Children and Young People: Mental Health Promotion

Rees H, Reyburn L, Lenaghan M, Jones S (no date) Mental health support for young people: promoting choice, improving access. London: RCN. 

• This RCN Mental Health Forum factsheet was undertaken in collaboration with Mind. The purpose of this resource is to help nurses understand and promote choice in how children and young people can access mental health services.
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Trainer G (no date) Understanding and responding to children and young people’s mental health challenges. London: RCN.

• This RCN publication has been created to assist those nurses who are not mental health specialists, who work with children and young people in a community, hospital, school, and other setting.
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Turner J, Cooper L, Woodward A, Painter J, Day P (no date) Nursing-led interventions to support the psychological and emotional wellbeing of children and young people: a scoping review. RCN Foundation and Sheffield Hallam University.

• This RCN Foundation funded scoping report was undertaken by Sheffield Hallam University.
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Children and Young People's Mental Health Coalition (2023) Children and young people’s mental health: an independent review into policy success and challenges over the last decade. Local Government Association.

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Children’s Commissioner for England (2023) The state of Children’s mental health services 2021-2022. London: CCfE.

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Centre for Mental health (2023) Children and young people’s mental health: the facts. London: CfMH.

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House of Commons Library (2023) Support for children and young people's mental health (England) (research briefing).

• House of Commons Library briefing on children and young people’s mental health policy.
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Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (2020) Role of paediatricians in supporting children and young people's mental health - position statement. London: RCPCH.

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Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (2020) State of child health: mental health Updated 2021). London: RCPCH.

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Care Quality Commission (2018) Are we listening: a review of children and young people's mental health services. London: Care Quality Commission.

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Bush M (2018) Addressing adversity: prioritising adversity and trauma-informed care for children and young people in England. London: Young Minds Trust.

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National Assembly for Wales Children, Young People and Education Committee (2018) Mind over matter: a report on the step change needed in emotional and mental health support for children and young people in Wales. Cardiff:  NAW.

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Royal Society for Public Health (2017) #StatusOfMind: social media and young people's mental health and wellbeing. London: RSPH.

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We would like to thank the RCN CYP Staying Healthy member community for their input into the development of this subject guide.

Baldwin L (ed.) (2019) Nursing skills for children and young people’s mental health. Cham: Springer.

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Bradshaw J (2016) The well-being of children in the UK. 4th edn. Policy Press.

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Coverdale G and Donovan H (2019) With children in mind: current research and policy developments on mental health and young people. Bradford: Emerald.

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Howard C, Burton M and Levermore D (2020) Children’s mental health and emotional well-being in primary schools: a whole school approach. 2nd ed. London: Learning Matters.

• Borrow from RCN Library services

Laver-Bradbury C, Thompson M J, Gale C and Hooper C (eds.) (2021) Child and adolescent mental health: theory and practice. 3rd edn. London; Routledge.

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• Borrow from RCN Library Services

Melnyk B M and Lusk P (2021) A practical guide to child and adolescent mental health screening, evidence-based assessment, intervention, and health promotion. 3rd edn. New York: Springer.

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Pattison S, Robson M and British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (2018) The handbook of counselling children and young people. 2nd ed. London: SAGE.

• Borrow from RCN Library services

Sharp Hand Walker L (eds.) (2023) Participation in children and young people's mental health: an essential guide. Milton: Taylor & Francis Group.

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Theodosiou L, Knightsmith P, Lavis P and Bailey S (2020) Children and young people's mental health : early intervention, ongoing support and flexible evidence-based care. Shoreham by Sea: Pavillion.

• Borrow from RCN Library services

Walker S (2019) Supporting troubled young people: a practical guide to helping with mental health problems. St Albans: Critical Publishing.

• Borrow from RCN Library services

Yearwood E L, Pearson G S and Newland J A (2021) Child and adolescent behavioral health: a resource for advanced practice psychiatric and primary care practitioners in nursing. Hoboken: John Wiley and Sons.

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Use these links to see details of books the RCN libraries hold on each topic.

• Adverse childhood experiences and mental health
• Child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS)
• Infant mental health
• Mental Health Promotion
• Suicide or self-harm in children

Use these links for details of journal articles on each topic.

• Child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS)
• Infant mental health
• Mental health promotion for children
• Suicide and self-harm for children

Journals of interest for children and young people mental health promotion. Use these links to see details of availability.

• BMC Public Health
• British Journal of School Nursing
• Child and Adolescent Mental Health
• Open access journal:
  Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health
• European Child and Adolescent psychiatry
• European Journal of Public Health
• Mental Health Practice
• Nursing Children and Young People

NHS England and Health Education England: MindEd: e-learning to support healthy minds.

• MindEd provides free open access online training in emotional and behavioural ‘first aid’ and essential therapeutic skills for all those involved in the mental wellbeing and care of children and young people in the UK. MindEd is developed and supported by a group of multi-disciplinary organisations including the RCN.
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We Can Talk

• This co-produced resource is intended to improve the experience of children and young people who attend hospital due to their mental health. It is relevant to anyone who works in an acute hospital.
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RCN Foundation:  Children and young people's mental health

• The RCN Foundation has funded a series of projects and research initiatives to answer the mental health needs of children, young people, and the nursing staff who support them.
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RCN Exhibition: Once Upon a Time... a history of children and young people's nursing exhibition.

• This exhibition explores the history of children and young people’s nursing – from the first children's hospitals to the development of family-centred care today.
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YoungMinds

• UK charity committed to improving the emotional wellbeing and mental health of children and young people.
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Books on Prescription

• A reading list of expert endorsed books about mental health, providing 13 to 18 year olds with advice and information about issues like anxiety, stress and OCD, and difficult experiences like bullying and exams. The books have all been recommended by young people and health professionals, and are available to borrow for free from public libraries.
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