Taking a closer look: A cross-sector audit of families where a parent has a mental illness

Abstract

Abstract A growing number of studies over the past decade have identified the needs of families where a parent has a mental illness (FaPMI) and the responsibility of organisations to provide adequate services to effectively support them. This article describes the development and implementation of a cross-sector audit between mental health and family support services in a catchment area in Melbourne, Australia. The audit gathered information about the number, demographics, supports and potential needs of FaPMI clients and their dependent children (aged 0–18 years). Selected results are presented here. Across ten teams, the audit identified 223 FaPMI clients (including ten shared clients across organisations) with a total of 400 children. The audit provided insight into gaps in knowledge about FaPMI and possibilities for service development for participating agencies.