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The SSRI Saga
Jerome Burne, Dr Dick Churchill, Dr Chris Manning and Patrick Holford
This debate asks 4 experts to air their views on the use of SSRIs in children and young people. Jerome Burne gives an overview of the saga. He states that the sage has revealed how little is known about the action of SSRIs in children, because the research hasn’t been done. Dr Dick Churchill, General Practitioner, briefly covers how he works with young people with depression, and discusses the implications for young people who have benefited from appropriate, considered and careful use of SSRIs Dr Chris Manning, National Mental Health Taskforce, is in favour of careful use of SSRIs, but also states that there is also a need to campaign for alternative provision. Patrick Holford, director of the Brain Bio Centre, believes that there are two fundamental ways to deal with depression. These are to solve the underlying personal problems, and to use nutrients to get the brain working properly again.
A Leap in the Right Direction
Alice O’Keeffe and Angela Neustatter
This article is about Dance Included, which is a two-year initiative to explore how dance might help tackle some of the problems of social exclusion. The authors talk to the staff at East London Dance, the company who run the dance classes within the London borough of Barking and Dagenham. They describe how they encourage young people to join the classes, and their experiences of teaching dance to this group of people. Plus, the article also includes comments from young people who attend the classes. The Dance Included initiative has also funded work with the homeless, and a project with young offenders at Wetherby Young Offender Institution (YOI).
Asha Women’s Centre
Roxanne Escobales
This article looks at the Asha Centre, which acts as a hub for multiple agencies who provide services to women who are at risk of offending. There are a few case studies within the article which illustrate the histories and needs of this group of women. The author also looks at importance of projects such as Asha with regards to reducing offending, and reducing the prison population. There are only a small number of these projects in country, but given that these services are much more cost effective than prisons, it makes humane as well as economic sense for there to be more of these services.
Avoiding Harm
Martin Smith
This article looks at self-harming among young people who have come into contact with the youth justice system. In particular, it looks at the need for and importance of training and support for Youth Offender Team (YOT) workers who are often the first point of contact for these young people, and a way into CAMHS. It also includes a useful list of issues that clinicians should be aware of.
Developing a Comprehensive CAMHS
Caroline Lindsey and Peter Griffiths
This article is based on a proposal for a training strategy, which was developed because the workforce and training were identified as crucial components of the Children’s National Service Framework. The authors look at practical issues regarding training provision. Plus, they look at the training needs of a wide range of professionals. They state that they have identified at least five types of training requirements, and they go into detail about them.
I’m Hurting
Jude Sellen
The author describes how a conference aimed at tier 1 staff who are likely to work with young people who self-harm, led to the development of a local self-harm protocol that involved both staff and users. The author goes on to describe the difficulties for both staff and young people. For instance, both staff and young people used the same words to express the feelings self-harm provokes as service users/or as service providers. Throughout the article there are quotes from young people who self harm.
Nurture Groups
Jim Rose
This article gives a useful introduction to Nurture Groups. It gives an overview of what a nurture group is the importance of being based within the school, and what the core principles are. It then goes into more depth about how children are referred to these groups, and what the benefits are. See www.nurturegroups.org
Problem Parents
Angela Neustatter
This article is based on a study of children and young people who were interviewed soon after their parents’ divorce or separation, and again three to four years later. The study aimed to find out how children cope, and what hinders them. It found that most children were able to cope if the situation was managed, and they felt like they were cared for, listened to etc.
Serving Children Better
Terry Philpot
Terri Philpot gives an overview of the new Children’s National Service Framework (NSF). This is followed by the opinions of three experts. Liam Hughes, Chief Executive of East Leeds PCT, state that when the NSF is implemented the mental health of children and young people will no longer be the add-on it has been in many places in the past. Anna Hassan, Head Teacher at an Extended School, states that the main stumbling block to delivering the NSF nationally will be where local authorities and schools are weak and do not have the capacity or the will to deliver what the framework specifies. Andrew Cozens, Corporate Director of Social Care and Health, Leicester City Council, is quite optimistic about the NSF, but states that the proof of the pudding will be in the eating.
Spreading Good Practice
Miranda Wolpert and Bob Foster
This article describes the three services that either won or were highly commended in the category of children and young people of the 2004 NIMHE Positive Practice Awards. It then goes on to describe how they invited all the applicants to the children and young people category to a training and knowledge-sharing day. This day included the testing of a framework for gathering information about good practice. The information gathered on the day will be put on the Good Practice database that is being developed on the National CAMHS Support Service (NCSS) website. The article is followed by a brief write-up of some of the participants who attended the training day.
The Data Trap
Robin Balbernie
The author discusses how data collected in relation to CAMHS waiting list targets can be incorrect, and can prevent some children and young people accessing services. He states that only referral between GP and consultant child and adolescent psychiatrists are counted, so referrals by other professionals don’t statistically exist. This becomes a big problem when the target times get close. This is when GP to consultant referral cause a panic, while other families and children who have been referred by other routes have to wait. He also describes the difficulties of applying targets to mental health, as opposed to physical illness. Plus, he also discusses why a waiting list can be useful for non-urgent cases.
Review: Adoption
Jim Richards
The reviewer states that this book is worthwhile just for the introduction alone. This is a prelude to the 31 chapters, which are written from almost every conceivable angle. It is a vital read for anyone interested in this area of social policy.
Review: An Introduction to childhood studies and Constructing Childhood
Chris Hanvey
Mary Kehily has put together an anthology written mostly by academics and as a result doesn’t escape that mind numbing language that seems an ocean away from the language of childhood. James and James’ book is on childhood as a social construction. The reviewer states that if Kehily is dense in places, this is sometimes impenetrable. The reviewer states that these books are aimed at other academics and not the practitioner.
Review: Golly in the cupboard
Mike Stein
This is an autobiography of a Barnardo’s boy who was abandoned at birth by his English mother and Nigerian father. This book should be widely read. It is a very well written and powerful reminder of how the attitudes and values of the public and professionals alike can shape the lives of children and young people in care.
Review: Studies in the assessment of parenting
Sonia Jackson
This book aims to provide guidance to mental health professionals and others who are asked to provide expert opinion to courts in care proceedings or disputed custody and access hearing. Despite being aimed at such a specific group, this book is excellent and would be useful to child protection and child and family social workers.
Webwatch: SSRIs Analysed
Paula Lavis
This column pulls together information on SSRIs for parents, young people and professionals.
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