How many parents with mental illness lose custody of their children?
According to the research literature, which is based on smaller-scale studies conducted in treatment settings, custody loss rates may be as high as 70% to 80% (Joseph et al., 1999; Mowbray et al., 1995). Nuances of custody, living situations, and care giving arrangements make asking the right questions essential. Rather than simply asking whether an adult with mental illness is a parent, or whether he or she has custody of children, ask specific questions about whether an adult has ever given birth to a child; where the child is living; who provides care for the child; and the frequency and nature of the parent’s contact with the child. Parents with mental illness may have stepchildren, or adopted and foster children as well.
