The aim and scope of this study was to examine to what extent the mentally ills’ therapists
involve children. Nine therapists from the psychiatric policlinic at the hospital in Namsos,
Norway were interviewed. The selection of interviewees was done in order to ensure
representation across the complete range of professions involved. An interview guide
consisting of 12 pertinent questions was developed and employed. The results show that the
informants claimed there were no known procedures for exploring the children’s situation. All
of the therapists reported that the sick parent(s) had brought up their personal concerns for
their children in the course of treatment. Five of the informants confirmed that they had at
times invited the children to participate in conversations with their parents. Only two of these
had done this more than once. The explanation for why children are so seldom involved can
be stringent environmental control factors, uncertainties, fear of generated increased
workload, or of undertaking a more complex treatment process. Perhaps treatment in adult
psychiatry is primarily focused on the mentally ill target person alone. It seems that it’s
socially unacceptable to examine children’s circumstances in the course of treatment
