Abstract

This fully updated edition of A Multidisciplinary Handbook of Child and Adolescent Mental Health for Front-line Professionals is an accessible introduction to child mental health, covering the nature, prevalence, treatment and management of mental health problems in children and young people.

The authors explore issues such as assessing and meeting the mental health needs of young people, specific mental health problems such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and learning difficulties, and legal aspects of working with child mental health. They also assess diversity issues as an integral part of practice, and highlight practice issues for readers. The book contains illustrative case studies and self-directed exercises, and outlines the services available to children with mental health problems. This second edition also includes additional material on working with culture and diversity, plus the latest clinical guidelines and current medication.

This handbook is an invaluable resource for students, trainers and professionals working with children with mental health problems in a medical and non-medical environment as well as parents wanting to know more about the subject.

Nisha Dogra, BM, DCH, MRCPsych, MA, PhD is Senior Clinical Lecturer in child and adolescent psychiatry at the University of Leicester. Her research interests include diversity training and implications for practice, audit and service development and the relationship between policy and practice. Her clinical interests include working with adolescents and family therapy. Andrew Parkin MRCPsych, PGCert PubHealth (Forensic Psychiatry), BM, BS BMedSci (Hons), PhD is a child psychiatrist in New Zealand. His interests include looked-after children, youth forensic psychiatry, child development, clinical audit, service development and training for professionals across agencies. Fiona Gale RMN, BSc(Hons), ENB 603 Higher Award, MA, PhD is Regional CAMHS Programme Lead (East Midlands), National CAMHS Support Service and Senior Visiting Fellow in child mental health, Centre for Clinical and Academic Workforce Innovation (CCAWI), University of Lincoln. Her research interests include children and families' perceptions of stigma and mental health; child mental health services in secure settings and the role of child primary mental health workers. Clay Frake RMN, MSc is a senior clinical nurse specialist at Leicestershire Child and Mental Health Services, and is also a UKCP registered family therapist. His interests include eating disorders, adolescents with depression and the inclusion of fathers in the therapeutic process.
`I would recommend this book as a useful addition to primary care libraries...'
Psychiatric Bulletin
The updated text incorporates recent evidence-base and guidelines for interventions on common behavioural, emotional and developmental problems in childhood and young life, with extended information on topics such as self-harm and cultural diversity. The structure, format and friendly writing style convey the key messages, and these are integrated with case material within frontline professionals' and agencies' remits. In that respect, this textbook will be of interest and value to a range of practitioners, as well as students and parents or carers, and will serve as foundation to child mental health training programmes. Its implications go beyond any particular country or system of children's services provision.
from the foreword by Panos Vostanis
`…[A]n accessible introduction to child mental health [that] raises key issues in the field… This is an essential handbook for students, trainers and professionals involved with children who have mental health problems. It will also be of interest to parents who wish to know more about the subject.'
childRIGHT

Praise for the first edition:

`Presenting the fundamentals of child psychiatry in an enjoyable and easily read format, this book is an introduction to child mental health. It begins by looking at child development and attachment theory, moves on to the nature and prevalence of child mental health problems, and also considers treatment and management approaches. Particular attention is paid to at risk groups including young offenders, children excluded from school and homeless children.'

Childright
`The book is full of common sense and does not promise unrealistic outcomes.'
Community Care