Consideration of the attachment of children to parents leads to some indicators of the parental contribution to the attachment relationship, and to ways in which this might be threatened by parental mental illness, and what might be protective processes in the face of such threats. In considering the relationship of psychiatric disturbance, parenting and attachment one needs to take account of the context of the parental disorder. First, the factors that have contributed to the risk of parental psychiatric disorder may also directly impinge on the parent-child relationship, and hence on attachment processes. Second, the parental psychiatric disorder together with associated risks may undermine aspects of parent-child attachment. Third, the disorder itself, independently of other factors, may adversely affect attachment. Finally, the parent's capacity to preserve the sensitive and effective responses may be protective in the face of their psychiatric disorder.