How can children in the UK with mental health difficulties be best supported?

Need to increase children's resilience

CAMHS

Strengths of this system for supporting young people with mental health difficulties

Weaknesses of provision (see Thompson & Hooper recommended reading in additional materials & the compulsory prep for this lecture)

Stigma associated with mental health

Austerity measures

Only 25-35% of children access the support they need

Possible solution: meet children in non-stigmatised environments

Possible solution: Make greater use of voluntary and digital resources (e.g. silvercloud)

Possible solution: Change social stereotypes e.g. down's syndrome campaign

Possible solution: make greater use of voluntary services

Inconsistent provision for young people after they turn 18

Possible solution: Greater journey planning post-18 for all young people in the CAMHS system

Possible solution: Improve access to support and interventions where it is needed

The resilience model and how it is used to support children (see additional materials for an example)

What resilience is

Attributes of resilience e.g. Werner & Smith, 1982

How intrinsic and extrinsic factors interact to support resilience e.g. Beard and Dunn, 1992; Elder, 1974

Challenges to traditional practices

Criticisms of the resilience model