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Child and Adolescent Mental Health
Child and Adolescent Mental Health Level 3 100 Hours Certificate Course
Course Code:
BPS214
Level:
3
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Learn About Child and Adolescent Mental Health
This IEAC Accredited Course offers a comprehensive exploration of the mental, emotional, and psychological wellbeing of children and young people from early childhood through adolescence. The course is designed to provide learners with both theoretical knowledge and practical understanding to help identify, understand, and respond appropriately to mental health challenges affecting children and adolescents.
You will explore key topics including child and adolescent development, common mental health conditions, attachment and trauma, behavioural and emotional difficulties, and the impact of family, social, and environmental factors on mental wellbeing. The course also covers safeguarding responsibilities, ethical considerations, and effective communication strategies when working with children, young people, and their families.
No prior qualifications in counselling are required, though students should be prepared for an in-depth and challenging programme of study. The course is suitable for those wishing to enhance existing knowledge for personal development or career progression. It is ideal for individuals interested in youth counselling, mental health support roles, teaching, coaching, education, healthcare, or related fields.
This level 3 course is also accredited by ACCPH and allows you to join as a professional member after completion. Membership allows you to add the letters MACCPH after your name (post-nominals).
This qualification can support further study, enhance employability, or contribute to continuing professional development (CPD). Upon successful completion, you will receive a coveted IEAC Accredited Certificate, confirming the course meets internationally recognised standards for quality and educational integrity.
Click the + and – below to expand/collapse the sections.
Lessons
Lesson Guide – Child and Adolescent Mental Health
There are 10 lessons:
1. Nature and scope of mental health – looking at difference between adult and child and adolescent mental health. What we mean by mental health? Mental wellness etc.
introduction
understanding normal childhood development
good mental health
understanding childhood mental illness
prevalence of mental health issues in children and adolescents
differences to adult mental health
an introduction to the mental health industry
2. Childhood depression also how this changes when reach adolescence. signs and symptoms and treatments.
introduction
types of depression in childhood
diagnosis of depression in children
causes of childhood depression
assessing risk of suicide
3. Â Anxiety disorders – separation, generalised etc. school phobias, social phobias etc. signs/symptoms/treatment
introduction
scope and nature of anxiety disorders
different types of anxiety disorders
childhood anxiety disorders
adolescent anxiety disorders
other anxiety related problems
4. Â Â Tic disorders – tourette’s etc. signs/symptoms/treatment
introduction to tic disorders
types of tics
gilles de la tourette syndrome (tourette’s disorder)
6. Â Â Other disorders – motor disorders, elimination disorders, feeding & eating disorders; signs/symptoms/treatment
introduction
elimination disorders
encopresis
enuresis
feeding and eating disorders of childhood
reactive attachment disorder
selective mutism
stereotypic movement disorder
7. Environmental problems – abuse and neglect, relationship problems signs/symptoms/treatment
introduction
child abuse
definition of child abuse
factitious disorder by proxy
the effects of abuse
attachment issues
lifestyle
8. Â Â Problems of adolescence – anorexia, bulimia, substance use, family conflict signs/symptoms/treatment
introduction
significant disorders of adolescence
9. Â Â Holistic and alternative approaches to treatment – this should be a general approach to dealing with children & adolescents i.e. not directed at specific conditions
drug treatments
food and mental health
alternative therapies – homeopathy, art therapy, music therapy, counselling/psychotherapy, craniosacral/biodynamic osteopathy, kinesiology, aromatherapy, sensory integration, behavioural optometry, hearing and mental health, movement therapies.
10. Â Special projectÂ
Please note: each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the academy, marked by the academies tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.
Learning Goals
Learning Goals Child and Adolescent Mental Health BPS214:Â
Explain the nature and scope of mental health in children and adolescents.
Identify signs of childhood and adolescent depression and explain alternative responses to different forms of such depression.
Identify signs of childhood and adolescent anxiety and explain alternative responses to different forms of such anxiety.
Identify signs of childhood and adolescent tic disorders and explain alternative responses.
