Multidisciplinary Handbook of Child and Adolescent Mental Health for Frontline Professionals

A Multidisciplinary Handbook of Child and Adolescent Mental Health for Frontline Professionals

★★★★

Nisha Dogra, Andrew Parkin, Fiona Gale and Clay Frake, Jessica Kingsley Publishers, ISBN 9781843106449

This book would be very useful for students and practitioners alike. It gives clear explanations of the terminology used in the discipline, and the opportunity, through exercises, to assess your attitudes and alter your language. It has good referencing and further reading suggestions.

The book would help families themselves with its explanations of why so many professionals are involved in mental health cases. There are clear guidelines on how best to document any concerns or issues surrounding young people and how to start an assessment of need.

Advice on direct interventions is offered. These will assist with decisions about how best to work with other agencies to support young people with their needs. The book looks at how child and adolescent mental health services can offer support to frontline workers to offer a seamless planning provision for young people and their families.

One of the highlights is a baseline explanation of mental health disorders, such as bipolar affective disorder and schizophrenia. The explanations about age, lifestyles and cultural differences for interviewing, I found particularly interesting.

Wendy Dare, independent support service, Hertfordshire Council