Taking a positive, holistic approach to the mental and emotional health and well-being of children and young people

Abstract

Traditionally the focus of mental health work with children and young people, including those seen as having behaviour problems and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), has been on the individual child or young person, and specifically on the identification, referral and treatment of their problem. This is now changing, and child mental health work is starting to take a more holistic and preventive approach. There is fortunately a great deal of support for those who want to make this shift coming from many quarters. In this short chapter I have only the space to outline the nature of that shift and recommend that mental health work makes this shift with as much speed as possible, working closely with some new developments in research and practice to do so. The research evidence to support the assertions of this chapter can be found in some recent publications,1 2 3 which include case studies of five Local Education Authorities in England who are working with more holistic approaches in their work with children and young people, including work on child and adolescent mental health.

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