Single Case Studies Can Improve Assessment and Therapy for Parenting of Vulnerable Children: A Review of Issues

Commentators note difficulties in assessing and treating families where a parent has an episodic mental illness and where their parenting practices do not adequately meet the needs of their child, introducing a risk that child could develop a mental disorder.These parents are often assessed by non-clinicians as presenting with multiple and complex needs.As current universal therapeutic interventions have limited efficacy with these clients, some policy makers favour removal of vulnerable children from parental care and placing a child into child welfare care to reduce risk that child will be maltreated.This article provides an oversight of traditional and emerging practices in Australia to manage families who provide inadequate parenting, based on a review of literature.The review finds a lack of consistency in approach between disciplines involved in protection of children and recommends use of a more collaborative approach between disciplines.Topics where single case studies can improve practices and produce better outcomes for vulnerable children are highlighted.Criteria are proposed for single case studies that are relevant in improving service systems.