Advanced Diploma in Child and Family Mental Health Work
School of Health and Social Sciences
Programme Leader: Peter Griffiths
Student Name:
Students with disabilities:
information in alternative formats
Information in this publication canbe downloaded from the following website:
http://www.mdx.ac.uk/hssc
If you have a disability which
makes navigating our website
difficult and you would like to
receive information in an
alternative format, please contact Bryan Jones on 020 8411 5367
or email
Please state your disability and details of the specific information you need. / We can supply sections from this
publication as:
· A Word document with enlarged type — sent by email or supplied on disc or CD
· Printed copy with enlarged type
· As Braille
Other formats may be possible. We will do our best to respond
promptly. To help us, please
be as specific as you can and
include details of your disability.
CONTENTS
University and Programme Academic Calendar 1
WELCOME TO THE SCHOOL 2
Welcome from the Dean 2
WELCOME TO YOUR PROGRAMME 3
Programme Leader’s Welcome 3
Purpose and status of your student handbook 4
Programme staff list and contact details 4
Bridging Materials 5
Programme Structure Diagram 6
Module Information 7
Attendance requirements 8
Assessment schedule 9
Assessment Officer support 9
Careers Service 9
LEARNING, TEACHING AND ASSESSMENT 11
Learner Development Unit 12
Learning Resources 12
Assessment Feedback 12
Personal Development Planning 15
Progressing on your programme 15
COMMUNICATION 18
Accessing your own records including your timetable and letter requests 18
24-7 19
Middlesex e-mail – your account for life 19
What is OASISplus? 20
OASISplus (how it is used in relation to the programme) 20
SUPPORT 21
Academic Support 21
Counselling 22
Disability Support Service 23
Health, Safety and Welfare 23
Middlesex University Students’ Union – The Student Voice of Middlesex 24
Financial Issues 25
QUALITY OF YOUR PROGRAMME AND EXPERIENCE 26
Quality assurance and enhancement of your programme 26
Feedback from you 26
Campus Forums 27
Student representatives 27
School Board and/or other School committees 28
Programme evaluation forms 28
Suggestions and Complaints 29
APPENDICES 30
A. Accessing University IT systems 31
B. Programme Specification and Curriculum Map 34
C. Module Narratives 44
University and Programme Academic Calendar
Relevant calendar and dates to be inserted.
WELCOME TO THE SCHOOL
Welcome from the Dean
Welcome to the University and to the School of Health and Social Sciences. This programme handbook should be treated as though it is our contract with you – keep it safely so that you may refer to it throughout your time here at Middlesex. It contains an overview of the framework of your programme and the content of its modules and signposts key contacts and information you need to progress your studies and to get the most out of student life.
From our side we will deliver the best student experience we can so that you can build on your skills and knowledge and fulfil your full potential. In return we expect you to engage actively in the learning process, to be fully committed to your studies and determined to succeed.
In your early weeks, this includes reading through this handbook and consulting the other information sources flagged here. You are not expected to absorb everything in detail, but to be aware of the main resource documents and their contents. In particular as an enrolled Middlesex student, you have certain rights but also specific responsibilities. See the full University Regulations http://www.mdx.ac.uk/regulations in particular ‘University Membership’, and if you have not already done so, explore http://www.24-7.mdx.ac.uk, the student portal which contains detailed advice and support to assist you further.
We know it takes time to settle in to University life. If you still have questions to ask, your first port of call should be your Student Office. Staff there will be pleased to help and direct you. We wish you well in your future studies. Here at Middlesex we are very proud of our academic programmes and students and we look forward to meeting you.
