Working with children and young people experiencing mental health difficulties
The course is a one-day programme which aims to equip social care professionals to have a greater understanding of mental health problems affecting children and young people, and how these impact on their emotional wellbeing and behaviour. Through understanding the context of young people’s lives and mental health difficulties we will consider ways practitioners can work towards providing better support, recognising the personal, familial, and societal risk factors and how they impact on children impacting on children’s behaviour. Participants will be introduced to the core concepts of Dan Hughes’s PACE (playfulness, acceptance, curiosity and empathy) model of intervention, and how this can be used to enhance communication and support to children and young people experiencing mental distress. The course will provide reflective space for participants to consider the needs and risks of a young person they are working with, and there will be a sharing of local and national resources relevant to the client group including discussion of Camhs referrals and current resource issues.