Helping Children: Principles of Good Practice in Child Mental Health (Anna Freud)

Children and young people’s mental health is now recognized 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, the 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 f