Practice strategies for assessment and engagement

The primary audiences for this content are accredited mental health practitioners, with the following workforces being targeted:

• paediatric psychiatrists
• psychologists
• paediatricians
• mental health social workers
• mental health nurses
• mental health speech therapists; and
• mental health occupational therapists.

This course aims to promote the use of daily functional assessment, to help you consider a 'whole child' approach to your work. Functional assessments prioritise a focus on every aspect of the child’s life, including their hopes and their goals, rather than focusing solely on their problems or conditions.

This 'whole child' approach can help you to reflect on your current engagement and assessment processes, to consider each of the following elements:

• biopsychosocial model
• child’s ecology
• ages and stages of infant and child development
• infant and child temperament
• family and parental circumstances
• child’s experiences; and
• child’s interactions outside the family.

A 'whole child' approach recognises there are certain circumstances in a child’s life that influence the presentation and severity of any mental health difficulties, accuracy of assessments, and strength of treatment outcomes. It is the ‘whole’ child and not a child’s condition that should be the focus for therapeutic engagement.

‘I am interested in helping children consider all the factors that help create their best life. I want to help them to walk towards this life, rather than only focusing on the problems that they come with.’ – Penny Sih, Child Psychologist, Developing Minds.

It is estimated that this course will take you approximately two-and-a-half hours to complete, including reading material and watching videos.

You can undertake the course across multiple sessions at your own pace. The last screen you visit before logging off will be bookmarked and you will have the option of returning to that screen when you next log in.

The following video introduces you to the Practice strategies suite of online courses. Practice strategies for formulation and Practice strategies for implementation are designed to be undertaken after you've completed this course.

A summary of the strategies covered in the three courses can be downloaded below.

As you work through the course, it is important to be aware of your own emotional responses. Please follow the self-care tips below and seek help if needed:

• We do not recommend undertaking the entire course in one sitting. Give yourself some breaks. Even if you don’t feel that you need a break, it’s a good idea to take one anyway and come back later.
• Be aware of your emotions as you progress through the course, and take action if you are starting to feel stressed or upset. For example, consider taking a break and doing something for yourself that you enjoy.
• Be aware of your emotional responses after you complete the course.

If at any point you find you are struggling, please talk with your supervisor, seek help, or call Lifeline on 13 11 14, Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636, or SANE Australia on 1800 18 7263.

For the purposes of this course, the term parent encompasses the biological and adoptive parents of a child, as well as individuals who have chosen to take up a primary or shared responsibility in raising that child.

Social and emotional wellbeing refers to the way a person thinks and feels about themselves and others. It incorporates behavioural and emotional strengths and is a facet of child development.¹

In broad terms, social and emotional wellbeing is the foundation for physical and mental health for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. It is a holistic concept which results from a network of relationships between individuals, family, kin and Community. It also recognises the importance of connection to Land, culture, spirituality and ancestry, and how these affect the individual.²

‘Social and emotional wellbeing’ is also used by some people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds, who may have differing concepts of mental health and mental illness.³

Social and emotional development involves the development of skills required to:

• identify and understand one’s feelings
• read and understand the emotional states of other people
• manage strong emotions and how they are expressed
• regulate behaviour
• develop empathy
• establish and maintain relationships.⁴

This course draws on the latest research, clinical insights, and the lived experience of our child and family partners. We’d like to thank the professionals and families who played an integral role in shaping this course, generously offering their time, wisdom and unique perspectives.

Watch the following video for a quick guide on how to navigate Emerging Minds Learning courses.