Child and Adolescent Mental Health (CAMH)

Each module involves between 18 and 28 hours of either formal teaching or attendance at placement. Formal teaching for all the compulsory core modules takes place on one day per fortnight for part-time students and one day per week for full-time students. The full MSc runs for one year full-time or two to four years part-time.

Students can start the programme either in September or in February.

This multi-disciplinary course aims to promote an advanced level of knowledge and understanding to underpin practice in the area of Child and Adolescent Mental Health. It is designed for practitioners from health, social or voluntary services who work in some capacity with children and young people with mental health problems at first or second tiers of service provision. Graduates of the social and behavioural sciences, education and related fields are also welcome to apply. Some voluntary or professional experience of work with children and adolescents is desirable, but not essential.

The course is taught by practitioners and academics from psychology, social work, nursing, psychiatric nursing, law and psychiatry and as such engages with a diverse range of perspectives. Children and adolescents' mental health is understood in its developmental and social context, and the course explores both theoretical and practice related issues. Research skills are also developed via a taught module and dissertation.   

The Primary Mental Health Work (PMHW) pathway additionally aims to equip practitioners with knowledge and skills relevant to the role of a primary mental health worker within child and adolescent services. Applicants to the PMHW pathway will normally hold a relevant professional qualification, or be working as primary mental health workers.

Both pathways can lead to either a Postgraduate Diploma or an MSc.

The course explores child and adolescent mental health problems. Students will develop their understanding of child development and mental health difficulties in children and adolescents and will consider the implications of theory and research for their practice.

The course has a strong multi-agency and multi-disciplinary perspective and is taught by practitioners and academics from psychology, social work, nursing, psychiatric nursing, education, law and psychiatry.

Students completing an MSc will undertake an individual research project and submit a thesis. (This is not required for the Postgraduate Diploma).

• Promotes advanced understanding of Child and Adolescent Mental Health (CAMH)
• Multi-agency and multi-disciplinary staff and student group provides students with an exciting and varied learning environment
• Strong theory into practice focus
• Specialist training for primary mental health workers

• Issues in Assessment and Intervention with Children and Adolescents
• Primary Mental Health Work with Children and Adolescents
• Professional Practice for Primary Mental Health Workers
• Psychological Problems in Childhood and Adolescence
• Research Methods (MSc only)
• The Development of Mental Health
• The Legal Context for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Issues

Williams R and Kerfoot M Strategic Approaches to Planning and Delivering Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services 2005 Oxford Oxford University Press

Within the MSc CAMH field, there are three possible awards for students to choose from:

• MSc in Child and Adolescent Mental Health (180 credits)
• Postgraduate Diploma in Child and Adolescent Mental Health  (120 credits)
• Postgraduate Certificate in Child and Adolescent Mental Health (60 credits)

MSc in Child and Adolescent Mental Health
180 credits

Students who wish to complete the full MSc undertake the following core modules:

• The Development of Mental Health
• Psychological Problems in Childhood and Adolescence
• Issues in Assessment and Intervention with Children and Adolescents OR Primary Mental Health Work with Children and Adolescents  
• The Legal Context for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Issues 
• Research Methods 
• Dissertation in Child and Adolescent Mental Health

Additional modules may be studied which enable students to focus on work with adolescent survivors of child abuse, prepare a case study based on a brief observational placement or pursue independent study relating to the application of theory to practice. Modules focussing on primary mental health work are also available. In addition, it is possible to study an elective module from several within the University's postgraduate modular scheme in the areas of social policy, health, advanced research methods, organisational behaviour, education and women's studies. All students completing the Masters programme will undertake an individual research project and submit a thesis. Each 20 credit module involves between 18 and 28 hours of either formal teaching or attendance at placement. The course can be completed in one year with attendance generally on two days per week (depending on the modules chosen) or part-time (part-time students have between two and five years to complete).

Postgraduate Diploma in Child and Adolescent Mental Health
120 credits

Students who wish to complete the Postgraduate Diploma undertake the following core modules:

• The Development of Mental Health
• Psychological Problems in Childhood and Adolescence
• Issues in Assessment and Intervention with Children and Adolescent OR Primary Mental Health Work with Children and Adolescents
• The Legal Context for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Issues
• Research Methods
• Dissertation in Child and Adolescent Mental Health

Additional modules may be studied which enable students to focus on work with adolescent survivors of child abuse, prepare a case study based on a brief observational placement or pursue independent study relating to the application of theory to practice. Modules focussing on primary mental health work are also available. In addition, it is possible to study an elective module from several within the University's postgraduate modular scheme in the areas of social policy, health, advanced research methods, organisational behaviour, education and women's studies.  

