They Care For Carers

When a parent is deprived of their liberty, the entire family is affected, but children are easily overlooked. Today, we do not even know exactly how many children in Sweden have a parent in prison or on remand.

“In my research, we are evaluating a support intervention for these children. It has been developed together with children, caregivers, parents with personal experience of imprisonment and professionals from different parts of society. The aim is to provide families with an initial form of support that is evidence-based,” says Åsa Norman, associate professor affiliated with the Department of Clinical Neuroscience at Karolinska Institutet.

First and foremost, children need information about what is happening to their parent and what it means for them, she says. They may also need help understanding their reactions and managing difficult, sometimes conflicting, emotions.

“They may miss and love their parent while at the same time feeling angry with that very same person. Many also need support in dealing with the outside world, because this issue carries a strong stigma,” says Åsa Norman.

The intervention is aimed both at the child and at the adult who remains outside, usually the mother. That person is often key to what the child is told, how contact with the imprisoned parent is maintained and how the family handles reactions from others.

“My goal is for all children in this situation, regardless of where they live in Sweden, to have access to equivalent support that genuinely helps them. There can sometimes be a degree of mistrust towards organisations such as the social services among these families. That is why I believe it is an advantage if support can also be delivered by others with expertise in these issues, such as BUFFF and Solrosen, two Swedish organisations that support children and families affected by parental imprisonment,” she says.

Relatives of people with unwanted sexual Interests: “They are often reluctant to seek support”

Roberth Adebahr works with sexual offence prevention programmes for individuals seeking help for unwanted sexual interests.

“Sexual offences cause immense suffering for victims, but I have also seen the profound impact they have on the relatives of those who commit offences. Their situation has long received limited attention from both healthcare services and researchers,” says Roberth Adebahr, psychologist and researcher at the Department of Medicine, Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet.

A recurring theme is how lonely and isolated family members often feel, he says.

“Even when they know about confidentiality rules and trust the healthcare system, they worry about rumours spreading. Many are also reluctant to seek support from family and friends,” says Roberth Adebahr.

Relatives often believe that no one else can truly understand what they are going through. Yet research shows that their experiences have much in common. Many describe similar feelings of shame, grief, anxiety and uncertainty about the future.

“That is one reason why I want to investigate group-based support programmes, where relatives can meet others in similar situations and have the opportunity to share experiences,” he says.

Their study of partners of people suspected of child pornography offences was, to the best of his knowledge, the first Nordic study in this area. Researchers are currently focusing particularly on affected children, where the knowledge gaps remain very substantial.

“In the long term, I hope this will lead to better support and treatment from different parts of society, from the police’s initial intervention through to later support from social services and healthcare providers. The goal is that they should not have to face their suffering alone,” says Roberth Adebahr.

Having a relative with addiction: “Everyday life is filled with conflict and worry”

Most people in Sweden consume alcohol, and the negative consequences of alcohol therefore affect all of us in one way or another. Most people also have views on the use of illicit drugs.

“Occasionally, we hear the stories of relatives of people with alcohol or drug problems. Not long ago, for example, I read a deeply moving article about a mother who had lost both her sons to overdoses. Yet there is still relatively little evidence on how relatives are affected psychologically. I believe it is important to draw attention to this group, who suffer the consequences indirectly,” says Erica Sundin, affiliated researcher at the Department of Clinical Neuroscience at Karolinska Institutet.

These individuals often live with everyday conflict and deep concern for someone important in their lives who is struggling with addiction. Stress arising from financial uncertainty, or from not knowing what will happen next, can also be considerable. This level of strain may increase the risk of mental health problems.

“I am currently completing a study in which I have linked self-reported information from relatives with data from national health registers and am following their wellbeing over time. This is the first study of its kind in Sweden. I will also investigate whether there are differences in wellbeing between male and female relatives, and between younger and older relatives,” says Erica Sundin.

If it turns out that relatives of people with alcohol or drug problems experience a greater burden of mental ill health, that will be important knowledge for policymakers and for professionals working in social care and healthcare.

“When a social worker meets someone affected by problems involving a relative, it may be worth considering whether that person also needs support for their own mental health,” she says.

Most people in Sweden consume alcohol, and the negative consequences of alcohol therefore affect all of us in one way or another. Most people also have views on the use of illicit drugs.

“Occasionally, we hear the stories of relatives of people with alcohol or drug problems. Not long ago, for example, I read a deeply moving article about a mother who had lost both her sons to overdoses. Yet there is still relatively little evidence on how relatives are affected psychologically. I believe it is important to draw attention to this group, who suffer the consequences indirectly,” says Erica Sundin, affiliated researcher at the Department of Clinical Neuroscience at Karolinska Institutet.

These individuals often live with everyday conflict and deep concern for someone important in their lives who is struggling with addiction. Stress arising from financial uncertainty, or from not knowing what will happen next, can also be considerable. This level of strain may increase the risk of mental health problems.

“I am currently completing a study in which I have linked self-reported information from relatives with data from national health registers and am following their wellbeing over time. This is the first study of its kind in Sweden. I will also investigate whether there are differences in wellbeing between male and female relatives, and between younger and older relatives,” says Erica Sundin.

If it turns out that relatives of people with alcohol or drug problems experience a greater burden of mental ill health, that will be important knowledge for policymakers and for professionals working in social care and healthcare.

“When a social worker meets someone affected by problems involving a relative, it may be worth considering whether that person also needs support for their own mental health,” she says.