MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR ETHNIC MINORITY CHILDREN AND
ADOLESCENTS
Edited by Mhemoda Malik and Carol Joughin, Jessica
Kingsley
ISBN 184310 2374, £16.95
Star Rating: 3/5
This collection of expert contributions considerably helps the
reader in critical analysis of existing provision of mental health
services to ethnic minority children, but ultimately fails to
deliver sufficient practical solutions for professionals working in
the field, writes Peter Spelman.
Malik outlines the considerable difficulties in researching this
area. She emphasises the difficulties in definiting what
constitutes ethnic minorities.
This leads on to a description of existing research based on a
variety of inconsistent assumptions unsurprisingly leading to
different conclusions.
This book’s emphasis on professionals increasing their awareness
of ethnic minority issues through personal development plans, and
commissioners strengthening the voluntary sector contribution are
welcome.
However, insufficient attention is given to practical solutions
for remedying current services’ generally poor record on ethnic
monitoring.
Peter Spelman is principal officer, mental health,
London Borough of Redbridge community care.
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