Citation

Oppenheimer R. Child Abuse Negl. 1981; 5(2): 117-122.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1981, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The need is examined for an adult psychiatric inpatient screening programme to identify, assess and treat emotional and physical trauma to the young children of female psychiatric patients. In a previous study [14] it was found that 28% of adult admissions to a large urban psychiatric hospital were parents of dependent children. Of admissions, 19.6% were mothers and 13% were mothers of preschool children. This paper considers the service implication of these previous findings. Two case examples are given of preschool children, known to psychiatric services, who died. In each case there was lack of assessment, prior to discharge, of mother-child relationship and lack of communication between Health and Social Services and the Primary Care Team. It is suggested that there should be routine training of psychiatrists, mental nurses, social workers and other disciplines in collaborative assessment and treatment of the adult psychiatric patient's role as mother. The lack of this training appears hazardous and detrimental to the needs of the patient. Examples are given of assessment and intervention methods applicable to an adult psychiatric ward setting.