Identify signs and symptoms of mental health issues associated with child and adolescent brain disorders and explain alternative responses.
Identify signs of other disorders during childhood and adolescent and explain alternative responses to these different disorders.
Identify signs of environmental problems, including abuse, neglect or relationship issues during childhood and adolescence and explain alternative responses to these different issues.
Identify signs of adolescent problems and explain alternative responses.
Determine clinically, culturally and ethically appropriate treatment options to mental health problems in children and adolescents, that may be considered by both/either family, carers, teachers or health practitioners.
Develop an in depth report on the signs, symptoms and treatments for a specific mental Health condition occurring in children and adolescents.
More Information
Your learning experience with ADLÂ will not only depend on the quality of the course, but also the quality of the person teaching it. This course is taught by Iona Lister and your course fee includes unlimited tutorial support throughout. Here are Iona’s credentials:
Iona Lister Licentiate, Speech and Language Therapy, UK, Diploma in Advanced Counselling Skills.
Iona has been a clinician and manager of health services for fifteen years, and a trainer for UK-based medical charities, focusing on psychosocial issues, mental health disorders, and also the promotion of communication skills for people in helping roles. She tutors and facilitates groups via workshops and teleconferences, and now specialises in Sight Loss. As a freelance writer, she contributes regular feature articles for magazines, has written five published books, as well as published courses relating to personal development and counselling skills.
Iona has also written published books, courses and articles across a wide range of subjects, mostly in the areas of health, counselling, psychology, crafts and wildlife.
She has drawn experience from clinical and managerial experience within the NHS as well as medical and humanitarian subjects. She has been a regular feature writer and expert panel member of a national magazine for six years.
Books include: A Guide to Living with Alzheimer’s Disease (and associated dementias), The Psychology of Facial Disfigurement; a Guide for Health and Social Care Professionals, When a Medical Skin Condition Affects the Way you Look; A Guide to Managing Your Future, Facing Disfigurement with Confidence, Cross Stitch: A Guide to Creativity and Success for Beginners. Courses written include: Mental Health and Social Work, Counselling Skills, Understanding and Responding to Substance Misuse, Journalling for Personal Development, Guided Imagery, Stress Management.
Current work includes: Tutor: Courses associated with Creative Writing, Counselling Skills, Psychology, Holistic Therapy, Certified Hypnotherapist and Hypnotension Practitioner.
Facilitator of Teleconference Groups:Â Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB)
Trainer (Skills for Seeing): Macular Society
Reviewer of Books/Information:Â Macmillan Cancer Support
Fundraiser: Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), Embroidery/Art Groups Facilitator, Board Member
Website Manager: The Strathcarron Project, Coordinator (Delaware & Tennessee) Human Writes
 Exerpt from the Course
DIFFERENT TYPES OF ANXIETY DISORDERS
It is very difficult to distinguish between normal and abnormal anxiety in children and often
a child may have the full range of symptoms for more than one anxiety disorder.
Whilst the ICD lists separate entries for anxiety disorders with onset in childhood, the DSM
uses the same categories to describe childhood anxiety disorders as those for adult
anxiety disorders – the exceptions being separation anxiety disorder which is listed as a
childhood disorder in both classification systems. The DSM also lists sibling relationship
problems as a condition which may warrant clinical attention whereas in the ICD it is
classified as a childhood anxiety disorder.
For ease of explanation we have followed these classifications in order to describe those
anxiety disorders most usually occurring in childhood followed by those most usually
having onset during adolescence. It should be noted however that these are not clear
distinctions. Some children may exhibit the full range of symptoms associated with an
anxiety disorder more usually associated with adolescent or adult onset.
1) CHILDHOOD ANXIETY DISORDERS
There are six forms of anxiety disorder which may have childhood onset.
Separation Anxiety Disorder
This is characterised by intense fear of being separated from key attachment figures, most
usually the parents. Although it is usual for infants and preschool children to experience
some level of anxiety when separated from attachment figures the anxiety displayed by
children with this condition is much more intense and persists after the preschool period.
