Health and social care professionals' views and experiences of supporting parents with serious mental illness.

Introduction: A significant number of individuals with a serious mental illness (SMI) such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder are also parents of dependent children. Despite the risk of adverse psychological, behavioral, and social outcomes their needs often go unmet. To better understand the needs of parents with SMI and their children it is necessary to gain insight into the perspectives and experiences of the professionals in adult mental health and children's services who work with them, and who, ultimately, are best placed to meet those needs.