Mental health problems affect a large proportion of the population, and their impact extends beyond individuals to their families and other close persons. This article examines how family members of people with mental health problems are recognized and supported in Finland and the United Kingdom, where family carers have received increasing attention in the development of services and support.

The impact of mental health problems on family members

According to research, an estimated 77% of women and 70% of men in Finland receive a diagnosis of a mental health disorder during their lifetime. The most common disorders include various anxiety and mood disorders (Hakulinen & Suokas, 2025). Family members and other close persons of people experiencing mental health problems often experience significant emotional strain due to concerns about their loved one and are also at risk of developing mental health problems themselves.

Research has shown that a parent’s mental health problems can increase their child’s risk of developing mental health problems. Children whose parents have an anxiety disorder are at a higher risk of developing anxiety disorders and depression themselves. Children and young people whose parents experience mental health problems also need support to cope with their situation (Hoitotyön tutkimussäätiö, 2026).

The United Kingdom was selected as a country of comparison because research estimates that 1.5 million people provide care for someone with mental health problems there, and progress has been made towards improving services and support for family carers (Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust, n.d.).

Support for family members of people with mental health problems in the United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, the recognition and support of carers is a statutory requirement, structured and strongly integrated into public healthcare services. Family members are not seen merely as sources of support for the person receiving care, but as active partners in the care process who are also entitled to support services in their own right. The Care Act was reformed in 2014, introducing specific provisions of recognizing family members and carers as a separate group with their own support needs. Carers have the right to have their own support needs assessed, including the impact of caring responsibilities on their wellbeing, mental health, social relationships, employment and leisure time. The assessment must also consider whether the family member is both willing and able to continue providing care. There is no minimum level of caring responsibility or financial requirement that must be met to qualify for a needs assessment (Department of Health and Social Care, 2026).

The Triangle of Care model, widely used in mental health services, is a quality standard developed by the national organisation Carers Trust. The model promotes collaboration between the person receiving care, healthcare professionals and family members or carers. It requires mental health services to adhere to six key standards:

Identification: Family members and their roles are identified at the first point of contact.

Staff training: Staff are trained to involve and support family members and carers.

Information sharing: Clear procedures are in place for confidentiality and information sharing.

Designated staff: Designated staff members are responsible for supporting carers.

Guidance: Carers receive information about care pathways and available services.

Support services: Support services are available for family members and carers. (Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust, n.d.)

The most recent development in support for family members of people with mental health problems in Finland is the publication, in 2026, of the national clinical guideline Parental Mental Health or Substance Use Problems: Supporting the Wellbeing of Children and Young People. The Hotus Clinical Guidelines® are national recommendations based on research evidence, support professionals in their decision-making and promote the implementation of evidence-based practices in everyday work (Hoitotyön tutkimussäätiö, 2026).

In 2018, the National Audit Office of Finland stated that the increasing use of outpatient psychiatric care had resulted in patients with increasingly severe conditions being treated at home. From the perspective of families with children, it would be justified to provide more support at home or take the overall situation of the family better into account in the services they use. Based on accumulated evidence regarding the cost-effectiveness of social and healthcare services, that providing support to families at an early stage would reduce their need for services as children grow older, as well as the overall costs associated with supporting the family (Valtiontalouden tarkastusvirasto, 2018).

Although, under the Finnish Health Care Act, mental health care organised by the wellbeing services counties must include appropriate psychosocial support for individuals, families and other close persons, as well as the coordination of such support (Health Care Act 1326/2010, Section 27), Finland still has a considerable way to go before reaching the level of support provided in the United Kingdom, where support needs of carers are also systematically addressed. In Finland, recommendations have been developed, indicating that the importance of the issue has been recognized. However, it will still take time for these recommendations to become fully established in everyday practice.

Support provided by carer organisations

In Finland, practical support for family members of people with mental health problems is provided by FinFami organisations operating throughout the country in close cooperation with the public sector. In the United Kingdom, organisations such as Rethink Mental Illness and Mental Health UK work closely with the public sector to provide support for family members and carers. Their services include dedicated helplines, statutory advocacy services and local peer support groups (FinFami ry, n.d.; Rethink Mental Illness, 2024; Mental Health UK, n.d.).

---

Authors

Noora Julin, Master’s Degree Student, Master’s Degree Programme in Development of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, Master School, Savonia University of Applied Sciences

Teija Korhonen, Principal lecturer, Master School, Savonia University of Applied Sciences

This article was prepared with the help of AI.

---

References

OpenAI ChatGPT (GPT-4, 2023 version) was used in this article for language translation and information retrieval.

Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust. n.d. The Triangle of Care. https://www.covwarkpt.nhs.uk/triangle-of-care/ . Viitattu 3.11.2026.

Department of Health and Social Care. 2026. Care and support statutory guidance. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/care-act-2014-supporting-implementation/care-and-support-statutory-guidance . Viitattu 3.11.2026.

FinFami ry. n.d. Tietoa FinFamista. https://finfami.fi/tietoa-finfamista/ . Viitattu 3.11.2026.

Hakulinen, C., & Suokas, K. 2025. Mielenterveyden häiriöt koskettavat valtaosaa suomalaisista. Helsingin yliopisto. https://www.helsinki.fi/fi/uutiset/vaeston-terveys/mielenterveyden-hairiot-koskettavat-valtaosaa-suomalaisista. Viitattu 3.11.2026.

Hotus. 2026. Hotus-hoitosuositus®: Vanhemman mielenterveys- tai päihdeongelma: Lasten ja nuorten hyvinvoinnin tukeminen. Työryhmä: Kilkku N, Korhonen T, Hokkila K, Keiski P, Lampinen S, Pajakoski E. Hoitotyön tutkimussäätiö. Saatavilla: https://hotus.fi/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/hoitosuositus.pdf. Viitattu 2.11.2026

Mental Health UK. n.d. About us. https://mentalhealth-uk.org/about-us/. Viitattu 3.11.2026.

Rethink Mental Illness. 2024. Carer’s assessment – Under the Care Act 2014. https://www.rethink.org/advice-and-information/carers-hub/rights-for-loved-ones-and-carers/carers-assessment-under-the-care-act-2014/. Viitattu 3.11.2026.

Health care act 1326/2010. https://www.finlex.fi/fi/lainsaadanto/2010/1326. Viitattu 3.11.2026.

Valtiontalouden tarkastusvirasto. 2018. Asiakkaan lasten huomioiminen aikuisten mielenterveyspalveluissa. Tarkastuskertomus 9/2018. https://vtv.fi/raportti/asiakkaan-lasten-huomioiminen-aikuisten-mielenterveyspalveluissa/ . Viitattu 2.11.2026.