FAQ – Answered

This is something that parents can find extremely frustrating, and this frustration is justifiable. Confidentiality laws are very strict and mental health professionals must follow them. Your child must agree before you can be involved in, or informed about, their treatment. Have conversations with your child and help them understand why you want, or need, to be informed about their care. If they resist, try to find limited areas where they would be comfortable having you involved. There are forms your child can sign that allow the health care professionals to share information with you. Thankfully, there is an ongoing shift in attitude within the mental health system. Parents are becoming more engaged and are beginning to be recognized as partners in service delivery. This is a gradual process, and one which takes more time for some than others. In the meantime, the law is clear that while mental health professionals cannot answer your questions or share information without your child’s permission, they can and should accept relevant input from you. Consider putting your thoughts or concerns in writing and dropping them off at the service provider’s office. Be aware that the health care professional may choose to share your input with your child.

To be an effective advocate for your child you need to be knowledgeable. You can help educate yourself by: Using the resources here, at pleo.on.ca; Asking for professional help, starting with your family doctor. Always be mindful of your child’s right to privacy and the importance of their trust in you; Joining a peer support group and learning what other parents have done to advocate for their child. You will need to be persistent. Remember that you know your child and that you hold the baseline for what they are like when they are well.

When the issue is mental health, parents often feel that other family members judge them and their child. More than likely your family members, like society in general, have limited or incorrect information about your child or youth’s illness. Ongoing stigma around mental illness has limited our understanding of mental health issues. Fortunately, conversations around mental health are becoming more common and people are becoming more aware. You might want to sit down and explain the situation to your family members. Give them some educational information so they can learn more, and let them know how they can help you.

 As parents, our number one priority is our child’s safety, but the Emergency Department will generally only admit someone if they feel that the risk of harm to the individual or to others is significant. The ER professionals do a suicide risk assessment. Make sure you ask to provide input to the person doing the assessment, so that they are aware of everything that you are seeing – there may be aspects of your child’s thoughts or behaviours that your child does not consider important, or that they prefer to avoid mentioning. Remember that if your child is not admitted, you still have the mobile crisis teams and 911 available should things escalate when you return home. Suicide assessment is not a perfect science, so if you are concerned, stay vigilant and do not hesitate to take additional action if things change. If your child has no current mental health support and is not admitted to the ER when you feel there is a risk of suicide, then be sure to seek out other professional help. The walk-in clinics at both Crossroads Children’s Centre www.crossroadschildren.ca and Youth Services Bureau www.ysb.on.ca are available to you. The Mental Health Crisis Line can link you with the Local Crisis Team www.crisisline.ca.

It is difficult sometimes for parents to determine when they should ask for crisis help. If you or anyone’s personal safety is at risk, call 911 immediately. While you are waiting for help in a crisis situation, try to make the environment safe and keep all stress to a minimum. Strive to stay calm and reassure your youth.

It can be very difficult for siblings to understand and cope. Often, the family’s attention is almost completely focused on the ill child, and the other children can feel left out and sometimes resentful. In addition, their mentally ill sibling’s behaviours are more than likely affecting them and their day-to-day lives. Sharing information with them can help – try asking your ill child’s service provider to meet with your other children and help them understand their sibling’s challenges. Even though as a parent you may be feeling overwhelmed, try to keep in mind that your other children still need your love and patience. They may be feeling afraid and confused, so let them know that you are open to any questions they have, and that while you may not have the answers you will try to find them.

When a child has an illness, whether mental or physical, their caregivers’ relationship often becomes strained. It’s not unusual for partners to see things differently and to disagree about treatment plans or family strategies. Try to openly discuss your differences and establish a plan to work together. Sometimes attending information sessions or training programs together can help you to get on the same page. Don’t be afraid to get couples counselling – a child’s mental illness can be a real challenge for you as a couple, and often professional support can be very helpful. Your child needs both of you, and you and your partner need each other to help you get through this difficult time.

It is always a challenge to take care of ourselves when our focus is on taking care of our child. However, as the airlines remind us, we have to put on our oxygen masks first in order to save our child. Similarly, it’s hard to save a drowning person if we ourselves can barely tread water, so we really do need to make time for self care. This can be different for each person, but generally one important goal is to remain connected with others, since mental illness (and the stigma that surrounds it) can be very isolating. Ask your friends and relatives for help. Many people do want to help but don’t know how, so tell them what you need: it might be just having them there to listen. Educate yourself so that you know what is happening and how to cope. Knowledge can be very empowering, and often reduces your sense of helplessness. Eat well and get as much sleep as possible. Stay active physically. Do things for yourself whenever possible, even if it’s just taking a ten minute break for a cup of coffee. Some parents watch a funny movie to help reduce their stress. Whatever works for you, try to give yourself permission to do it. Don’t hesitate to seek professional help if things are becoming overwhelming.

There are many strategies you can consider while waiting for services. Consult our brochure, What Parents can do While Waiting for Mental Health Services or call us at 613-321-3211 and request a mail-out copy. One of the best ways to help your family is to educate yourself and demystify mental illness. There are many programs specifically designed for parents and caregivers, such as Strengthening Families Together, offered by the SSO at the Royal Ottawa Hospital.

It is important to remember that some of your child’s more challenging behaviours stem from their mental illness and are not always within their control, so patience and understanding go a long way. Keep the lines of communication open, and be sure to let your child know that you are there for them to support them. They may be feeling very afraid and alone, and so reassuring them is very important. Openly ask them what you can do to help – what is helpful, and what is not. Try to keep the stress levels in their environment low, if possible. As parents, we need to act as our child’s advocate to get them the services they need, so reach out for professional help for your child. We also need to hold the hope that their situation will improve, because sometimes your child can’t see a brighter future. Recovery is possible, and hope is essential.