Children of parents with mental illness

Children of parents with mental illness are exposed to high levels of stress and risk factors and are themselves at increased risk of developing mental illness. Although children of parents with mental illness have received greater attention from experts in recent years we are still a long way from providing comprehensive care. Prevention is an important tool for addressing these problems. Its aim is to protect children from risk factors and further consequences as early as possible. For this reason this paper addresses the question: What effects do mental illnesses have on children and to what extent can preventive social work help the children affected? Social work and the educational support it offers can play a supportive role here. However for some of those affected it is more comfortable and sufficient to take advantage of low-threshold services. Prevention projects in particular mentoring programmes can therefore help to improve the situation of the family and especially that of the children.