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Study information

Working with CYP and Families with complex mental health needs: Assessment, Engagement and Formulation

Module titleWorking with CYP and Families with complex mental health needs: Assessment, Engagement and Formulation
Module codePYCM118
Academic year2023/4
Credits20
Module staff

Mr Bob Williams (Convenor)

Duration: Term123
Duration: Weeks

0

10

10

Number students taking module (anticipated)

31

Module description

As a Youth Intensive Psychological Practitioner (YIPP) you will support the assessment of children, young people and families with a range of severe and complex mental health needs in inpatient and community settings as part of a multi-disciplinary team. This assessment must reflect the young person and their family’s perspective and must be conducted with the young person’s and family’s needs paramount. The assessment should reflect a shared understanding of the young person’s current difficulties and inform how decisions are made with the family about the best next steps for the young person and the family.

As a YIPP you must be able to undertake a child-centred interview which identifies the child’s/ young person’s current difficulties, their goals and those of their family/parents, their strengths and resources and any risk to self or others. You will need to understand the young person in the context of their family, culture, wider social environment, developmental stage and temperament. You need to engage the young person and their carer(s) and other family members and to establish and maintain therapeutic alliances. You will need to gather appropriate information from different sources, be able to make sense of this and with the family develop and communicate a shared understanding, and contribute to formulation where appropriate. They also need to understand how the child’s difficulties fit within a diagnostic framework, recognize other physical, developmental or psychological difficulties (e.g. epilepsy, autistic spectrum disorders, and attachment history) and know what evidence-based intervention or approaches are likely to be appropriate within the inpatient and community settings.

This module will therefore equip you with a good understanding of the incidence, prevalence and presentation of severe and complex mental health problems experienced by young people in these settings and evidenced-based intervention choices. Skills teaching will develop core competences in active listening, engagement, alliance building, patient-centred information gathering, information giving and shared decision-making. The module will develop your competency in assessments including identifying areas of difficulty (including risk) and establish main areas for change, establish and maintain a working therapeutic alliance and engaging the young person/family to support them in recovery, identify and differentiate between common mental health problems in CYP, navigate and use routine outcome measures and standardised assessment tools effectively as part of the assessment and engagement process.

Module aims - intentions of the module

  • To equip you with an understanding of the general developmental needs of YP
  • To equip you with broad overview of typical mental health presentations, and the aggravating or mitigating circumstances that impact on an admission to an inpatient unit and/or need for crisis care/intensive community support
  • To equip you with a basic understanding of the risks and benefits of an inpatient admission
  • To equip you with a broad understanding of the family as a system, and the impact of MH difficulties and service use recursively on the family and the YP
  • To develop an understanding of how to assess, formulate and review needs of the YP and their family in this context
  • To develop your understanding of the relational needs of young people and families in these contexts and develop basic skills of engagement and the ability to manage the therapeutic relationship
  • To support you with an understanding of the importance and active engagement and working in partnership of participation for the YP and family

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

  • 1. Demonstrate knowledge of childhood and adolescence as developmental stages; the nature, functions thereof and how mental health difficulties might develop in childhood and adolescence. This should include demonstrating knowledge of attachment, attachment disruption and how this can manifest
  • 2. Demonstrate knowledge of common mental health difficulties that might be seen in this context (including self-harm, depression, anxiety, eating disorders)
  • 3. Demonstrate an understanding of developmental needs (cognitive, neurodevelopmental etc) and how these might impact on young people and their families in the context of crisis services
  • 4. Demonstrate knowledge of PTSD and complex trauma and how these can manifest and impact on young people and family systems
  • 5. Demonstrate understanding of the nature of inpatient admissions including the risks and benefits
  • 6. Demonstrate understanding of the nature and role of family systems and how they might experience crisis pathways and inpatient admissions
  • 7. Demonstrate skills in building engagement and communication, in developing and maintaining therapeutic relationships with young people and the systems (including families) around them
  • 8. Demonstrate an understanding of risk assessment and management and safeguarding in this context

