ABSTRACT
There is no consensus about what children’s mental health actually means (Strong & Sesma-Vazquez, 2015). Even within the field of child and adolescent mental health (CAMH), mental health difficulties encompass a broad range of problems and are conceptualized in different ways. In spite of this confusion, it is estimated that between one in five and one in ten children and young people worldwide experience mental health problems, and it is generally accepted that approximately half of mental health problems experienced in adulthood have their origins in childhood. The impact on children’s development, relationships, educational attainment and the potential to live productive and fulfilling lives means that child and adolescent mental health is not an issue we can afford to ignore. CAMH is increasingly being recognized as a global public health concern yet knowledge of how best to understand and support this client group is limited. Social work theories are under-utilized, reflecting the neglected role of social workers within CAMH practice, literature and research. Yet calls for ‘high integrity’ mental health services for children (Wolpert, Vostanis, Martin, Munk, & Norman, 2017) will open up opportunities for transforming current provision. After considering some key issues in CAMH practice, this chapter explores how a psychosocial perspective can help social workers and allied professionals support the mental health and well-being of children and young people worldwide.