Onset is before six years of age, lasts at least for four consecutive weeks, and causes
significant disturbances to social, school or other areas of functioning.
Children show excessive concerns that their attachment figures will come to harm if they
leave them or that the attachment figure will not come back and leave them for good. If
separated they often need to remain in touch through telephone calls, emails, etc. They
often cling to their attachment figures when they are present and may insist on sleeping in
the same bed or room as them. If they are forced to sleep in their own room they may
have disturbed sleep and nightmares. Often they will go to their parents’ bed or may sleep
on the floor outside the parent’s room if the door is locked.
There are often associated physical symptoms such as headaches, stomach upsets, or
sickness and vomiting. Behavioural changes may reveal angry outbursts, temper
tantrums, excess crying, or the child may become more withdrawn socially. It is also a
strong indicator of refusing to attend school.
Prevalence and Course – it is thought to affect around 3-4% of children aged 7-11
years. Symptoms usually alleviate with age but can become worse if there are
upheavals to the child’s life or usual routine e.g. moving to a new school, moving
house, death of a pet. Separation anxiety disorder can predispose the child to
panic disorder or agoraphobia in adolescence.
Causes – onset may be triggered by persistent frightening experiences e.g. living
through a war, emigrating, or ongoing parental conflict, or by brief frightening
experiences e.g. death of a relative, an illness. Occasionally it might occur in
children with overprotective parents. Also, some children seem to have an anxietyprone
temperament in that they overreact to everyday stressors rendering them
more susceptible. There is also a higher incidence amongst children who have a
mother with a history of panic disorder and amongst first degree biological
relatives.
Treatment – this usually involves an assessment of all the contributing factors.
Children must be encouraged to discuss their concerns and the family should be
involved in treatment. Parents should be educated about how their own worries
and possible overprotection can contribute. Stressors need to be alleviated where
feasible. If specific situations where the anxiety occurs are found then these might
be addressed using behavioural therapy techniques. Rarely, anxiolytic medication
may be prescribed for a brief period.
Phobic Anxiety Disorder (Specific Phobia)
Many children experience minor symptoms of phobia and these often revolve around
insects such as spiders, animals such as snakes, darkness, death, and sometimes school
(which some authors refer to as school phobia). In some cases symptoms of anxiety
associated with situations or objects of fear become prolonged and exaggerated and the
child develops a specific phobia. The response to specific objects or situations can be in
the form of a panic attack. Unlike adolescents and adults, children who experience phobic
anxiety disorder do not recognise that their fear is unreasonable. Often phobic stimuli are
avoided but if not they may be endured with accompanying feelings of dread and
apprehension.
It is quite common for children to have fears associated with particular objects or situations
but these may not cause significant impairment in their level of functioning. A child might
express intense fear of snakes in the presence of a snake but if they do not encounter
them in daily life and their activities are not limited by a fear of snakes. Diagnosis is made
only if the fear associated with the stimuli, in encountering it, avoiding it, or through
thinking about it, causes significant disruption to the child’s social life or other areas of
functioning. Diagnosis may also be made if the child is significantly distressed by having a
specific phobia.
Specific phobias are often given a subtype e.g. animal type, natural environment type,
blood-injection-injury type, situational type, or other type where it does not fit into any of
the former types e.g. fear of contracting an illness.
Prevalence & Course – around 2% of children aged 11 years have a specific
phobia. Severe and persistent fears of animals and insects usually have onset
before the age of 6 years. Most childhood phobias alleviate with age so the rate
significantly declines during adolescence, however many specific phobias found in
adults had their onset in childhood. Often, the fear-arousing object or situation
caused some amount of distress before it became a specific phobia.
Causes – there seem to be several potential causes including observing others
expressing fear when confronted with a particular object or situation (especially a
role model e.g. parent or teacher), being continually warned about danger by
parents (e.g. don’t pat dogs they might attack you), hearing constant bad news
about something (e.g. plane crashes), experiencing an unexpected panic attack in
a given fear-provoking situation, or having a traumatic experience (e.g. being
attacked by a dog, being locked in a classroom).
