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Building Bridges
Jan Cole
This article looks at the work of the Youth Network in Newcastle, which was set-up to provide an early identification and a mental health promotion programme for the city’s young people, facilitated by volunteers. An external evaluation found that a quarter of young people who attended the focus groups reported having done something different to support their own mental health as result of what they had learnt there. The majority reported that they knew a lot more about mental health after attending the groups. The article discusses what the project learnt from the volunteers and how it could better support them in future. They hope that the project can be made into a mainstream service and are working with North Tyneside where a similar project is about to begin.
Canonbury Tales
Reva Klein
This article looks at the Canonbury Project, which is run by Islington Youth Service’s detached youth work team. The project’s aim is to get young people and their parents from a notorious housing estate in London involved in improving their own community. It has set-up a youth club and has worked towards reducing the tensions between young people on neighbouring estates. The project also works with young people who truant or have been excluded, as well as others after school. Plus, they act as an advocate for those who need it. Whilst it is obviously that the project is having a positive impact on young people’s behaviour, it is very difficult to quantify and the benefits aren’t likely to be seen for about 15 years. Unfortunately, this can make it difficult to get funding.
Classified information - the role of ICD-10
Anne Farmer, Oliver James, Ruth Talbot, Michael Heimann and Steven Walker
This debate looks at whether the diagnostic manuals ICD-10 and DSM-IV are still relevant. It includes contributions from people of different professional backgrounds. Namely, these are Anne Farmer, Prof of Nosology; Oliver James, Psychologist; Ruth Talbot, Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist; Mike Heinemann, Senior Nurse Specialist and Psychotherapist; and Steve Walker, Senior Lecturer in Social Work.
Home is where the hurt is
Angela Neustatter
This article looks at the how domestic violence affects children. Throughout, there are quotes from children who have experienced it. There are also quotes from various professionals about the origins of Domestic abuse, scale of the problem, affect on children, and what government should be doing. The article also mentions a survey where many young people think that they should be taught about domestic abuse at school.
Invisible politics
Annabel McLeod and Jon Hudson
This article, which was written by two young people, is based on an interview with Children’s Minister, Margaret Hodge. Prior to the interview, they spoke to young people about their interest in politics and what they thought government had done for them. Those quoted in the article didn’t think that the government had done much for them. Plus, hardly anyone knew about the existence of the Children’s Minister. Margaret Hodge didn’t agree that government wasn’t doing anything for children, but she does say that there is still a lot for the government to do.
Private eye
Terry Philpot
The author looks at government policy, and issues around private fostering, particularly in the light of the death of Victoria Climbie and the resulting Inquiry. He states that the government doesn’t know how many children are privately fostered, and actually stopped collecting statistics in 1990 because they were inaccurate. The Government’s response to the Laming report will lead to these statistics being collected again, and they intend to develop minimum standards for private foster care. He is sceptical as to whether re-establishing the monitoring will be any more successful second time around, because carers and parents do not notify the authorities of the fostering arrangements, and this isn’t likely to change unless unregistered private fostering is made illegal.
Professional dilemma
Monica Lanyado and Dr Terri Apter
This article presents a fictional case regarding a teenage girl, whose recent change in behaviour has come to the attention of the Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO). This is followed by opinions from two mental health professionals to help support the SENCO with this hypothetical case. They both give possible explanations for the girl’s problems, and suggest ways in which the SENCO could talk to her about them.
Spinning around
Dave Kelly
This article looks at the difficulties of working with seriously disturbed children i.e. those who have been abused and deprived. He describes these children as being lost, and difficult to engage with, but who are also attending school. The author then goes on to describe how teachers can work with these children.
The best medicine
Angela Neustatter
This article is about the Theodora Trust, which is an organisation that aims to cheer up children in hospital across England with ‘Clown Doctors’. The article discusses how these non-medical people are trained. The Director of the Theodora Trust sees that the value of the Clown Doctors is that they are ‘just concerned with fun’, which helps the parents as well as the child.
The London Aquarius
Tracey Maher
This article looks at the Aquarius Unit, which is an adolescent inpatient unit based in London, and forms part of the Adolescent Resource Centre (ARC). The other components are an adolescent assertive outreach team, and a day programme facility. The aim of ARC is to provide a seamless service to meet the needs of adolescents experiencing acute mental illness across 5 south London boroughs.
Opinion: Criminal injustice
David Ramsbotham
The author applauds the work of the Youth Justice Board, which is responsible for young offenders under 18, but is concerned about the lack of improvement in treatment and conditions for those aged between 18 and 21. Pressure should be put on those responsible for the prison service, to ensure that the needs of mentally disordered young offenders are not ignored. In line with what the Youth Justice Board has laid down for juveniles, there is a need for someone to set minimum standards of care and treatment that must be met.
Review: Casa de los babys
Imogen Le Patourel
Casa De Los Babys, is about a group of relatively affluent American women trying to pass the time in Mexico as they await a decision as to whether they can adopt a local baby.
Review: Off the map
Imogen Le Patourel
Off The Map, describes a summer in the childhood of the precocious Bo, which is overshadowed by the inexplicable onset of depression in her father.
Review: Spellbound
Imogen Le Patourel
Spellbound, follows eight young hopefuls to Washington, DC to complete the 1999 national Spelling Bee.
Review: Vernon God Little
Catherine Stevens
This story is about 15-year-old, Vernon Little from Texas, who is trying to make sense of his life. He has a ‘bowel inconvenience’, his only friend in the world has just gunned down most of his class, and Vernon is accused of being an accessory to murder. The book deals with big issues such as gun culture, grief and collective persecution, in a funny and sarcastically poignant way. It speaks much truth about the emotional turbines of a teenage boy’s mind, and makes us wish for a better life for all the Vernons out there.
Review: Vulnerable inside
Lorraine Atkinson
This thought-provoking book gives a detailed overview of the experiences of children placed in secure accommodation. The book focuses on their vulnerabilities and looks at the appropriateness of locking up children in secure children’s homes and in prisons. Plus, it looks at practices used to assess vulnerability and looks at flaws in the system.
Webwatch: Lean on me
Paula Lavis
This column looks at how to find user or support groups on the Internet. Plus, it also looks at a few condition specific support groups, and how to find local support groups.
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