About Us

We are a multidisciplinary group of professionals including Paediatricians, Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists, Clinical Psychologists, Nurses, Physiotherapists and Occupational Therapists, who are concerned in promoting mental wellbeing alongside physical health of babies, children and young people into adulthood.

We seek “parity of esteem“ – which is the principle by which mental health must be given equal priority to physical health.

Our mission is to champion the integration and working together of services, by influencing clinical practice in Paediatrics, Policy Development, Education and Training and Continuing Professional Development (CPD).

Our key functions are:

Advocacy:

Raise the profile of Child Mental Health to parity with physical health
Identify topics for advocacy, working with partners such as the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, Royal College of Psychiatrists, Royal College of General Practitioners and British Psychological Society to develop clear guidance.

Knowledge:

Paediatricians frequently work with children and young people with a wide range of mental health difficulties. This includes children with complex presentations, somatisation disorders, behavioural challenges, neuro-developmental disorders, eating disorders and learning difficulties.

We often work within a multidisciplinary team, liaising with other mental health specialists, paediatric subspecialists and local multi-agency teams, including Social Care and Education, in order to enhance holistic care.

Education/
Training / CPD:

Provide specialist regional advice in complex cases
Train other health professionals in child mental health
Promote and provide Education, Training and Continuing Professional Development to improve competence of systems relevant to Children and Young people with Mental Health difficulties.
Develop training curricula (Grid and SPIN) for Paediatricians https://www.rcpch.ac.uk/resources/child-mental-health-sub-specialty

Policy:

Take a lead to assist the development and implementation of evidence based programmes to encourage integration of physical and emotional wellbeing in all relevant government policy.

The PMHA aims to:

Develop a resource base of expert opinion and information relating to Child Mental Health
To work towards enhanced integration of services within Health and with other agencies such as Social Care and Education to develop seamless pathways for Children and Young People.
Promote the sharing of knowledge of all aspects of child and adolescent mental health and well-being with as wide a range of different professional groups as possible

The PMHA executive committee:

The Executive Committee meets 3-4 times a year

(As of February 2024)

Outgoing Chair and Convenor / Chair of Mental Health CSAC
Emma Blake (Consultant Child Mental Health Paediatrician)

Incoming Chair and Convenor
Bo Fischer (Consultant Child Mental Health Paediatrician)

Deputy Convenor
Cassie Coleman (Consultant Community Paediatrician)

Academic Convenor
Katya Certic (Consultant Community Paediatrician)

Treasurer
Nicola Herberholz (Consultant Child Mental Health Paediatrician)

Child Mental Health Training (RCPCH CSAC)
Kim Pierson (Consultant Child Mental Health Paediatrician)

Child Mental Health Education (RCPCH CSAC)
Olatokunbo (Toks) Sanwo (Consultant Child Mental Health Paediatrician)

Paediatric Trainees
Robert Keegan, Ira Kleine, Asia Chan

Student Representative
Elisha Bannister

Psychology Representatives
Anita Marsden (Lead Clinical Psychologist, East Sussex Community Paediatric Service),

George Davis (Clinical Psychologist and Team Lead, Plymouth)

Neurodevelopmental Research Representative
Hilary Toulmin (Assistant Professor and Specialist Neurodevelopmental Paediatrician)

General Paediatrics Representative
James Dearden (Consultant General Paediatrician)

PEM Representative
Samantha Jones (Consultant in Paediatric Emergency Medicine, Paeds)

RCPsych link
Rory Conn (Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, Exeter)

Psychiatry Trainee Representative
Sophia Williams (CAMHS Trainee)

Royal College of Nursing Link
Marilyn Noble-Munn: General Paediatric/CAMHS Liaison Nurse

SAS Paediatrician
Hannah Mshelbwala

RCPCH Mental Health Policy Officer
Dr Karen Street, Officer for Mental Health on the RCPCH Health Improvement Committee

NICE Consultation Representative
Sheila Peters (Retired Consultant Paediatrician)

Paediatric Mental Health Association