WELCOME TO YOUR PROGRAMME
Programme Leader’s Welcome
Welcome to Middlesex University and thank you for choosing to study on the Advanced Diploma in Child, Adolescent and Family Mental Health Work. You are about to start on an innovative, flexible and unique programme. A programme that aims to update and develop your knowledge and skills in child and family mental health work (CAMH). The programme will advance knowledge and understanding of early childhood and family emotional and mental development and of the common issues that can impact adversely upon this; the assessments and early work that might be possible to ameliorate later difficulty and how to refer on appropriately to other agencies. The programme will enable you to identify early mental health difficulties in childhood and learn how you can critically undertake brief work with children and families, aimed at promoting mental health. The programme will explore, examine and evaluate the contemporary health and social policy initiatives which support such work and develop both the knowledge needed and capabilities required for those working with children and families to confidently and safely realise that children’s mental health can both be their business (“Children’s mental health is everyone’s business” DoH 2006, DfES 2004 and CAMHS review 2008) and that they feel capable to address it. The programme will address and explore through its taught and supervised components, issues of equality and inequality, diversity, ethnic and cultural difference, ethical considerations in relation to practitioners work with service users and carers in child and family mental health work.
A key unique component of the programme will be developing knowledgeable but crucially capable practitioners for child and family mental health work, whatever your sphere of practice and at whatever level of tiered provision you may work within, be it in the health, local authority, education or voluntary sector of child care provision. To facilitate this, the content in the taught modules is delivered by experienced and capable Child and Adolescent Mental Health clinicians who share joint appointments as Senior Lecturers at Middlesex University/Camden CAMHS PCT and at the Tavistock Clinic and teaching staff will also be drawn from the resources at the Tavistock Clinic, as well as other CAMHS providers in London. Supervision and mentorship of practice based project modules will also be provided by clinicians with experience and resonance of students work based issues. All of the course tutors are present at Middlesex University on the days that the modules run. In addition, some tutors are available on other days.
On completion of the programme you will feel more confident in the recognition and identification of mental health problems in children and adolescents and be familiar with referral pathways for further assessment and treatment for both the child, adolescent and the family. You will become aware of both the different disciplines and agencies involved in such work and have an awareness of some of the difficulties that can arise with such complex interdisciplinary and inter-agency work. The programme will crucially provide you with the opportunity to reflect on your current practice and upon your own work environment and perhaps take a lead in developing aspects of both in relation to CAMH.
Students are expected to attend the programme study day on a fortnightly basis and undertake the necessary additional study, related to academic activities. We have also asked you to undertake one study/ information visit to another team, unit or organisation which works with children and families with mental health issues/problems. As well as your study here at Middlesex, there is a considerable amount of study to be undertaken in your own time and you need to make some space for this. We will provide a letter for your employer highlighting this and an introductory letter to outside agencies. As part-time students in paid employment and often with responsibilities for family outside of work and study, we recognise taking up study can occasionally put students under tremendous pressure, if this happens to you, please do not hesitate to contact the programme leader.
You will find information about the modules towards the end of the handbook followed by a series of appendices which you will need to use and which offer guidance. Any comments or suggestions for improvement to the structure and/or delivery of the programme are very much welcomed.
We wish you every success as you embark on your Advanced Diploma programme.
Peter Griffiths Programme Leader
Programme Team Members
Daniel Middlehurst
Martin Smith
Janet Holmshaw
Purpose and status of your student handbook
The purpose of this handbook is to provide you with information about your Programme of study and to direct you to other general information about studying at Middlesex University.
This handbook must be read in conjunction with the University Regulations at www.mdx.ac.uk/regulations/ The material in this handbook is as accurate as possible at the date of production.
