ACQ_Vol_11_no_3_2009

Mental health

Our top 10 resources Infant, child, and adolescent mental health services Andrea Murray

to a particular age group, and includes 30-minute activities to promote the development of speech and language. It’s a great therapy resource for speech pathologists working with babies, toddlers and preschoolers. 5 Talkabout – A Social Communication Skills Package by Alex Kelly (1996), UK: Speechmark Publishing. Available from Speechmark http://www.speechmark.net/pages/store/ products This is an essential resource for running social skills groups. It consists of a comprehensive photocopiable manual which can be used with children and adolescents. Also available is the Talkabout DVD and Activities handbook which can be purchased separately but which are designed to complement the Talkabout resource. The DVD contains acted scenarios to complement social skill programs. The Activities book has practical activities to facilitate discussion or to teach social skills. 6 Children with Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties and Communication Problems by Melanie Cross, (2004). London & New York: Jessica Kingsley Publishers; ISBN 9781843101352. Available from the publishers http://www.jkp.com/catalogue/speech This text explores ways children and young people’s language and emotional development are linked and considers why behavioural and communication difficulties often occur together. Practical guidelines for identifying and assessing communication problems are provided and a range of strategies for speech pathologists, teachers, and health professionals is given. 7 The Selective Mutism Resource Manual by Maggie Johnson and Alison Wintgens (2001). Oxon, UK: Speechmark Publishing. The manual enables teachers or clinicians working with a young person with selective mutism to understand the disorder and it provides practical tools for assessment and intervention. It includes excellent handouts for family and school staff. 8 Hanen Centre programs and publications Visit the Hanen Centre website: www.hanen.org. You Make the Difference Parent-Child Interaction program (YMTD; 2005). This is a group program for parents which aims to enhance positive parent–child interaction, thereby facilitating both speech and language development and a secure relationship between young children and their parents. YMTD resources include a DVD and parent handbook. More Than Words – Helping Parents Promote Communication and Social Skills in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (1999). This is a group program for parents which aims to empower them by giving them tools

Speech pathologists working in child and adolescent mental health services in Australia work with children 0–18 years and their primary caregivers. Clients of these services may have social, emotional and/or behavioural difficulties, or in the case of babies and toddlers be at risk of developing mental health problems. Many of these children present with severe and complex needs. The following list is by no means comprehensive but rather a compilation of resources used extensively by clinicians in Queensland, Victoria and South Australia. It covers resources for both group and individual work across a range of ages. 1 Clipart, colour printer, and laminator Clipart is invaluable for designing individualised handouts, visual programs and schemas, and therapeutic stories. These can then be used as a standalone therapeutic tool or to reinforce face-to-face intervention. 2 CYMHS/CAMHS speech pathologists Speech pathologists in CYMHS/CAMHS are proactive and creative and have designed many innovative resources including intervention programs, handouts and therapeutic stories. Schemas for teaching social skills and problem- solving, handouts to support development of emotional literacy, and a range of therapeutic stories to facilitate management of emotional disorders or to effect behavioural change are among those available. For further information contact Narelle Anger, CYMHS, QLD: narelle_anger@health. qld.gov.au 3 Getting to Know You – Recognising Infant Communication & Social Interaction This DVD of infants and their parents was filmed and produced by Northern Beaches Child and Family Health Services and NSW Institute of Psychiatry, Australia, (2006). The DVD highlights the ways babies communicate and interact from birth and the importance of the attachment relationship. It aims to help parents recognise infant communication and is a useful tool when working with parents or for use in training other professionals. An extended teaching version which comes with a facilitator’s manual is also available. Contact the NSW Institute of Psychiatry on tel: 61 2 9840 3833 or http://www.nswiop. nsw.edu.au to purchase. 4 Baby Talk by Sally Ward (2000), UK: Random House Publishing; ISBN: 0099297205. Available from http://www.thenile.com.au/ books Dr Ward, a leading British speech pathologist, designed and developed the Baby Talk program to maximise children’s learning. This companion book describes child development in an enjoyable and meaningful way. Each chapter is devoted

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ACQ Volume 11, Number 3 2009

www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au