Each 20 credit module involves between 18 and 28 hours of either formal teaching or attendance at placement. The course can be completed in one year with attendance generally on two days per week (depending on the modules chosen) or part-time over between 18 months and five years.

Postgraduate Certificate in Child and Adolescent Mental Health

60 credits

Students who wish to complete the Postgraduate Certificate undertake the following modules:

• The Development of Mental Health
• Psychological Problems in Childhood and Adolescence
• Issues in Assessment and Intervention with Children and Adolescents

Each 20 credit module involves between 18 and 28 hours of formal teaching. The certificate can be completed within a year, part-time, although students can opt to take longer to complete it.

Modules available as part of the MSc CAMH

Students who undertake an award from the MSc CAMH course, draw on the following modules. This is not an exhaustive list, as students are also able to draw on optional modules from other courses at The University of Northampton (for example in Health and Social Work), but it does give students some indication of the content of the MSc CAMH.

BEHM001. The Development of Mental Health [20 credits]

This module lays the foundation for a critical analysis of developmental issues in childhood and adolescence with specific reference to the inter-relationship between the processes, mechanisms and context in which development occurs and the implications for the emotional, social, and behavioural well-being of the child and adolescent.

BEHM002. Psychological Problems in Childhood And Adolescence [20 credits]

This module is designed to develop students' understanding of the nature and prevalence of psychological problems of childhood and adolescence. Students will build on their knowledge of the processes and mechanisms operating in childhood and adolescence and the developmental context in which psychological problems can develop. Conceptual and practical issues related to a range of specific mental health are covered. It will appeal to students with a working knowledge of children and young people in social, educational and medical fields.

BEHM003. Issues in Assessment and Intervention [20 credits]

The module provides a contextual framework for understanding assessment and intervention in child mental health. It is designed to help students to consider issues relating to professional conduct and practice. This includes coping with difference and multi-disciplinary working, as well as topics which can be overlooked such as the effects of this demanding area of work on the professionals involved. It also provides a base-line understanding of approaches to assessment and intervention.

BEHM004. The Legal Context for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Issues [10 credits]

This module familiarises students with the legal context in which processes and decisions concerning Child and Adolescent Mental Health take place. As this context often operates as a limitation on what treatment can be provided, this module will complement the knowledge and understanding acquired in other modules. In particular it will give students an awareness of the possible conflicts between individual human rights and other public interests in the area of mental health and encourage them to develop a critical understanding of how the law contributes to, or resolves, these conflicts.

BEHM017. Professional Practice for Primary Mental Health Workers [20 credits]

Complementing the 20 credit module Primary Mental Health Work with children and adolescents, this module will provide students with an opportunity to extend this knowledge in an applied context. Students will be encouraged to reflect on and develop their own skills, through group-based supervision of case work and the use of a reflexive log.

BEHM005. Observational Mini-Placement in CAMHS [10 credits]

This module will entail students observing the work of child/adolescent mental health practitioners with two or three clients or groups of clients. The observation of either assessments or ongoing case work will enable the student to consider critically (a) the value of theories covered on prior modules for explaining the psychological problems presented (b) the effectiveness of interventions in a particular context and factors influencing this.   

BEHM007 and BEHM008. The Impact of Child Abuse on Adolescent Mental Health [10 credits and 10 credits]

Specialist Mental Health practice has long recognized the impact on individuals of early life experience, notably the effects of abuse upon development of mental health problems. In recent years there has been a re-appraisal of mental health theory and practice, including assessment of the impact of trauma, effects on development and the consequences for mental health. Therapeutic programmes have utilised a broad range of skilled interventions to enable assessment of the impact of trauma, facilitate abuse disclosure and enable the promotion of alternative coping skills. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) is seen as a positive contribution to the repertoire of skilled clinical interventions available to facilitate coping and enable personal growth and alternative coping strategies.

BEHM015. Independent Practitioner Studies [20 credits]

This course will enable students to undertake independent, but supervised work in an area of Child and Adolescent Mental Health which is of specific interest to them. It is anticipated that students will undertake this module to draw together their applied and academic skills, and to deepen their understanding of an area they see as important to their work. It will also enable students to draw on agreed courses outside the university context in meeting the requirements of their MSc.

BEHM009. Dissertation in Child and Adolescent Mental Health

The rationale for the dissertation module is to provide students with the opportunity to engage in supervised but independently undertaken research in a CAMH related area. This is essential to complete a Masters programme in Child and Adolescent Mental Health.

The MSc CAMH (PMHW) Pathway

This page describes the general pathway through the MSc CAMH. Students interested in working in Primary Mental Health with children and adolescents might also want to explore the MSc CAMH (PMHW) pathway, which is offered alongside the general MSc. Please request the MSc CAMH (PMHW) leaflet from Jane Callaghan if you would like to explore this option.