Category: Uncategorized

Adolescent Forensic Psychiatry Special Interest Group Annual Meeting

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In case you missed our post, here’s a reminder about an event taking place next week. Registration closes at 9am on Sunday 6th December.

Minimum Age of Criminal Responsibility: Adolescent Forensic Psychiatry SIG Conference

7th December 2020
Watch live or on demand

The UK has one of the lowest minimum ages of criminal responsibility (MACR) in the world, with the age being set at 10 years old in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and 12 in Scotland (having increased from 8 in 2019).  These low ages are inconsistent with current neuroscientific knowledge regarding brain maturation and has led to the UK being singled out for criticism by the United Nations, which issued a General Comment in 2019 stating that the minimum age of criminal responsibility should be at least 14 years old. 

The topic received further media coverage last week (see links below), following the release of the Justice Committee report on Young People and Youth Justice which called on the Government to review the current minimum age or provide justification for not doing this by February 2021. 

The purpose of this conference is to explore the issues behind criminal responsibility including current evidence regarding brain maturation, international approaches to setting minimum ages and alternative non-criminal disposal options for those who commit risky offences below the minimum age of criminal responsibility. It is hoped that participants will come from a wide range of backgrounds so that a full range of views can be heard during the discussions

 The study day will help inform the planned Royal College Position Statement of the Minimum Age of Criminal Responsibility.

Click here for further information and to register

Call for Abstracts for Poster Presentations

On By Paediatric Mental Health AssociationIn Education, Events, Posters, Research, Training, UncategorizedLeave a comment

PMHA Annual Meeting ONLINE on the 28th and 29th January 2021

The Paediatric Mental Health Association invites trainees in Paediatrics, Psychiatry, General Practice, and Emergency Medicine to submit abstracts for our Annual Winter Meeting. 

The PMHA Annual Winter Meeting, taking place virtually on the 28th and 29th of January 2021, attracts speakers and delegates from a wide range of specialties to discuss the latest research and updates in Child Mental Health.

This year’s meeting will feature a trainee-led virtual poster session in which trainees can present their audits, research, or quality improvement projects. This year, we are welcoming abstracts related to the interface between physical and mental health. This is an excellent opportunity to showcase your work in the area of child mental health and to share best practice with interested professionals from around the country. Three abstracts will also be selected for oral presentation on Day Two of the meeting (29th January). 

To submit an abstract, please click here to download an abstract template then fill it in and submit it to PMHAtrainees@gmail.com.

Please submit your abstracts to us by December 13th at the latest. Your abstract will be reviewed by members of the PMHA Executive Committee and you will be notified of acceptance by the 18th of December.

We look forward to receiving your abstracts and to welcoming you to our meeting in January!

Sir Norman Lamb, Chair of the Children and Young People’s Mental Health Coalition, has agreed to record a talk for the ONLINE 2-day PMHA Annual Meeting

On By Paediatric Mental Health AssociationIn Events, Ideas, Resources, Training, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Join us on Friday 29th January 2021 to hear what he has to say

You can book for the PMHA annual meeting here https://pmha-uk.org/the-pmha-annual-winter-meeting/

About the CYPMHC:

CYPMHC Logo

“The vision of CYPMHC is for all infants, children and young people to grow up in a society that prioritises, invests in, listens and attends to their mental health and wellbeing. We are working towards building a nation where positive mental health is promoted and early intervention practices are in place to secure mentally healthier futures for our children and young people.

We see mental health as everyone’s business. When one of us is in distress, there are implications for everyone: lost potential, unemployment and crime are just some of the consequences.

We want the Government to hear what we have to say and to put our ideas into practice. We would like ministers, commissioners and everyone who makes decisions relating to children and young people to note that promoting positive mental health, preventing mental ill health, and intervening early when problems arise requires cross-government action.

We do not represent any one organisation, approach, or professional group but rather we engage with our members and come together to provide a strong unified voice speaking out about children and young people’s mental health.”

Please click on the link below for more information

https://cypmhc.org.uk

RSM Webinar

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How to build a brain: From infancy to adolescence – Part 1

Date: Tuesday 27 Oct 2020
Time: 5:00pm to 7:10pm,
£10 – £40

This is the first part of a two-part webinar series that will provide an overview of both normal and abnormal brain development across a wide range of topics that are relevant to anyone working with infants, children and young people.

