Course description
Mental health problems can affect people of all ages, and it is estimated that one in five young people will suffer from a mental illness by the age of 18 years. Many people who work with children will encounter children who are suffering from a mental illness.
Emphasis will be placed on how this knowledge can be practically applied in the students’ own workplace. This diploma course aims to provide people working with children with the specialized knowledge and skills to enable them to contribute to the mental health care of young people.
Course context
Mental health problems can affect people of all ages, and it is estimated that one in five young people will suffer from a mental illness by the age of 18 years. Therefore many people who work with children will encounter children who are suffering from a mental illness.
The UCD School of Medicine & Medical Science is now offering this Graduate Diploma course in Child Mental Health. The course will provide a comprehensive review of aspects of mental health and mental ill health, and give information on promotion, detection and primary care intervention, for children and families with mental health difficulties.
The aim of this program is to strengthen and develop knowledge and skills in Child Mental Health. Emphasis will be placed on how this knowledge can be practically applied in the student’s own workplace. This diploma course aims to provide individuals working with children with the specialized knowledge and skills to enable them to contribute to the mental health care of young people. The Graduate Diploma in Child Mental Health will also cover the more formal mental health disorders such as ADHD, eating disorders, mood disorders and pervasive developmental disorders. It will provide information to the student on when and where to refer. Student will be assessed by examinations, essays, oral exams and submission of thesis.
Students participating in the Graduate diploma course to date have come from a variety of backgrounds. The course is designed for people in all areas who are working with children, including education, social welfare, primary care, voluntary services, as well as those in specialized mental health services, to complement their skills in caring for young people, and to increase knowledge of how mental illness affects children and families and how to ensure optimal mental health in children. UCD has an established track record in the provision of courses on mental health and psychiatry to students.
Modules and course content
This course covers a number of topics from normal child development from a psychological perspective, its abnormal deviations and resulting difficulties. The course also covers common child mental health disorders, how to assess children and families, and what treatments are available. There is a strong emphasis on promoting positive child mental health and well being in the general sense and how this may influence policy.
The course also covers research methodology, critical review and assists the student in understanding how to conduct research, critically appraise publications, as well as developing their own writing skills, through successful submission of a thesis.
The modules on this course will cover topics such as: Developmental Psychology, Assessment of Children and Families, Common Child Mental Health Problems, Introduction to Communication and Counselling Skills, The Treatment of Child Psychiatric Disorders, Promoting Positive Child Mental Health. For Module 7, Students will be required to produce a Thesis Dissertation in Child Mental Health. Teaching related to Literature Review, Research Methods and production of a thesis will be provided throughout the taught course.
In conjunction with the main course program, students are also given unique opportunity to attend a series of conferences and workshops presented by internationally recognized guest speakers and experts in the field of child mental health.
