Session 7: Exploring some of the interventions to support children’s mental health

Introduction

In the last session, you looked at some of the roles of different professionals and the processes that relate to facilitating children’s mental health and wellbeing within the child’s community. This session, you will be looking in more depth at several of the other therapeutic approaches that might be used by practitioners such as therapists and counsellors. You will also watch a video demonstrating how engaging playful activities are used with younger children and how these can be adapted as forms of therapeutic occupation or activities.

You will be introduced to the ways that specially trained dogs are used therapeutically in non-clinical settings and what the positive advantages of this creative approach might be. You will also have the opportunity to reflect on the use of medication to treat some mental health conditions, in particular attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In addition to this, you will explore behaviour management through the use of a particular toolkit and re-examine the role of schools, parents and wider organisations in helping to support children’s mental health and wellbeing.

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Transcript: Audio 1

LIZ MIDDLETON

In last week's session, you looked at some of the roles of different professionals and the processes that relate to supporting children's mental health and wellbeing within the child's community. This week, you'll be looking in more depth at several of the counselling and therapeutic approaches that might be used by practitioners, such as therapists and counsellors.

You'll also watch video material demonstrating in more detail how playful activities are a very useful resource with younger children and how you can adapt them. You will also be introduced to the ways that specially trained dogs are employed in therapy for specific reasons, and what the expected outcomes in play therapy might be.

You will also have the opportunity to look at the use of medication for some mental health conditions, such as ADHD, explore behaviour management through the use of a particular toolkit, and re-examine the role of schools, parents, and wider organisations in helping to support children's mental health and wellbeing. You'll be asked to reflect on how supporting wellbeing is the responsibility of everyone within an organisation.

And lastly, you'll be asked to look at the ways that parents may be helped to manage children's behaviour and support their wellbeing. The final practice quiz is included. Have a good learning session.

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By the end of this session, you will be able to:

• recognise how the power imbalances between child and adult can affect the therapeutic processes
• understand what is meant by cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
• appreciate the role of play and creativity in counselling and therapy with young children
• realise some of the challenges associated with prescribing medication to treat a child’s mental health condition
• understand how parents might be helped to manage children’s behaviour and support their wellbeing.