Abstract

The Social Worker's Guide to Child and Adolescent Mental Health provides a comprehensive guide to working with children and young people who are experiencing mental health problems, and equips the reader with the knowledge and skills to provide the best service to these vulnerable young people.

The first part of the book considers what role social work can play in child and adolescent mental health, and explores key ideas related to mental health and young people, including attachment issues, children's emotional development and common and complex mental health problems. The author then covers how social work skills and methods can be applied to working with children and young people with mental health problems, including guidance on assessment tools, intervention, and multi-disciplinary working. The final section focuses on the wider context, such as legislative and policy frameworks and the importance of considering cultural, spiritual and religious identity. Case examples, reflective activities and practical exercises are included to underpin theory and knowledge.

This book will be essential reading for all pre- and post-qualifying social work practitioners involved with children, adolescents and families, in particular those working in mental health settings, as well as approved mental health professionals.

Steven Walker is Head of Child and Adolescent Mental Health at Anglia Ruskin University, UK. He is a registered social worker and psychotherapist and has worked in social care for over 30 years, specialising in child protection and child and adolescent mental health.
`For me, and I am sure for others in my profession, some action or level of understanding is better than nothing? The caveat to this is that the aim should be to gain a basic understanding so as to ultimately direct or signpost to the most appropriate supportive service. It is in this regard that this book is a welcome addition to any caring and empathetic professional, since child and adolescent health can bring with it many frightening challenges to social work practitioners...At the start of each chapter are learning objectives which, having read the book, I can state with every confidence are met at every juncture and in every section.`
Professional Social Work, Carolyn Taylor-Score, Family Court Advisor, CAFCASS Bolton
At a time when the criticism is that social workers hold too many eggs in their basket, the title of Steven Walker's The Social Worker's Guide to Child and Adolescent Mental Health (Jessica Kingsley Publishers) speaks for itself. There are no shortage of books on mental health generally or young people in particular but Walker's is very unusual in focussing on the needs of this professional group. It looks at the role of social work with mentally ill young people, while also examining key ideas like attachment, emotional development and common and complex mental health problems. Its value really is in showing how social work skills and methods can apply rather than borrowing from other professions.
Young Minds, Terry Philpot
I would recommend this book to all who work with children and adolescents and especially those who are keen to develop their knowledge around the complex area that is "mental health"... This is a key book for this field of practice and one that I will share with my colleagues at CAFS, and utilise both in my practice and with fieldwork students.
Aotearoa New Zealand Social Work
There are many publications on this engaging topic but what set this one apart is that it proves to be a comprehensive guide with a far-reaching examination of a subject that continues to be amongst the most challenging areas of social work.
Seen and Heard