The aim of this thesis was to collect experiential information about childhood affected by parental mental disorder. The thesis was implemented with an organization in Southern Finland that promotes mental health and supports family members. The purpose was to give the gathered information to the organization so they could use it in supporting the children in the families.

The theoretic base of this thesis consists of family, parenthood, child’s healthy development, coping mechanisms and the impacts of mental disorder to family, parenthood and child. Earlier researches and development projects are also presented.

The material of this qualitative study was collected with thematic interviews. It was analyzed by thematizing and categorization. Five adults aged between 19 and 47 were interviewed for the thesis. They had lived their childhood with a parent who suffered from mental disorder. The aim of the interviews was to gather information about how parental mental disorder appears to a child and what kind of support the child had got. The aim was also to find out what worked well in the families and where the children can find strength in challenging situations.

Based on the thesis results parental mental disorder affected to parents’ behavior and family’s atmosphere. The children in the families hoped for more information about parent’s mental disorder and support in processing the situation. They also thought that it would have been important to take all family members into consideration. According to the results children can find strength in small positive things. Children in the families with parental mental disorder can develop positive characteristics such as sensitivity.