The article deals with the research of problems in a family which has a mentally ill relative (two kinds of families were analyzed – with a mentally ill child or adult). Development of the positive attitude of family towards mentally ill relatives is a research objective. Object of a research is relationship in family which has mentally ill patients (children or adults). Development of the positive family relations in the course of psychological support of families where there live mentally ill is subject of research. We have offered in a research hypothesis that in the course of psychological support of the family having mentally ill relative such phenomena as the lack of empathy and sympathy for the patient, high degree of anxiety and low-spiritedness, the unacceptable attitude towards the ill adult or the child, will change in the positive direction.The families underwent psychological diagnostics, then took part in the programme of psychological assistance. This assistance supposed training activities in groups, psychocorrective and rehabilitation activities with relatives of mentally ill people. The programme of psychological activities for parents who have a mentally ill child was aimed at changing child-parent relations, improving of perception of children, at developing of communication skills with a mentally ill child. The programme of activities for families who have a mentally ill adult was aimed at developing of communication skills, empathy, person’s emotional self-regulation and at improving of relatives’ tolerance to a mentally ill adult. The carried out psychological activities led to positive changes in families’ relation to mentally ill relatives, that made it possible to introduce this kind of psychological assistance in the work of Kundushturskiipsychoneurological residential institution.