Helping Children: Principles of Good Practice in Child Mental Health

Children and young people’s mental health is now recognised as one of society’s most pressing challenges. Rates of distress and disorder have risen sharply while services struggle to keep pace. Long waiting lists and public concern highlight the growing gap between what children need and what professional systems can deliver. Yet, there remains an expectation that therapy alone should provide the answer.

This book argues that the mental health needs of children cannot be met by specialist services in isolation. Instead, it calls for a new approach that brings together parents, teachers, peers and communities alongside mental health professionals, each playing an equal part in supporting children’s wellbeing. Drawing on research, policy and practice experience, this book identifies six principles of effective help: the active involvement of parents and carers; the importance of listening to children’s own wishes; creating environments of psychological safety; recognising that help can come from many sources; embedding support within everyday community life; and building a culture where caring for children’s mental health becomes everyone’s shared responsibility.

Written by leading figures in child mental health, this book offers a powerful new framework for rethinking how society responds to young people’s distress. It speaks to professionals, educators, parents and policymakers alike, showing how families, schools and communities can work together to nurture resilience and belonging, reducing dependence on overstretched specialist services.

Peter Fuggle has been a clinical psychologist working with children since 1984. He was the clinical director at NHS Islington Child Mental Health Service and then at Anna Freud. He contributed to the development of child‑IAPT, the Thrive Approach, Community Wellbeing Practitioners and Educational Mental Health Practitioners. With Dickon Bevington, he co‑developed the AMBIT Programme for young people with multiple needs.

Peter Fonagy, CBE, is a Professor of Contemporary Psychoanalysis and Developmental Science and Head of the Division for Psychology and Language Sciences, UCL. He is also Senior National Clinical Adviser for NHS England on Children and Young People’s Mental Health. He was the Chief Executive of Anna Freud for over 20 years.