Children's Mental Health Matters

Members of the Healthy Schools team recently did the one-day Children's Mental Health Matters training run by CIOSPCT's Primary Mental Health Team. We found it stimulating and useful.

The training looked at what the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) does and gave information about the role of Primary Mental Health Workers in Cornwall. It also explored the concept of mental health, looked at the risk factors associated with children and young people's mental health and examined resilience, development, attachment and the importance of relationships. There was a good video about the neurological development of a baby in the first few months of life and in the afternoon we looked at the spectrum of mental health and did a couple of exercises around the interventions that can help a child or young person when risk factors are identified. We also had a chance to look at some super resources including Dr. Paula Barrett's Fun Friends (4 to 7 year-olds) and Friends for Life (older children and young people), both of which are being used in schools on the TaMHS programme. (For more information download Introduction to Friends.)

If you are a teacher or other practitioner working with children or young people in Cornwall you can apply to attend this one-day course by contacting Karen Twiggs.