The missing father: why can't infant mental health services keep dads in mind?

We present an imagined conversation between three mental health professionals working in a child and adolescent mental health service. Presented as a script, the var ious arguments, counterarguments, and reflections made by the three characters aim to bring the subject matter to life and capture something akin to an actual discussion between colleagues working in a child mental health service. A junior clinician notices that an infant case presented at the multi disciplinary team meeting did not mention the child's father. A senior clinician explains that the team's work usually focuses on the infant–mother relationship, as this is considered of primary importance clinically. A psychiatrist, who has only recently joined the team, explores some of the aspe cts of team culture that might exclude fathers from participating in the service. Several plausible objections to involving fathers are explored as the discussion unfolds between the three professionals. Infant mental health services should consider how their culture and processes influence whether fathers and/or other adult caregivers engage in these services. For clinicians, thinking about the infant's immediate interpersonal context from their unique development perspective can reveal opportunities and resources within the family that may lead to effective systemic treatment approaches.
Source: Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy (ANZJFT) - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: ORIGINAL ARTICLE Source Type: research