Course Professional Diploma in Child & Adolescent Mental Health

The Professional Diploma in Child & Adolescent Mental Health is designed for professionals who work with young people and want a deeper, evidence-based understanding of their emotional and psychological development. The course explores how children and adolescents think, feel, and behave, and how family, school, community, and online environments influence their mental health.

You will be introduced to key mental health difficulties commonly seen in childhood and adolescence, such as anxiety, low mood, behavioural challenges, neurodevelopmental conditions, trauma-related difficulties, and emerging risk behaviours. Emphasis is placed on early identification, understanding underlying causes, and knowing when and how to refer on for specialist support.

Throughout the diploma, you will develop practical skills in communication, engagement, and relationship-building with children, teenagers, and families. You will learn how to have sensitive conversations about mental health, how to respond to distress, and how to provide safe, supportive, and boundaried help within your professional role.

The course draws on current research, real-life case examples, and reflective practice. Teaching is typically delivered through lectures, workshops, group discussions, and guided self-study, allowing you to link theory directly to your day-to-day work.

This diploma is suitable for teachers, SNAs, social care workers, youth workers, nurses, counsellors, social workers, and other allied professionals. By the end of the programme, you will have increased confidence in recognising mental health needs, collaborating with families and services, and contributing meaningfully to a young person’s support network.

Graduates leave with a strong foundation in child and adolescent mental health theory and practice, ready to apply their learning in schools, community settings, health and social care, or further specialist study.