of the lay project summary here.
