A mental health condition is a health issue just like any other. However, dealing with mental health conditions can be overwhelming to patients and their loved ones.
Parenting and mental health are deeply connected – for many parents, mental health can impact parenting and parenting can impact mental health.
Circumstances of parents can have a great impact on the immediate emotional and social wellbeing, and the future mental health outcomes for children. Children need age-appropriate education and support to understand and cope with a parent’s mental illness and this can significantly prevent or minimise the impact on them.
GPs, often the first point of contact for family health, play a vital role. By linking parents with the right support services and providing age-appropriate support to children they can help prevent or minimise the impact of parental mental illness on children.
Resources for GPs and other health professionals:
- Emerging Minds
- Emerging Minds – GPs resources
- SWSLHD Family Focused Recovery (formerly Children of Parents with Mental Illness) – phone 9780 2777
- NSW Health Family Focused Recovery Framework
This article appeared in Practice Pulse on Wednesday, 12 November 2025. If you are a GP, practice nurse or practice manager in South Western Sydney and do not get the weekly Practice Pulse email, speak to your Practice Support Officer.