Your comments on any improvements to this handbook are welcome - please put them in writing (with name of handbook) to:
Peter Griffiths Clerkenwell Building (2nd floor)
Principal Lecturer and Archway Campus
Programme Leader London N19 5LW
Telephone 020 8411 5598
Email:
Programme staff list and contact details
Teaching staff
Peter Griffiths see above
(Fridays only)
Daniel Middlehurst F Block
Senior Lecturer Holborn Union Building
(Mondays, Tuesdays & Fridays) Campus: Archway
Telephone: 020 8411 4645
Email:
Martin Smith F Block
Senior Lecturer Holborn Union Building
(Thursdays and Fridays) Campus: Archway
Telephone: 020-8411 6736
Email:
Chris Baker Clerkenwell Building (2nd floor)
Senior Lecturer Campus: Archway
Telephone: 020-8411 4187
Email:
Janet Holmshaw Clerkenwell Building (2nd Floor)
Senior Lecturer Campus: Archway
Telephone: 020-8411 4507
Email:
Other invited staff from Middlesex University, The Tavistock Clinic and Local Child and Adolescent Mental Health teams
Administrator F Block
Mental Health Cluster Holborn Union Building
Shui Man Campus: Archway
Telephone: 0208-411 5533
Fax: 020-8411 5276
Email:
Office hours: 09.00 - 17.00
Postal address for Archway Campus Middlesex University
Archway Campus
Highgate Hill
London N19 5LW
Staff cannot guarantee to be available throughout normal office hours due to various commitments. If you wish to contact a member staff you are advised to make a prior appointment. The best way to communicate with staff is through e-mail via Oasis plus.
Bridging Materials
Prior to entry you will have received access to the ‘My Middlesex/getting started’ and ‘My Programme’ materials on OASISPlus. The ‘My Middlesex/getting started’ materials will have given you an insight into studying at Middlesex University, what is expected of you as a student of Middlesex and also what to expect from the university. Information on the services and facilities to support your studies and transition to student life can also be found here.
The My Programme materials provide an introduction to many aspects of your programme including; your programme team, the modules you will be studying, assessments methods and also hints and tips from previous students studying on that programme.
Programme Structure Diagram
MHR 3626: Infancy, Child and Family Mental Health: Working with children and families from 0 to 11 years of age30 credit module level 6 (previously level 3) / MHR 3630: Practice Based Learning Project module
30 credit module level 6 (previously level 3) / Advanced Diploma in Child and Family Mental Health Work
Students undertaking this programme have to successfully complete two core modules MHR 3626: Infancy, Child and Family Mental Health: Working with Children and Families from 0-11 years of age (30 credits) and MHR 3630: Practice Based Learning (30 credits) in order to be awarded the Advanced Diploma in Child and Family Mental Health Work.
The taught module MHR 3626 needs to be started prior to commencement of the Practice based Learning Project Module MHR3630.
Should you wish you are able to create an individual programme of study, choosing to undertake modules from a wide range of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) modules within the School, that will best meet your personal, professional, academic and service development needs, for example contributing towards the BSc Mental Health (top-up) pathway at Middlesex University.
MHR 3626 is also available as an optional module for the Graduate Diploma Specialist Social Work Award (Children and Families, a PQ award within the GSCC PQ framework (GSCC, 2005, 2007).
Change to levels of modules and programmes
Middlesex University will change the way it describes the levels of its modules and programmes. The university will adopt the widely used Framework for Higher Education Qualifications (FHEQ) levels, as defined in the table below. The new level structure will be fully adopted across the university by September 2011. Until then you may experience some inconsistency in the description of module levels.
Description / New Middlesex University / FHEQ levels(from Sep 2011) / Current Middlesex University levels
Foundation level / 3 / 0
Certificate level / 4 / 1
Intermediate level / 5 / 2
Honours level / 6 / 3
Masters level / 7 / 4
Doctoral level / 8 / 5
Module Information
MHR 3626: Infancy, Child and Family Mental Health: Working with children and families from 0 to 11 years of age is aimed at all those workers working with young children and families who wish to identify early mental health difficulties and undertake brief work with children and families aimed at promoting mental health.
The module will advance knowledge and understanding of early childhood and family emotional and mental development and the common issues that can impact adversely upon these, the assessment and early work that might be possible to ameliorate later difficulty and refer to other agencies. It explores the contemporary health and social policy initiatives which support such work and develops both the knowledge and capabilities required for those working with children and families to ensure that children’s mental health can be their business.
On completion of this module, students feel more confident in understanding the context and policy drivers, the recognition and identification of mental health problems in these age groups and are familiar with referral pathways for further assessment and treatment for children and families. Students become familiar with the application of systemic theory, attachment theory and psychodynamic theory principles in relation to children and families and the wider system.