During this session, you will be able to:

  • Understand developmental ‘red flags’ 
  • Develop an insight into common neurological conditions that present in childhood, including movement disorders and childhood epilepsy 
  • Explore how cutting-edge neuroimaging techniques allow us to describe normal structural brain development 
  • Gain insights into current topics in neuroimaging 
  • Explore the MDT approach to managing children and adolescents with chronic neurodisability 
  • Gain insight into what features of neurodevelopment are important to parents and young people

Join a panel of clinicians and academics who are experts in their fields. Topics covered will focus on the MDT management of common neurological conditions in childhood, including emergency presentations. At this webinar, expand your understanding of the normal brain development as a window and to understand what happens when things go wrong.

During this session, you will be able to:

  • Understand developmental ‘red flags’ 
  • Develop an insight into common neurological conditions that present in childhood, including movement disorders and childhood epilepsy 
  • Explore how cutting-edge neuroimaging techniques allow us to describe normal structural brain development 
  • Gain insights into current topics in neuroimaging 
  • Explore the MDT approach to managing children and adolescents with chronic neurodisability 
  • Gain insight into what features of neurodevelopment are important to parents and young people

Key Speakers:

Dr Dennis Grigoratos
Consultant Paediatrician, Princess Royal University Hospital, King’s College NHS Trust

Dr Max Davie
Community Paediatrician and RCPCH Officer for Health Promotion, Evelina London Children’s Hospital

Click here for more information and to book

Upcoming Event: Enhancing young people’s mental wellbeing through digital technology

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Delivered via Zoom
On the 6th November, from 09.30am – 12.30pm
From £30pp, includes CPD certificate. 

Next month, the Oxford and Reading ACAMH Branch are offering an online event titled ‘Enhancing young people’s mental wellbeing through digital technology’.

“Now more than ever we need to be considering the impact of digital media on the mental health of young people, both positive and negative, and how we can support them. We will discuss the key challenges faced in relation to child and adolescent mental health in the fast-paced digital environment.

“Dr. Amy Orben, Dr. Ann Oszivadjian, Professor Pete Etchells, and Mary Jane Stroud look at how digital tech affects well-being, an autism app, gaming, and the impact of digital media on the mental health of young people, both positive and negative, and how we can support them.

Click below to read more or to book a place:
Full details.

Ourtime: resources for professionals talking to children about parental mental illness

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Our Time helps young people dealing with parental mental illness. We make sure they get the support they need and have their voices heard.

This website has a lot of resources for Parents, Young People, Schools and Professionals

To find out more, click on the link below:

https://ourtime.org.uk/suitability-resources/professionals/

PAEDIATRIC MENTAL HEALTH: A NURSE’S PERSPECTIVE

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CCCU BSc Child Nursing alumna Kim Cunningham discusses the unique mental health care needs of children, and her experience as a hospital lead for the ‘We Can Talk’ initiative.

I studied paediatric nursing at Canterbury Christ Church University (CCCU) and during my time as a student nurse I came across lots of children and young people with mental illness admitted onto the paediatric ward. Quite often they were just there for a short time, whilst assessed and discharged back to the community. However, sometimes those with more complex mental health needs, their admission stays were for a few days and sometimes weeks, whilst awaiting an inpatient bed.

https://www.canterbury.ac.uk/health-and-wellbeing/nursing-midwifery-social-work/child-nursing/paediatric-mental-health-nurse-perspective.aspx

Interesting article by Lee Hudson ( Consultant Paediatrician at Great Ormond Street Hospital, London)

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Reopen the schools or a generation will bear the mental health scars

Click below to read the full article:

https://www.theguardian.com/global/commentisfree/2020/may/17/reopen-the-schools-or-a-generation-will-bear-the-mental-health-scars

A debate about the complex issues involved in these decisions could be useful in forming future policies. Comments please!

Improvements made but more work to be done, says Britain’s largest evaluation of NHS maternity and neonatal services

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11 July 2019

RCPCH President responds to latest National Maternity and Perinatal Audit and says whilst the expansion of perinatal mental health support is particularly welcome, support services are under immense pressure. He urges an immediate moratorium on any further cuts so “pregnant women and their children can access the treatment and support they deserve”.

The National Maternity and Perinatal Audit (NMPA) is a large evaluation of NHS maternity and neonatal services in Britain.
https://www.rcpch.ac.uk/news-events/news/improvements-but-more-to-be-done-evaluation-maternity-and-neonatal