Families of Children with Serious Emotional Disorder: Maternal Reports on the Decision and Impact of Their Child's Placement in Residential Treatment

Findings are reported regarding maternal experiences of their seriously emotionally disordered child both prior to and following a stay in a residential children's mental health treatment facility. Prior to placement, these parents had exhausted all nonresidential forms of intervention and, increasingly, became concerned not only for their identified child's welfare, but also for that of themselves and other siblings in the home. Regardless of whether their child's stay in residential treatment yielded positive or negative treatment outcomes, these parents unilaterally viewed the intensive short-term treatment of their child as an extremely valuable and necessary service. Parental recommendations for improvement in residential services include a reduced waitlist period, availability of services to children at a younger age, more parental education regarding effective child management strategies, and increased support for caregivers. The results are discussed as they relate to policy and practice for residential treatment providers.