Treatment – whilst many childhood phobias alleviate with age, those that do not
may be treated using behavioural techniques. These involve hierarchical exposure
or systematic desensitisation. The child is encouraged to begin by thinking about
the feared object or situation and gradually over a number of weeks they
eventually confront the object or situation having conquered their fears to some
extent along the way. Parents may be involved to reassure the child and offer
support.
Learn to appreciate and work with the growing mind of infants. Â This guide teaches and enlightens on the development of young minds, the effects of nature and nature and the changing problems that can develop. Â Written for parents, students and anyone working with children.
How Children Think
by the Staff of ACS Distance Learning
How Children Think eBook course online. Anyone who has ever tried to make a child do anything (clean up their mess, desist from throwing mud, stop drawing on the walls) knows that children think differently to adults. This book attempts to provide the skills and knowledge to develop a greater understanding of children.
How do children think? Children are on a constant path of development from conception to adulthood (and beyond). Understanding children from a psychological perspective can be of great assistance to adults, in order to help them support the children in their lives to develop into highly functioning adults – whether their own children, or in a professional or social environment.
This ebook attempts to provide the skills and knowledge to develop a greater understanding of children, and what is really going on for them. The first chapter discusses developmental stages in a child’s life, which is important for understanding what is to be expected and accepted at different points of a child’s development.
The next few chapters initiate the age-old discussion on the effects of nature and nurture on development. Chapter four provides insights into the importance of creating balance in a child’s life and chapter five discusses ways to change undesirable behaviour, providing practical solutions. Chapter six takes this a step further, going into problems and solutions of behaviour modification, as well as discussing issues such as abuse, bullying and deprivation.
The book concludes with a discussion on keeping up to date with constantly evolving research.
This book will provide valuable clues into the way children think, and useful keys to support development. We hope you enjoy it.
This course has been endorsed by TQUK. Endorsement of our courses by TQUK sets them apart from other vocational learning programmes and is an achievement to be proud of. It further demonstrates that we are an efficient academy with excellent courses and tutorial support. It also means that potential and existing students, employers and universities can be sure of the true value of the learning we provide.
Assessment
Assessment is based on a combination of completing all assignments and sitting for a final short one and a half hour exam, in your own location.
If you don’t cope well with exams then you may elect to undertake a project instead. This is a popular option.
In addition, most modules have a Set Task at the end of each lesson placed before the assignment. This is an opportunity to undertake practical work to help you acquire knowledge and skills and practical experience. This ADL feature is an added bonus not found at most online schools. Set Tasks are not required for assessment.Â
Some courses also have optional Self-Tests which are available on our online learning platform. These are not available by correspondence or by USB, and do not form part of your overall grade.
How our courses work
Choose Your Learning Method You choose how you would like to receive your course material, i.e., Online, USB or Correspondence. The choice is yours. You may also work on online or offline.
Tutor Allocation Every student is assigned their own dedicated tutor who is an expert in their subject area. They provide as much or as little individual contact as you require. You can contact your tutor whenever you need – your hours are not limited.
Feedback and Assignments Tutor Feedback is an essential component in helping you understand the subject matter. Tutor feedback is given in the form of notes written on the assignment. We encourage you to contact your Tutor where help with clarification and understanding of course material may be required.
Your assignments are located at the end of each lesson. You submit them for marking whenever you are ready. There is no time limit. Â
Set Tasks and Self-Tests Most modules have a Set Task at the end of each lesson before for the assignment. This is where you get the opportunity to undertake practical work to help you acquire knowledge, skills and practical experience. Many modules also have short Self-Tests.
Exams Once all assignments have been completed you may then elect to sit for a one and half hour exam in your own location. If you prefer not to take the exam you do have the option to undertake a project instead. Once the exam or project part of the course is completed, your Certificate is then processed. Please allow approximately 4 weeks for this.
