Psycho-Legal Concepts for Parenting in Child Custody and Child Protection Vol. 4

Dr. Don Tustin is a clinical psychologist working in Adelaide, Australia. He has worked for 25 years with vulnerable families where children are at increased risk of maltreatment and mental health disorders because their parents use parenting practices that are inadequate to meet all of the needs of the child. Dr. Tustin has worked in a community mental health team for adults where 30% of clients were parents whose parenting practices were affected when the parent experienced an episode of mental illness including depression, anxiety and mood disorder. Dr. Tustin received two grants to deliver interventions for parents with a mental illness. An innovative collaborative approach was used, where a mental health clinician and an in-home parenting coach worked cooperatively with parents and their children to improve dynamics in the family. Dr. Tustin has presented to World Congresses on Children’s Rights about treatment reports submitted to courts.

• 1. Introduction.- 2. Development of traditional attachment theory.- 3. Family development and the dynamics of dysfunction in family law and child protection matters.- 4. DSM diagnostic system for family relationship issues.- 5. Example of self-management of a mental illness.- 6. Parenting practices associated with specific parental mental illnesses.- 7. Parent-child dynamics in vulnerable families.- 8. Need for therapy for vulnerable families.- 9. Evidence based therapies for vulnerable families.- 10. Providing reportable therapy for vulnerable families.- 11. Writing treatment reports for family law courts.- 12. Re-attribution therapy to treat explanatory bases in vulnerable families.- 13. The Adaire program.- 14. Accredited independent parenting educator-coach.- 15. Traditional Māori parenting practices.- 16. Rehabilitation models from Aotearoa New Zealand.- 17. Conclusion.- 18. Overall Glossary.