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

  • 9. Demonstrate skills in assessment in this context (including semi structured interviews, indirect assessment, self-report questionnaires)
  • 10. Develop and demonstrate an understanding of the nature, functions, and complexities of formulation as a process, models of formulation and their application in this setting

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

  • 11. Make a contribution to models of formulation and their application; demonstrating skills in aiding assessment, interpreting of information, and information sharing formulation in this context
  • 12. Demonstrate the ability to work in partnership with CYP and their parents / carers, drawing on and applying knowledge of co-production and shared decision making in this context

Syllabus plan

The module content, module-specific learning objectives, style of delivery and assessment for this module are informed by the National Curriculum for Youth Intensive Psychological Practitioners –Teaching content will include:

  • CYP developmental stages and an overview of attachment theory
  • Aetiology and prevalence of common mental health difficulties in CYP
  • General overview of PTSD and complex trauma both in CYP and families
  • Risks and benefits of an inpatient admission
  • Impact of admission on a family system
  • Developing and maintaining multiple therapeutic relationships
  • Understanding risk, risk assessment and safeguarding
  • Formulation theory and team formulation skills
  • Diversity and Culture, social inclusion 
  • Working with families and communicating within systems 
  • Collaborative practice/working, participation and co-production
  • Reflective practice

Knowledge will be learnt through a combination of lectures, seminars, discussion groups, guided reading, and independent study.

Skills based competencies will be learnt through a combination of clinical simulation in small groups working intensively under close supervision with peer and tutor feedback and supervised practice through supervised direct contact with service users in the workplace.

The curriculum for YIPP in Specialist CYP Mental Health settings is organised into three components. Components can be organised according to local module structure requirements by training providers to comply with their academic timetable and tailored to suit local needs. The curriculum is based on three components delivered over 45 days in total. This number of days is essential to meet the learning objectives specified within the curriculum. Although each component has a specific set of foci and learning outcomes, the clinical competencies build on each other and courses are expected to focus the majority of their teaching activity on clinical competence development through clinical simulation/role play. Assessment focuses primarily on trainees’ practical demonstration of competencies. Skills based competency assessments are independent of academic level and must be passed. The curriculum will form the basis of any future course accreditation.

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Scheduled Learning and Teaching ActivitiesGuided independent studyPlacement / study abroad
901100

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

CategoryHours of study timeDescription
Scheduled learning and teaching80Practical classes – these will be used to develop clinical competencies through tutor supervised small group role-play, lectures and seminars
Scheduled learning and teaching10Tutorials – these will take the form of small group sessions led by the tutor
Guided independent study40Reading and preparation for seminars and/or ‘flipped classroom’ delivery model
Guided independent study40Self-practice and self-reflection on role plays of assessments with fellow students undertaken outside of teaching sessions
Guided independent study30Develop an understanding of service-related clinical protocols, policies and procedures to inform practice, and develop knowledge of role

Formative assessment

Form of assessmentSize of the assessment (eg length / duration)ILOs assessedFeedback method
Supervisor report 2N/A1-12Written
Discussion of a 360 review from the team and young people through a team survey and feedback / outcome measures. This would be done half way through training which would allow the team to raise strengths and weaknesses for the trainees to work onConducted in clinical context1-12Written and verbal

Summative assessment (% of credit)

CourseworkWritten examsPractical exams
10000

Details of summative assessment

Form of assessment% of creditSize of the assessment (eg length / duration)ILOs assessedFeedback method
Podcast: Trainees record a 10/15-minute case presentation and critical analysis of a model or theory5010/15 minute presentation1,3,4,6,7,8,9,12Written
Practice outcome document 2: Trainees will be required to demonstrate competence in the clinical practice outcomes related to 1) working effectively in teams, supporting transitions, working with systems and 2) working with young people and their families with severe and complex mental health needs0n/a1-12Written and verbal
Formulation document: Trainees will be required to demonstrate an ability to collaboratively assess and formulate. Attention must be paid to the young person’s life experiences, developmental stage, their family context, current mental health context as well as demonstrating knowledge of common mental health problems502000 words1-12Written
0
0

