Journal
Evidence, not opinion
Practical guidance on child and adolescent mental health, written by our clinical team. No wellness platitudes.
One in five children now show a probable mental health disorder: what the numbers actually mean
A new report puts a number on something parents, teachers and GPs already sense: the proportion of children with a probable mental health disorder has grown sharply in just three years. What matters is what that number changes about when to act.
Helping children through grief and bereavement: what actually helps
A child who has just lost a parent might ask what's for tea an hour after the funeral. That is not a sign they don't understand or don't care. Children grieve in bursts, not waves, and knowing the difference changes how a family gets through it.
Perfectionism and anxiety in children: when high standards become a problem
Wanting to do things well is not a problem. It becomes one when falling short feels unbearable rather than merely disappointing. Here is what the evidence says about perfectionism in children, and what actually helps.
My child won't talk about their feelings: what's behind the silence and what actually helps
Most parents expect their children to tell them when something is wrong. What they get instead is silence. Understanding what is behind it changes what you do next.
CAMHS waiting times in Shropshire and North Wales: a practical guide for families
Waiting times for NHS CAMHS in Shropshire and North Wales can be long. This guide explains what drives them, what families can do while they wait, and when to consider a private assessment.
Separation anxiety in school-age children: what it looks like and what actually helps
Separation anxiety is the most common anxiety disorder in primary-school-aged children, and the one most often misread as clinginess or difficult behaviour. Understanding what is driving it changes what you do about it.
Why is my teenager so angry? Understanding anger in adolescence
Teenage anger is one of the most exhausting things a parent can face. Before reaching for discipline strategies, it helps to understand what is actually driving it. The answer is often not what parents expect.
OCD in children and young people: what it looks like and what helps
OCD is one of the most misunderstood conditions in child mental health. It is not about cleanliness or being organised. Here is what OCD actually looks like in children, and what the evidence says about treatment.
Self-harm in teenagers: what parents need to know
Discovering that your teenager is self-harming is frightening. Understanding what self-harm actually is, and what it is not, is the essential first step to helping them.
Eating disorders in young people: early warning signs families should know
Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric condition. Early identification dramatically improves outcomes, but the early signs are easy to miss or misread.
What to do when CAMHS says no
CAMHS thresholds have risen sharply in recent years. Many children who would once have been accepted are now turned away. Here's what families can do, and what their rights are.
Pathological demand avoidance: understanding the PDA profile in children
PDA is one of the most misunderstood and contested profiles in child mental health. Children with PDA are not wilfully defiant. Understanding why they resist demands (all demands) changes everything about how to help them.
ADHD in girls: why it gets missed
Girls with ADHD are diagnosed on average five to seven years later than boys. The reasons are clinical, social, and systemic. This matters, and here is what parents and schools can look for.
Understanding autism diagnosis in children and young people
NHS waiting times for autism assessment now reach three to four years in some areas. Understanding what the process involves, and what a diagnosis changes, helps families navigate it with more confidence.
Trauma and PTSD in children: how it presents differently from adults
Post-traumatic stress in children rarely looks like it does in adults. Children may not talk about what happened. They may not seem distressed. Understanding how trauma actually presents in young people is the first step to helping them.
Anxiety in teenagers: signs parents often miss
Anxiety is the most common mental health difficulty in young people, yet it is frequently misread as attitude, laziness, or physical illness. Here is what the clinical picture actually looks like.
Social anxiety in young people: why it is far more than shyness
Social anxiety disorder affects roughly one in ten young people and is the third most common mental health condition. It is regularly dismissed as shyness. Here is why that distinction matters, and what helps.
What to expect from a private child mental health assessment
If you are considering a private mental health assessment for your child, this explains what the process looks like, who should be involved, what the report must contain, and what questions to ask before booking.
Sleep problems in children with mental health difficulties: what parents need to know
Sleep difficulties and mental health problems are deeply intertwined in children and young people. Poor sleep makes every mental health condition worse. Here is what the evidence says about why, and what actually helps.
Does online therapy work for children and young people?
When services moved online during the pandemic, many clinicians were sceptical. Several years of evidence later, the picture is more positive than expected, particularly for anxiety and adolescent presentations.
Emotional dysregulation in children: what parents need to know
Emotional dysregulation is one of the most common reasons children are referred to child mental health services, and one of the least well understood. This is what it is, what causes it, and what actually helps.
School refusal: causes and what actually helps
School refusal is one of the most stressful experiences a family can face. It is also frequently mishandled. Here is what the evidence says about causes, and what approaches actually work.
How to support a teenager with depression
Depression in teenagers is serious, common, and treatable. Around one in twenty young people in the UK experiences it, and the majority never receive clinical support. Knowing what to do makes a real difference.
Getting a private ADHD assessment: what happens and what to expect
NHS waiting times for ADHD assessment frequently exceed two years. This explains what a private ADHD assessment involves, what the report should contain, how medication works afterwards, and what questions to ask before booking.
CAMHS to adult services: navigating the transition at 18
The transition from CAMHS to adult mental health services at 18 is one of the most poorly managed moments in the NHS mental health pathway. Here is what families and young people need to know before it happens.