INTRODUCTION

Latest research studies from UN state that parents, play a huge role in supporting a child's
mental well-being. Nurturing and loving care build a strong foundation, helping your child to
develop the social and emotional skills they need to lead a happy, healthy and fulfilled life.
This report will explore the issue of whether parents with mental health affect the mental
health of their children as well including the causes and consequences of childhood abuse
and trauma. It will present global and national perspectives on the issue of mental problems
of children. The report will also provide evidence to help reach the answer to the question:
do parents with mental issues affect development of mental problems in children?
GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE
As stated by the global organization CDC the mental health of children is connected to their
parents mental health. A recent study in 2021 shows that parents who have their own
mental challenges such as anxiety or depression have more difficulty providing for their
children compared to parents with good mental health leading to poor mental health,
emotional and developmental disabilities.
According to HHP {Harvard Health Publishing} parenting style has a very huge impact on the
development of mental problems in children which can have a lasting impact on the
development of their children. Parenting with a critical tone can dampen children’s self-
esteem and lead to anxiety and depression starting at a young age and still affecting the
person later on in life.
NATIONAL PERSPECTIVE
The United States government says that children of depressed parents, mostly mothers,
were exposed to stressful events in their families because of increased interpersonal conflict
associated with the parent’s depression causing the development of mental problems such
as depression, conduct disorder or poor educational performance is one of the many
problems that might develop in a child.
According to the ministry of health in England approximately 10%-15% of children in the UK
live with parents who have a mental disorder. Researches by England's health control center
state that poor parental mental illness have impacted young people in different ways; for
babies up to 1 year old can develop negative response, lack of warmth and poor attachment.
For young children, conduct disorder, behavioral problems and aggression towards family
and peers have evolved. Lastly in adolescents difficulty with friendships,depression and
increased risk of developing a mental health health problem have appeared.
COMPARISON BETWEEN GLOBAL AND NATIONAL PERSPECTIVE
Both the global and the national perspectives explore, agree and support that development
of mental problems in children can be affected by the parenting style and that parents with
mental disorders might pass down the illness to the children through parenting and daily
interaction with them.
CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES
One cause of mental problems in children can be due to facing traumatic events. Parents
with chronic mental illness are more likely to trigger mental illness for their children by
having them experience traumatic events. As long as the parents take action to heal their
health and educate themselves the passing down of the mental problems will be less likely.
The consequence of poor parenting with mental problems is most likely to be passing their
illness to their children or the children developing their own mental problems such as
anxiety, depression and behavioral problems as they grow up therefore outside help from
medical centers and counselors can be taken to avoid any problems for the parents and
children as they go on with life.

COURSE OF ACTION
Health organizations in the UK have come to the solution of parents affecting mental
problem development in children as children whose parents have mental problems should
have the chance to interact with other children in similar situations this allows them to both
offer and receive support (NSPCC,2021).
To help make a difference to this issue locally, I would raise awareness on the consequences
of children developing mental problems due to receiving poor parenting. This would help
parents to acknowledge the importance of good mental health and how parenting can affect
the development of health issues of a child.
EVALUATION
In this report I used the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. It is an
organization founded in 1946 by Dr. Joseph W. The website was last updated in 2019 and
the source gives the name of the author which shows that the information is up to date and
the researches are reliable. However some of the source seems to be outdated since it was
published in 2009 and only some of the information was updated in 2019. The organization
provides helpful articles on topics related to mental health in young children and parents.
The CDC organization partners with the American Public Health Association giving a wider
perspective from 2 different nations. Both the establishments are world-leading mental
health charity organizations with well known professors working with them such as Dr. Paul
Munter professor of epidemiology at the university of Alabama.
CONCLUSION
In summary, we think that urgent action and changes are needed if we are to overcome the
problem of parents with unstable mental health affecting their children in various negative
ways. We can't just leave it to the government as it is our responsibility as well to help the
problems being faced by the future generation. If we take action toward informing parents
and guardians on the importance of their mental health and how it affects the mental
improvement of the children under their responsibility we would already be taking action
towards on how to solve the issue and stop the increment of children facing mental
problems at a young age which will affect them seriously later on in life.
We have learnt from the United Nations that parents spending quality time and being there
when their children are facing a problem are already taking action for any development of
mental issues caused by the parents.
PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE
During the research I learnt that the issue seen as simple and unnecessary to take action
over is affecting multiple children and families world wide and indeed the issue has a great
impact on the development of a healthy child and the bond between parents and their
children.My personal perspective on the issue now is that parents play a very important role
on the development of children mentally and behavior wise.
REFERENCES

Miniño AM. (2004). What are the leading causes of death for
teenagers? Available
at:https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db37.htm#refer

Briggs A.(2014). Parental mental health on children Available

at:https://www.safeguardingchildren.co.uk/professionals/procedures-
practice-guidance-and-one-minute-guides/parental-mental-ill-health-on-
children/

Hoyert DL. (2009). National vital statistics reports. Available

at:https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db37.htm#refer

Ayers S. (2015). Parental mental illness:information for parents and

carers who work with young people. Available at:
https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/explore-mental-health/statistics/family-
parenting-statistics
Curtis O. (2021). Mental health and wellbeing. Available at:
https://www.unicef.org/parenting/mental-health-and-well-being