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Original form of assessmentForm of re-assessmentILOs re-assessedTimescale for re-assessment
Podcast (50%) /15 minute presentationPodcast1,3,4,6,7,8,9,12Four weeks from the date feedback was provided
Practice outcome document 2 (0% pass/fail)Practice outcome document 2:1-12Four weeks from the date feedback was provided
Formulation document (50%)Formulation document1-12Four weeks from the date feedback was provided

Re-assessment notes

In all cases re-assessment will be the same as the original assessment, although it may be appropriate for there to be an individual reassessment of elements of the group presentation. Where you have been referred/deferred for any form of assessment detailed above you will have the opportunity to retake within four weeks from the date that feedback was provided.

If you pass re-assessments taken as a result of deferral, your re-assessment will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment and the overall module mark will not be capped.

If you pass re-assessments taken as a result of referral (i.e., following initial failure in the assessment), the overall module mark will be capped at 50%.

If you fail re-assessments taken as a result of referral (i.e., following initial failure in the assessment), you will be failed in the module and the programme.

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

General:

  • Addis, M., Martell, C.R. (2004). Overcoming depression one step at a time. New Harbinger
  • Bennett-Levy, J., Richards, D., Farrand, P.,  Christensen, H., Griffiths, K., Kavanagh, D. J., Klein, B., Lau. M. A., Proudfoot, J., Ritterband, L., White, J., & Williams, C. (2010). Oxford guide to low intensity CBT interventions. Oxford University Press
  • Bennett-Levy, J., Butler, G., Fennell, M., Hackmann, A., Mueller, M., & Westbrook, D. (2004). Oxford guide to behavioural experiments in cognitive therapy. Oxford University Press
  • Burton, M., Pavard, E., & Williams, B. (2014). An introduction to child and adolescent mental health. Sage
  • Carr, A. (2000). What works with children and adolescents? A critical review of psychological interventions with children, adolescents and their families.Routledge
  • Cartwright-Hatton, S., Laskey, B., Rust, S., & McNally, D. (2010). From timid to tiger. A treatment manual for parenting the anxious Child. Wiley
  • Cooper, M., Hooper, C., & Thompson, M. (2005). Child and adolescent mental health. Theory and practice. Hodder Arnold
  • Dogra, N., Parkin. A., Gale, F., & Frake, C. (2002). Child and adolescent mental health for front-line professionals. Jessica Kingsley Publishing
  • Friedberg, R. D., & McClure, J. M. (2002). Clinical practice of cognitive therapy with children and adolescents: The nuts and bolts. Guilford Press
  • Fuggle, P., Dunsmuir, S., & Curry,V. (2013). CBT with children, young people and families. Sage
  • Gellety, J., Bower, P., Hennessy, S. Richards, D., Gilbody, S., & Lovell, K. (2007). What makes self –help interventions effective in the management of depressive symptoms? Meta-analysis and meta-regression. Psychological Medicine, 37, 1217-1228
  • Graham, P. (2013). Cognitive behaviour therapy for children and families. (3rd  edition). Cambridge University press
  • Grant, A., Townend, M., Mulhern, R., & Short, N. (2010). Cognitive behavioural therapy in mental health care. (2nd Edition). Sage Publications
  • Greenberger, D., & Padesky, C. A. (1995). Mind over mood: A cognitive therapy treatment manual for clients. New York: Guildford Press
  • Howard, C., Burton, M., & Levermore, D. (2019). Children’s mental health and emotional well-being in primary schools. Learning Matters
  • Kedar, N. D., & Harper, P. B. (2004). Promoting the emotional well-being of children and adolescents and preventing their mental ill health. Jessica Kingsley Publishing
  • Kendall, P. C., Beidas, R. S., & Mauro, C. M. (2013). Brief coping cat: The 8 session coping cat workbook. Workbook publishing
  • Kendall, P. C., Crawley, S. A., Benjamin, C. L., & Mauro, C. F. (2013). Brief coping cat: Therapist manual for the 8 session coping cat workbook. Workbook publishing
  • Kendall, P. C., & Hedtke, K. A. (2006). The coping cat workbook(2nd Edition). Workbook Publishing
  • Kendall, P. C., & Hedtke, K.A. (2006). Cognitive behavioural therapy for anxious children: Therapist manual. Workbook Publishing
  • Kennerley, H., Kirk, J., & Westbrook, D. (2016). An introduction to cognitive behaviour therapy: Skills and applications. Sage
  • Kinsella, P., & Garland, A. (2008). Cognitive behavioural therapy for mental health workers – A beginner’s guide. Routledge
  • Lejuez, C. W., Hopko, D. R., & Hopko, S. D. (2001). A brief behavioral activation treatment for depression: Treatment manual. Behavior Modification, 25, 255-286
  • March, J. S., & Mulle, K. (1998). OCD in children and adolescents: A cognitive-behavioural treatment manual. Guilford Press
  • Martel, C. R., Addis, M. E., & Jacobson N. S. (2001). Depression in context: Strategies for guided action. W W Norton and co
  • Martell, C. R., Dimidjian, S., & Herman-Dunn, R. (2010). Behavioral activation for depression: A clinician’s guide. New York
  • Myles, P., & Rushforth, D. (2007). A complete guide to primary care mental health. Robinson
  • Reynolds, S., & Pass, L. (2021). Brief behavioural activation for adolescent depression: A clinician’s manual and step by step guide. Jessica Kingsley Publishers
  • Ritschel, L. A., Ramirez, C. A., Jones, M., & Craighead, W. E. (2011). Behavioral activation for depressed teens: A pilot study. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 18, 281–299
  • Roth, A., & Fonagy, P. (2006). What works for whom? (2nd edition). Guildford Press
  • Stallard, P. (2002). Think good, feel good: A cognitive behaviour therapy workbook for children and young people. John Wiley & Sons
  • Stallard, P. (2002). A clinicians guide to think good, feel good: Using CBT with children and young people. John Wiley & Sons
  • Stallard, P. (2009) Anxiety – Cognitive behaviour therapy with children and young people. Routledge
  • Verduyn, C., Rogers, J., & Wood, A. (2009). Depression: Cognitive behaviour therapy with children and young people. Routledge
  • Webster-Stratton, C. (2004). How to promote children’s social and emotional competence (7th edition). Sage Publications
  • Williams, C. (2012). Overcoming anxiety: A five areas approach. Arnold

