The Koping Program: A decade’s commitment to enhancing service capacity for children of parents with a mental illness

Abstract

Abstract Children of parents with a mental illness are known to be at heightened risk of experiencing a range of psychosocial difficulties, including the potential development of their own mental health problems. In 1999, the Child and Youth Mental Health Service (CYMHS) of the Royal Children’s Hospital, Children’s Health District, Brisbane, Queensland, established a selective prevention initiative – since known as the Koping Program – to enhance service provision for this priority group. Sustained local resourcing of the program has enabled the achievement of numerous quality outcomes for young people, their families and service providers. These are reviewed according to the eight national Children of Parents with a Mental Illness (COPMI) action areas: promoting wellbeing and reducing risk; support for children and families; addressing grief and loss issues; access to information, education and decision-making; care and protection of children; partnerships and cross-agency processes; workforce development and workforce reorientation; and research and evaluation. Brief commentary is provided on factors underlying success of the Koping Program, along with its limitations and future directions.