Objective: The HELP-S study (Hilfen, wenn EL-tern Psychisch erkranken in Sachsen) aimed to investigate the needs of children of mentally ill parents in psychiatric outpatient care. Previous studies focused on psychiatric inpatients. Material and methods: A sample of n = 123 patients/parents filled out questionnaires at an appointed date for themselves and their children. Results: Parents yearn primly for timeouts and assume that their children need guidance in coping mechanisms. No need for intervention was reported for housekeeping neither for themselves nor for their children. Conclusion/clinical relevance: Psychiatric outpatient care practices can be an important gatekeeper for children with mentally ill parents. There is a gap of information on existing (online) interventions that can be closed.