Working with families and systems:

  • Fonagy, P. and Target, M. (2005). What works for whom: a critical review for children and adolescents. London: Routledge
  • Dallos, R. and Draper, R. (2010) An introduction to family therapy and systemic practice. Buckingham: OUP
  • Day, R. (2010) Introduction to family processes. New York: Routledge
  • Rivett, M. and Street, E. (2009) Family therapy: 100 key ideas and techniques. London: Routledge
  • Rivett, M and Street, E. (2003) Family therapy in focus. London: Sage
  • Smith-Acuna, S. (2011) Systemic theory in action. New Jersey: Wiley and Sons
  • Sprenkle, D. and Piercy, F. (2005) Research methods in family therapy. New York: Guilford
  • Gehart, D. (2010) Mastering competencies in family therapy. Belmont CA; Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning
  • Patterson, J.; Williams, L.; Edwards, T.; Chamow, L and Grauf-Grounds, C. (2009) Essential skills in family therapy. New York: Guilford
  • Pilling, S.; Roth, A. and Stratton, P. (2010) The competencies required to deliver effective systemic therapies http://www.ucl.ac.uk/clinical-psychology/CORE/systemic_framework.htm
  • Stanton, M. and Welsh, R. (2011) Speciality competencies in couple and family psychology. New York: Oxford University Press
  • Williams, L.; Edwards, T.; Patterson, J. and Chamow, L. (2011) Essential assessment skills for couple and family therapy. New York; Guilford

 Working with eating disorders:

