Family Action chief calls for priority interventions for families with mental health issues

28 January 2011 1 min read Neil Puffett Health Mental health Children's Services Early help

Families with mental health issues must be made a priority under government plans to adopt an early intervention approach in the children's sector, a charity has said.

Family Action has launched a new call for a joined-up approach to services and financial support for families with mental health needs.

Helen Dent, Family Action's chief executive, also warned the government that plans for Family Champions would need to address a number of challenges in working with the most vulnerable families.

Speaking at an Inside Government conference on child poverty, Dent launched Against All Odds, a campaign to raise awareness of parental mental health and the impact on children's life chances and child poverty.

She said: "The families we work with are staying together and flourishing against all odds. Four hundred and fifty thousand parents have mental health problems and many are unable to work. Their children are twice as likely to experience psychiatric disorder.

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