“Just ask me how I am.” Voicing experiences of mental health difficulties and parenting; the impact of communication and kindness

Maynard, Emma, Blake-Holmes, Kate, Bynoe, Sheena, Culpin, Iryna, Williams, Grace Jordan, Hayes, Vicky and Wojtowiczs, Magdalena (2025) “Just ask me how I am.” Voicing experiences of mental health difficulties and parenting; the impact of communication and kindness. Advances in Mental Health. ISSN 1838-7357

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Abstract

Objective: This participatory project focused on families affected by parental mental illness (FaPMI). We sought to understand lived experience and co-produce recommendations for improved responses to family mental health for FaPMI accessing adult mental health and children’s services. Method: We involved six mothers and three young adult children (not related). Three workshops, two with parents (n=6) and one with young adult children (n=3) focused on having or being a parent with a mental illness and receiving support, and recommendations for improving services. Three experts by experience were supported to become co-researchers and share authorship. Findings: Themes of Communication, Judgement and kindness, and Parenting were identified from the workshops data, and reflected a wish for service improvements through interpersonal skills, such as communication and kindness. Feeling judged negatively impacts families’ honesty and engagement with services, such as young people using strategies to shorten professional visits when they do not trust practitioners. Mental health experiences often occur in combination with multiple health issues for family members. Discussion: Our findings illuminate that services parameters compartmentalize individuals as either patient, parent, carer, or child, rather than engaging with whole family systems where individuals inhabit several of these guises. This paper shows a) how this compartmentalisation causes more stress and b) asking about experience might encourage, or dissuade, trust. Findings may be relevant to other patient groups. Conclusion: Demonstrated person-centred communication, kindness, and respect for the primacy of parent-child relationships while avoiding judgement are needed in improving services for FaPMI.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	sdg 3 - good health and well-being ,/dk/atira/pure/sustainabledevelopmentgoals/good_health_and_well_being
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Social Sciences > School of Social Work
UEA Research Groups:	Faculty of Social Sciences > Research Centres > Centre for Research on Children and Families
Depositing User:	LivePure Connector
Date Deposited:	24 Jun 2025 13:30
Last Modified:	24 Jun 2025 13:30
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/99697
DOI:	10.1080/18387357.2025.2517316

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