Understanding the role and impact of social networks in children of parents with severe mental illness.

Improving the lives of children of parents with serious mental illnesses (SMI) such as schizophrenia, major depression and bipolar disorder is an urgent political and public health concern (Bee, 2015). Having a parent with SMI increases the risk of a number of adverse outcomes for children including poorer short-term mental and physical health, behavioural, social and educational difficulties, maltreatment and neglect (Goodman et al., 2011; Royal College of Psychiatrists, 2011). These problems arise not only because parents with SMI find it difficult to manage their role as carers, but also because they are often living in highly deprived circumstances and have the ongoing stressor of the children being potentially or actually moved to out-of-home care (Park, Solomon, Mandell, 2006).

Coordinated care for children living parents with mental illness is complex not least because NHS adult mental health, CAMHS, social care and child protection services are located and managed separately. Relatively little is known about the social networks of children of parents with mental illness or the role that these may play in maintaining or improving children’s and young people’s wellbeing.
The proposed studentship aims to explore the social networks of children and young people to understand:

1. What is currently known about the nature, scope and role of social networks in children of parents with SMI.
2. How children of parents with SMI define and construct their social networks and these change over time.
3. How social networks might be utilised to develop health interventions for children of parents with mental illness

The proposed study will comprise a literature review and primary qualitative research with children and young people. It will be undertaken alongside a wider programme of research hosted by the University of Manchester which seeks to develop and evaluate a psycho-educational group intervention for children living with serious parental mental illness.

The student will be located within the University of Manchester’s inter-disciplinary Mental Health Research Group (MHRG) within the Division of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work. Formal and informal supervision will be provided.

Advanced methods training will be available from courses available across the University of Manchester Research Ethics Seminar and NW Methods programmes. This will include specialist training on the ethics of conducting research with vulnerable adults and children, social network analysis, and advanced qualitative analysis.

The proposed collaboration with NSPCC offers a range of additional, specialist training and support opportunities. The support of a partner-based supervisor will foster an in depth understanding of the commissioning and service delivery process within a national third sector context, increasing the relevance of findings and outputs to frontline staff and families. At study commencement, the student will receive a full NSPCC induction programme, as received by all new staff and volunteers.

Applicants are expected to hold, or about to obtain, a minimum upper second class undergraduate degree (or equivalent) in a health sciences, social work or psychology discipline. Professional or voluntary experience working with mental health services, children and young people or vulnerable families is desirable. A MSc. degree in a relevant subject is welcomed. For information on how to apply for this project, please visit the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health Doctoral Academy website (https://www.bmh.manchester.ac.uk/study/research/apply/). You will need to select MPhil Nursing for the programme when applying. Informal enquiries may be made directly to the primary supervisor.