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This is a part-time, level 7 short course delivered online.

Who is this course for?

This short course is suitable for any professional currently working to support the emotional needs of children and adolescents

• Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)staff
• School Nurses
• Social Workers
• Health Visitors
• Occupational Therapists
• Adult Mental Health Nurses
• Paediatric Nurses
• Learning Disability Practitioners
• Art Therapists
• Speech and Language Therapists
• Dieticians

Students should be working with children and be able to guarantee access to opportunities to achieve clinical learning outcomes through prior arrangements with service managers.
 

Why study this course?

This dynamic, person-centred course has been developed in partnership with Health Education Improvement Wales (HEIW) and Health Boards across Wales to enhance and develop the practice of practitioners who work with children and young people. 
This short course has been designed to support the learner to: 

• Learn about a range of relevant topics to enable the practitioner to deliver safe and effective care to this group.  The interventions taught reflect the diverse and varied settings where practitioners work and will enable the student to focus on these interventions being applied within a multi-professional context.
• Demonstrate the ability to accurately identify and assess mental health problems and disorders in children and young people that may require further therapeutic intervention.
• Build on their skills and ability to develop psychological & sociological, ecological, and systemic formulations as means of understanding and creating treatment approaches for children and young people's psychological and mental well-being.
• earn about the legal frameworks relating to the care of children and young people with mental health problems and disorders (e.g. child protection; mental health measure; mental health act, etc).
• Discuss theories of child development relating to the understanding and care of children and young people with mental health problems and disorders.
• Evaluate & critique the evidence-based and therapeutic approaches experienced & taught during the module and the role that clinical supervision plays.
• Evaluate their ability to deliver a care program for a child, young person, and their family within the learner’s clinical area through reflecting on practice. Also, to be able to explain the reflective processes that have been used to contribute to collaborative care.

How long does this course take to complete?

This part-time, online short course is delivered during semester 2 of the academic year.  
This course will start on 16 January 2025 and will run once a week on a Thursday between 9am-5pm until 10 July 2025.

Information about any assessments:

Assessments on this short course will include:  

• the development of a private, reflective portfolio to reflect upon your learning on the module as it progresses and where relevant, consider implications of learning for practice setting.
• a 1,000 word formulation of a clinical case.
• Presentation – to facilitate the delivery of a formal 20-minute seminar
• case study assignment (4,000 words)

These assessments must be completed and passed for successful completion of this level 7 course.

Tutors

Mari Roberts
Lecturer and module lead, School of Health Sciences

Nia Dwynwen
Lecturer and deputy module lead, School of Health Sciences     

What will you study on this course?

This short course introduces learners to various topics, including:

• Child development
• Child and adolescent mental health problems and disorders
• Management of care
• Structures of service delivery, including issues of transition and legal and ethical frameworks
• Child protection and other safeguarding matters

Students will also learn about the range of therapeutic interventions used to minimise distress in children, young people, and their families or carers.

A range of exciting evidence-based topics, theories and competencies are included in the module syllabus. This will enable the practitioner to incorporate child-centred, 
bespoke, systemic, formulation-focused care practice with children, young people, their carers, family, and friends. The taught and non-taught elements of the module are designed to equip the student with the specific knowledge and approaches required to work in the field of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).
 

What will attendees get out of the course?

I found the CAMHS module, interesting, accessible and really informative. It set me in good stead as a newly qualified nurse embarking on a career in community CAMHS.(Testimonial from a 2020 student).

“The course has given me invaluable lived experience of CAMHS, shared by young people, their families and health professionals. Helping me to appreciate the power of warmth persistence in helping young people and the collective experience of reflection on practice” (Testimonial from a 2022 student).  

I am really enjoying the content we are being taught, I am learning so much (Testimonial from a 2023 student).  

• Enquiries regarding Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) funding should be directed to bcu.nurseeducation@wales.nhs.uk. 
• Funding opportunities may be available for those working locally (i.e. in the north Wales and Powys areas), please contact the relevant module co-ordinator for details. 
• All other application and funding related enquiries should be directed to the module co-ordinator . 

Please see our Postgraduate Fees and Finance page for further information.

Applicants must fulfil the following criteria to be considered eligible for this course:  

1. registered with a relevant professional body and:
2. employed in health or social services
3. have direct contact with children and young people and their carers/family in the context of their emotional wellbeing 
4. have the support of a practice mentor who is an experienced clinician in child and adolescent mental health and
5. have the approval of their manager in writing.

If you do not hold an undergraduate degree, please contact the course lead to discuss further.  

How to Apply

Please make sure you read and follow the step-by-step application guide as this will specify which sections of the application form are compulsory for the type of course you want to apply for and save you time.

Please prepare the following information (in a Word document):

• Current employment details;
• Years of experience, and employment history (where relevant)
• Name of staff member and organisation that have approved your funding for this module.

This will speed up the process of completing the application form.