AC6730 - Understanding Common Presentations in Child and Adolescent Mental Health

What will I learn on this module?

National and International statistics identify that the prevalence of Child and Adolescent Mental Health (CAMH) disorders is approximately 12.5%. Developing a multi-agency strategy for child and adolescent mental health skills development across all children’s agencies is one of the central aims of all historical and contemporary children’s policy frameworks including “Every Child Matters”, the National Service Framework (NSF) for Adult Mental Health and for Children (more recently the Children and Young Peoples Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (CYP- IAPT) and currently the publication of Future in Mind (2015) and Five Year Forward (2016) continue this direction of travel.

This module aims to provide practitioners with a critical understanding of the common emotional, behavioural and mental health issues experienced by children, young people and their families. The module may consolidate current knowledge and introduce new learning and create a discourse between theory, practice and government policy that inform service provision. The following themes will inform the content of the module:

• Social construction and deconstruction of definitions of emotional problems, behavioural problems and disorders
• Risk and Protective factors at individual, family and community level
• Working with individuals and communities to promoting resilience and maintain mental health
• Identification, critical analysis, understanding of a range of emotional, behavioural, and social problems which can arise in childhood, including attention deficit disorder and conduct disorder; anxiety, depression, obsessive compulsive disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, pervasive developmental disorders / Autism and Aspergers Syndrome, eating problems, substance misuse
• Ethical issues: anti-oppressive practice, confidentiality, and informed consent whilst being cognisant of the Legal Framework: Children Act, Mental Health Act, Child Protection, Crime and disorder Act

How will I learn on this module?

You will learn through a blended learning approach which will incorporate the use of the University’s interactive Online Support Learning Packages (OSL) as well as through accessing the Modules e-Learning Platform (eLP) Blackboard Ultra, lectures, discussions and workshops. A range of lecturers and clinicians from current practice will create the opportunity to explore theoretical concepts and their application of theory into work based settings. Technology enabled learning will be enhanced through your interaction with the OSL which will give you the flexibility to access the module materials and aids remotely, this will inform lectures and seminars to maximise learning.
Many of the exercises will ensure you co-construct knowledge collaboratively with your module peers during the module working to create a community of learning / practice. You will be required to actively engage in research rich learning through an enquiry based approach to ensure authentic learning. Suporting this will be learning logs which will be utilised to develop and adult learning style for the 5 self directed study days creating the opportunity to explore concepts not covered during the module to meet your own identified learning needs.

During your time in university, you will work with and learn from your peers and also be provided with the opportunity to link with other health professions to facilitate inter-professional learning. This is a unique aspect of the module facilitating teamwork, collaboration and reflecting the realities of delivering care in practice.

Throughout this module, you will be engaged in a variety of learning and teaching approaches. The module will be delivered using a blend of web-based resources, and face-to-face in-class sessions underpinned by the ‘flipped classroom’ approach (Bergman & Sams, 2012). This approach will enable you to engage with OSL, with the provision of links to the web-based resources. Flipping the classroom enables you to engage in both directed and self-directed study outside of formal teaching sessions as preparatory work for facilitated seminars. Engagement with this activity is essential for your active participation in the facilitated sessions. These sessions will include individual work, group discussion and debate, where you will be encouraged to consider competing perspectives, share opinions, and develop a greater understanding of the complexity of CAMH care provision. You will also be engaged in enquiry based learning and guided engagement in exploring personal narratives to examine the assumptions and values related to caring experiences.

Bergmann, J. & Sams, A. (2012) Flip your Classroom. Reach Every Student in Every Class Every Day. ASCD and ISTE. USA.

How will I be supported academically on this module?

Support will include feedback from tutors during workshops and tutorials. In addition tutors will respond to questions via the module’s discussion board at the University’s e-Learning Portal (eLP) Blackboard Ultra so that the whole group may benefit. Tutors will guide you through exercises during the timetabled sessions. The University’s OLS offers remote access to materials and aids for reinforcing your learning. Further academic support is available through a one-to-one tutorial with the module tutor who will be responsible for marking your summative assessment.

What will I be expected to read on this module?

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. Online reading lists (provided after enrolment) give you access to your reading material for your modules. The Library works in partnership with your module tutors to ensure you have access to the material that you need.

What will I be expected to achieve?

Knowledge & Understanding:

1. Critically analyse the factors that influence health and wellbeing and contribute to mental health difficulties in children, young people and families.

2. Identify and critically explore core and common presentations within the specialism of CAMH.


Intellectual / Professional Skills & Abilities:

3. Formulate and critically understand core and common presentations from a range of differing theoretical positions/perspectives.

4. Hold critical discussions with their peers during workshops and in their written summative assessment.

Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):

5 Develop the characteristics of a Northumbria student as they work collaboratively with children / families within a range of emotional/behavioural issues.

How will I be assessed?

Formative Assessment:
The formative assessment for this module requires the student to engage in the completion of 5 learning logs. These are aligned to the students own individual learning requirements. They are also encouraged to reflect and discuss with a peer in their clinical practice to assist the learning process (MLO’s 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5).

Summative Assessment:
The summative assessment for this module requires the student to write a 3000 word critical case study that demonstrates an awareness of Presentations within a CAMH setting (MLO’s 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5).

Pre-requisite(s)

N/A

Co-requisite(s)

N/A

Module abstract

This module aims to provide practitioners with a critical understanding of the common emotional, behavioural and mental health issues experienced by children, young people and their families. teaching and learning is aligned to a developmental time line providing awareness and understanding of the factors that may inform the development of mental ill health from birth to adolescence. This module aims to raise awareness and understanding whilst challenging our constructs of Child and Adolescent Mental Health (CAMH). Reviewing the concepts of diagnosis and providing the opportunity to investigate and critically analyse contentious issues such as personality disorder and its impications within practice. You will be consider themes of self harm, eating disorders and drugs and alcohol and consider the normality and challenges of these presentations. This will provide the opportunity to critically reflect on your values and judgements and how these may differ from children and young peoples choices and how this may inform our practice.

Course info

Credits 20

Level of Study Postgraduate

Mode of Study 1 year Part Time

Department Nursing, Midwifery & Health

Location Coach Lane Campus, Northumbria University

City Newcastle

Start September 2025 or January 2026

Fee Information

Module Information

All information is accurate at the time of sharing. 

Full time Courses are primarily delivered via on-campus face to face learning but could include elements of online learning. Most courses run as planned and as promoted on our website and via our marketing materials, but if there are any substantial changes (as determined by the Competition and Markets Authority) to a course or there is the potential that course may be withdrawn, we will notify all affected applicants as soon as possible with advice and guidance regarding their options. It is also important to be aware that optional modules listed on course pages may be subject to change depending on uptake numbers each year.  

Contact time is subject to increase or decrease in line with possible restrictions imposed by the government or the University in the interest of maintaining the health and safety and wellbeing of students, staff, and visitors if this is deemed necessary in future.

 

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