Συνέδριο με θέμα "παιδιά γονιών που έχουν Ψυχική νόσο" στην Λιθουανία

THE FORGOTTEN CHILDREN

A major European Conference addressing the subject of Children of parents with a mental illness Vilnius, Lithuania 26 and 27th November 2009 Supported by the World Health Organisation, the scientific backing of the National Institute forHealth and Welfare of Finland (formerly Stakes) and with UNICEF and the European Commission, DG Health and Consumers, as collaborating partners

Due to the mental illness of their parents, these children are put at greater risk of experiencing mental disorders, school and adjustment problems. Furthermore, the family often lives in astigmatising atmosphere.There are many good practices in existence which support the development of these children, butthese are not in widespread use across Europe. This conference aims to publicise more widely the existence of such good practices, especially to mental health policy makers and to promote theiruse in medical, psycho-social, school and NGOs environments. The conference will draw on good practices in fields such as maternity/early infancy, school (detection/prevention), parenthoodtraining, children facing their parents’ illness (understanding, suppressing feeling of guilt, supporting resilience, psycho-social intervention, respite, peer to peer groups). The conference will also examine the children’s protection question - first in its legal framework,then in relation to the professional and family environments. Notwith standing the International Convention on the Rights of the Child, in Europe children ofparents with mental illness come under national laws. The conference will endeavour to analyse the practice of courts and social services in fields such as parental rights, custody, visitation, homesupport, temporary shelter and placement. The conference will address the consequences of thecomplex situation of families who have a member with mental illness - for example, the balancebetween child protection and support of the ill parent. The conference might also expose some ofthe effects of prejudices relating to mental illness.With respect to the professional environment, the conference will strive to identify simple forms ofcooperation between professionals resulting in a better protection of the children who are eitherignored or divided between several agents (interest of adult psychiatry for its patients’ families,dialogue between adult psychiatry and childhood protection services, communication adult psychiatry/school/social services, training combining knowledge in adult psychiatry and child development). The general view is that children are generally best cared for within their own families whenever this is possible. Moreover, many children living with parents who have a mental illness cope reasonably well. The conference will approach the position of the enlarged family andtry to determine the functions it may efficiently assume.The conference will spread the message that there is hope, there are good practices inexistence and there are many different ways of protecting these children. European Federation of Associations of Families of People with Mental Illness Europese Federatie van Verenigingen van Familieden van Psychisch ZiekenFéderation européenne des Associations de Familles de Malades Psychiques.