Physical health learning pathway

The Physical health learning pathway is for all practitioners working with adults, children, or families where a chronic physical illness is experienced. It will help you to understand the link between physical and mental health, and assist you to support children’s mental health where they or their parent/carer experiences a chronic physical health condition.

Physical health and mental health are interrelated, meaning that when one is challenged, the other is often impacted. Chronic physical illness can cause behavioural, emotional and physical changes, which can in turn reduce wellbeing for both the person who is ill and their family.¹

For children living with chronic physical illnesses such as asthma, cancer, heart disease and epilepsy, pain and treatment can put a strain on their mental health. Some physical health conditions also carry with them a level of social stigma that can negatively impact children’s wellbeing. For example, children with higher weight (who may have been diagnosed as ‘overweight’ or ‘obese’) are at greater risk of experiencing bullying, low self-esteem and other mental health difficulties, in part due to the way society views larger bodies.²

When a parent has a chronic physical illness, it can impact the family’s functioning and the parent’s ability to provide everyday care to their children. While most children will cope relatively well with their parent’s illness, some may show signs of mental health difficulties, such as increased distress, behaviour changes or academic/relationship problems.

This pathway is designed to help you understand the impact of physical illness on children’s mental health. It can help you to identify the signs of mental health difficulties in both children of parents with a chronic physical health condition and those who are ill themselves, and build your confidence to respond in strengths-based, non-judgemental ways. It contains strategies for addressing the stigma and challenges that come along with some illnesses, and a conversation guide for talking with parents about the impact of their illness on their children’s lives.