Mental illness and parenthood: being a parent in secure psychiatric care

Criminal Behaviour and Mental Health : CBMH
Fiona R ParrottJanet Parrott

Abstract

Research into parenting and mental illness seldom includes forensic mental health service users, despite its relevance to therapeutic, family work and risk management. This study aimed to understand the experiences of parents and the variety of parenting roles maintained during admission to a secure forensic hospital. Narrative interviews with 18 parents (eight mothers and 10 fathers) at an English medium security hospital were analysed thematically, using the framework approach. The proportion of patients who are parents and their contact patterns with their children were estimated from records. About a quarter of men and 38% of women were parents. Parenthood was of central importance to their emotional life, spanning experiences of loss, shame and failed expectations, joy, responsibility and hope. Fewer fathers maintained contact with their children than mothers yet fatherhood remained a vital aspect of men's identities, with impact on their self-esteem. Parenting during lengthy admissions - while constrained and dependent on professional support and surveillance - ranged from sending gifts and money to visits and phone calls. Offending was seen as a particularly shameful aspect of admission, contributing to distancing from t...Continue Reading

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Citations

Oct 24, 2019·International Journal of Mental Health Nursing·Lisa MarklundSebastian Gabrielsson
Sep 17, 2019·International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology·Anouk Mertens, Freya Vander Laenen
Jul 2, 2019·Journal of Mental Health·Renske Claasje VisserFiona Houben
Mar 20, 2018·International Journal of Law and Psychiatry·Jack TomlinBirgit Völlm

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