Social work and child mental health: psychosocial principles in community practice

Author:
WALKER Steven
Journal article citation:
British Journal of Social Work, 33(5), August 2003, pp.673-687.
Publisher:
Oxford University Press

The increased prevalence, complexity and earlier onset of child and adolescent mental health difficulties, has prompted government initiatives to reconfigure current provision for this client group, their parents and the carers who try to support them. Social workers have an important part to play in responding to the needs of these individual children and families. A residual, care management role is not adequate in these circumstances. This paper describes the development of social work in child and adolescent mental health, and suggests that a synthesis of psychosocial principles and community practice, offers the optimum social work model of assessment and intervention. Such a model embraces the most useful aspects of psychodynamic theory in the context of practice consistent with anti-discriminatory, children's rights and partnership principles.

Subject terms:
intervention, mental health problems, young people, adolescence, assessment, care management, community care, children, community mental health services, families;
Link:
Journal home page
ISSN online:
1468-263X
ISSN print:
0045-3102

Key to icons

  • Free resource Free resource
  • Journal article Journal article
  • Book Book
  • Digital media Digital media
  • Journal Journal

Give us your feedback

Social Care Online continues to be developed in response to user feedback.

Contact us with your comments and for any problems using the website.

Sign up/login for more

Register/login to access resource links, advanced search and email alerts