Child protection and mental health services: Interprofessional responses to the needs of mothers

Description

Health and social care professionals are constantly exhorted to work collaboratively. This book reports on research which examines interprofessional work with families in which mothers have a mental health problem and where there are also concerns about child protection. Breakdowns in interprofessional co-ordination, issues of risk, and mothers' evaluations of professional input are all addressed. Service users' views are also included providing a valuable and significant alternative to professional perspectives. "Child protection and mental health services": reports on a survey of 500 practitioners working in health; the social services and the voluntary sector; presents data from in-depth interviews with mothers with severe mental health problems; identifies weaknesses in interprofessional co-ordination in this area of work; and suggests a new model for work with families where mental health problems and child protection concerns co-exist. The book should be stimulating reading for all those involved in mental health or child protection work with families. Practitioners, managers and policy makers as well as students on health and social work programmes of study will find much of interest here.

Nicky Stanley is a Senior Lecturer in Social Work at the University of Hull. Bridget Penhale is a Lecturer in Social Work at the University of Hull. Dr Denise Riordan is a Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, formerly working at Nothumbria Healthcare NHS Trust, currently at the Children's Hospital Sydney. Professor Rosaline S. Barbour is Chair of Health and Social Care at the University of Dundee. Sue Holden is a Research Associate at the Institute of Learning, University of Hull.

"This is a book that policy makers ought to read." Community Care "This is a useful study, clearly written, and the book will be helpful to both health and childcare workers, especially those with a responsibility for planning services." Child Abuse Review "... of much interest to all those involved in child protection or mental health work with families." ChildRight "... will be of value to practitioners, students and teachers for its clarity in examining a very important issue. It does what it sets out to do and can spark off debate about the challenge that still confronts us in creating responsive and integrated services." Child and Family Social Work