Design Your Own Qualification ADL offers students the flexibility to self-design their own qualification – bundling together a combination of 100-hour modules into a qualification higher than a certificate.
FAQ
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Here is a list of the most often asked FAQ’s.
General
Q. Why should I enrol with the Academy for Distance Learning? A. Here at ADL, our students are our priority – we treat everyone as a unique individual.
Q. Do I need to buy text books? A. No, as each module has been written by highly qualified industry professionals. The content of the material is presented in such a way that text books are not required. However, if you require additional reading your tutor will be able to supply a list.
Q. What happens if I have to stop studying for a while? (eg. become sick, go on holidays, have a baby, move house, etc) A. It’s OK to take a break and start up your study at a later point in time. Just let us know.
Q. Is there an age limit? A. There is no maximum age limit. We do however, have a minimum age limit of 18 years. Below that age parental consent would be required.
Q. Are your courses up-to date? A. Our courses are revised and updated on a rotation system.
Q. Do you have a Cancellation policy? A. Yes. We have a cancellation policy that is fair and equitable. For further details please click here.
Q. Will I have any opportunity to engage with other students? A. We have a Student Community group based on facebook! If you don’t have a facebook account already, you could make one just for talking with fellow students on the group.
Enrolment
Q. When can I enrol/start? A. You may enrol and start at any time of the year – it’s all self- paced.
Q. Can I study from anywhere in the world? A. Our courses are available to anyone, anywhere in the world from the comfort of your own home. The course content is relevant to any country, culture or economy.
Q. How long do I have to complete the course? A. You complete the course at any time that is convenient for you.
Q. Completing a 100 hour module – how long will it take? A. For some students a 100 hour module will take approximately to 3- 6 months to complete. Others take less time and some even longer.
Assessment
Q. Assessment – how does it work? A. For each 100 hour module you are assessed by assignments (at the end of each lesson) and a final one and a half hour exam (or you may elect to complete a Project, instead of sitting the exam) – the choice is yours – you sit for the exam in your own location.
Q. I don’t cope well with exams – what can I do? A. You may elect to undertake a Project (set by your tutor) instead of sitting the exam. Projects are completed from your home and can usually take a couple of weeks to complete.
Q. If my assignment is not up to standard is there an opportunity to resubmit my work? A. Yes –
Q. How many assignments do I need to complete for each module? A. At the end of each lesson, there is an assignment – so if a course has say, 10 lessons, there would be 10 assignments.
Q. I am having difficulty attending workshops/industry meetings, what can be done? A. If your course requires attendance at workshops, conferences, or industry meetings; alternative arrangements can be made in your country.
Qualifications
Q. Can I customize my diploma/higher qualification?
A. Not all educational institution’s certificates /diplomas meet everyone’s needs. The opportunity to Design Your Own Diploma at the Academy (subject to our approval) is an added bonus, not found at other colleges. You choose modules that you think will help you in achieving your goal.
Q. What do I get when I complete the course? Will I receive a transcript? A. At the completion of all courses and providing all assignments and exam requirements have been met, you will receive your Award and a Transcript.
Tutors
Q. Our tutors – who are they? A. We appoint Tutors and require that they must be currently active in their industry, with at least 5 years’ experience in their chosen profession.
Q. Can I contact my tutor at any time? A. Yes – you have unlimited access to your tutor via email through our Online Classroom. You can always leave a message with ADL requesting your tutor to contact you. You decide on how much or how little contact you wish to have.
Q. Practical work – How is this done? A. To find out more about this part of the course please visit the section on How Our Courses Work here.
What's Included
What your tuition fees include
All Course Material via Online, USB or Correspondence
Assignments Marked
Professional Tutor Feedback
Set Tasks - Practical Exercises to help you develop skills
Self-Tests – multiple choice questions at the end of lessons in most modules
Unlimited Personal Tutor Support – via our student classroom
Committed and Friendly Admin Support – vital to your success
All ADL Exam or Project fees (exception RHS exams)
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Iona Lister
How Children Think