This information pack is intended to provide a basic introduction to mental wellbeing and mental health problems, before considering mental health problems in children and young people with learning disabilities in more depth.
This introduction to the subject is supported by a range of different resources that may be useful for all those working with children and young people with learning disabilities, including details of different programmes that support mental health, as well as practical resources that can be used to support children.
This is a BOND publication led by BOND partner organisation the Mental Health Foundation.
- Mental health
- Introduction to mental health problems
- Learning disabilities and mental health problems
- Identifying mental health problems in children with learning disabilities
- How to support children with learning disabilities who develop mental health problems
A-Z Topic: Children and young people
Mental health problems affect around one in six children. They include depression, anxiety and conduct disorder (a type of behavioural problem), and are often a direct response to what is happening in their lives.
Statistics: Learning disabilities
Mental health problems among people with a learning disability are often overlooked, underdiagnosed and left untreated as a result of poor understanding, awareness, evidence in this area and symptoms being mistakenly attributed to the person's learning disability.
Publication: State of a generation: Preventing mental health problems in children and young people
This report is intended both as a review of the recent evidence and as a guide to anyone wishing to gain a rapid understanding of a preventative approach to mental health.
Programmes for families, children and young people
Forming a family and parenting is an important part of life, with many changes taking place. Both mothers’ and fathers’ mental health may be affected during this transition, which may influence their child’s mental health.