  • Eisler I, Lock J and Le Grange D (2010) Family-based treatments for adolescent anorexia nervosa. In Grilo C and Mitchell J (Eds) The Treatment of Eating Disorders New York, Guilford Press
  • Simic M and Eisler I (2012) Family and Multifamily Therapy. In Fox J and Goss K (eds) Eating and its Disorders. Oxford, Willey-Blackwell
  • Eisler, Simic and colleagues (2012) Maudsley Child and Adolescents Eating Disorders Service model and treatment manual for single and multi-family therapy for adolescent anorexia nervosa. Unpublished treatment manual. South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust
  • NICE (2004) Eating Disorders: Core Interventions in the Treatment and Management of Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa and Related Eating Disorders. A National Clinical Practice Guideline. London: National Institute for Clinical Excellence

Working with conduct disorder, self-harm and adolescent depression:

  • Henggeler, S.; Schoenwald, S.; Borduin, C.; Rowland, M. and Cuningham, P. (2009) Multisystemic therapy for antisocial behaviour in children and adolescents. New York: Guilford
  • Sexton, T. (2011) Functional family therapy in clinical practice. New York: Routledge

Diversity:

  • Beck, A.,  Naz, S., Brooks, M., & Jankowska, M., (2019). IAPT BAME Service User Positive Practice Guide, Retrieved from BABCP website: https://www.babcp.com/files/About/BAME/IAPT-BAME-PPG-2019.pdf
  • Bernal, G. and Domenech Rodriguez, M. (2015). Cultural Adaptations. Washington: American Psychological Association
  • Beck, A. (2016). Transcultural Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Anxiety and Depression: A Practical Guide. London: Routledge/Taylor & Francis Group
  • Thornicroft, G. (2006). Shunned: Discrimination Against People with Mental Illness. Oxford: Oxford University Press

 

Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources

MindEd sessions

Reach Out– Low Intensity Manual

National Programme Student Materials to Support the Delivery of Training for Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners Delivering Low Intensity Interventions

https://cedar.exeter.ac.uk/media/universityofexeter/schoolofpsychology/cedar/documents/Reach_Out_3rd_edition.pdf

Low Intensity Workbooks

Behavioural experiments workbook with children and young people: https://swcypiapt.com/resources/publications/

PWP workbooks

https://cedar.exeter.ac.uk/iapt/iaptinterventions/

 

NICE Guidelines

CG113

National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (2011). Generalised anxiety disorder and panic disorder in adults: management https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg113

NG134

National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence. (2005). Depression in children and young people: Identification and management https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng134

CG31

National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence. (2005). Obsessive-compulsive disorder and body dysmorphic disorder: treatment https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg31

TA102

National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence. (2006). Parent-training/education programmes in the management of children with conduct disorders.

https://www.nice.org.uk/sharedlearning/solihull-approach-parenting-group

PH20

National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence. (2009). Social and emotional wellbeing in secondary education https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ph20

 

Websites

http://www.camhsnetwork.co.uk

http://www.cypiapt.org/children-and-young-peoples-project.php?accesscheck=%2Findex.php

https://swcypiapt.com/about/

https://www.minded.org.uk

http://www.ucl.ac.uk/CORE

No Health without Mental Health:

http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_123766

Roth & Pilling (2007) & Roth, Calder & Pilling (NHS Education for Scotland Competence Framework for Workers in CAMHS Settings, 2011):

http://www.ucl.ac.uk/clinical-psychology/CORE/competence_frameworks.htm

Indicative learning resources - Other resources

Referencing: Please follow APA guidelines for referencing (7th Edition). For more information, see: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/general_format.html

Key words search

Youth Intensive Psychological Practitioners, YIPP, Low Intensity, Young People Common Mental Health Problems, Inpatient, Evidence Based Psychological Therapies, Clinical Competency

Credit value20
Module ECTS

10

Module pre-requisites

Children & young people’s mental health settings: context and values 

Module co-requisites

Therapeutic skills and interventions to Improve psychological wellbeing

NQF level (module)

7

Available as distance learning?

Yes

Origin date

21/02/2022

Last revision date

21/04/2023