For Children’s Mental Health Week, we have brought together Research in Practice resources to support positive mental health outcomes for children, young people and their families.
With a third lockdown underway and schools remaining closed, children and young people’s mental health is increasingly being reported in the media. For social care, health and education practitioners, having a good understanding of the various causes and effects of mental health conditions can help to improve outcomes for children, young people and their families.
Adverse Childhood Experiences: What they tell us and implications for social care – Podcast
This podcast considers Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) – what they can tell us, as well as cautions and limitations – and the implications for public health and children’s social care.
Listen to the podcast (open access).
Resources to support positive mental health outcomes for children and young people

These resources aim to support mental health outcomes for children, young people and families. View more Research in Practice resources on mental health.
- Adolescent mental health: Frontline Briefing and Tool
- Defragmenting CAMHS - commissioning the children and young people’s mental health system: Strategic Briefing
- Isolated and struggling: why children are more at risk than ever before - Views
- Online abuse – recognition and response: Frontline Briefing and Tool
- Positive mental health and wellbeing in children and young people: Suggestions for practice
- Responding to self-harm among children and adolescents: Suggestions for practice
- Supporting the mental health of infants in care during the pandemic: Views
- Trauma-informed approaches with young people: Frontline Briefing
- Understanding self-harm among children and adolescents: Frontline Briefing
- Using strengths-based video-feedback techniques to build parent-child attunement: Practice Tool and Film
Resources to support working with families

Working with families is at the centre of good social work practice. Professionals within children’s social care have a responsibility to work with families where a child’s welfare or safety is a concern. View more Research in Practice resources on working with families.
- Assessing and supporting family and friends care: Practice Tool
- Coercive control: Impacts on children and young people in the family environment
- Still here for children: Capturing the experiences of NSPCC staff who supported children and families during lockdown - Views
- The impact of parental substance use on child development: Frontline Briefing
- Troubled times for adolescents and their parents: Views
- Working effectively with men in families: Frontline Briefing and Tool
- Working with the community: Love Barrow Families - Podcasts