Postgraduate Module Descriptor

ERPM008Z: Children and Young People's Mental Health

This module descriptor refers to the 2021/2 academic year.

Module Aims

The module aims to help you to develop:

A broad and critical understanding of children and young people’s mental health, drawing on knowledge from contemporary practice, policy, theory and research and from a range of different academic disciplines
An appreciation for the ways in which mental health issues might combine with children and young people’s developmental needs and difficulties (e.g. in relation to adverse childhood experiences or autism).
Familiarity with contemporary research in this area of interest and with the ways in which this research might be conducted with participants in these populations
An understanding of the roles that professionals play in working to support children and young people experiencing mental health issues (particularly the role of educators and the support available to young people through schooling)

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
This module's assessment will evaluate your achievement of the ILOs listed here - you will see reference to these ILO numbers in the details of the assessment for this module.
On successfully completing the programme you will be able to:
Module-Specific Skills	1. Review and critically evaluate current evidence on the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people 2. Demonstrate awareness of the complexity in defining mental health and wellbeing and the implications for children of certain definitions 3. Describe and evaluate some of the interventions and models of care which are currently used to support children and young people in relation to mental health 4. Draw on theory, research and practice to identify some of the key mental health and wellbeing issues which children and young people experience in contemporary society
Discipline-Specific Skills	5. Acquire basic and essential factual and conceptual knowledge of the subject, and demonstrate understanding of this knowledge 6. Consider the complex interplay of research, policy, practice in this area of study 7. Address well-defined problems systematically, think critically and creatively, and begin to appreciate the complexities of the issues
Personal and Key Skills	8. Take responsibility for your own learning, with appropriate support 9. Develop clear and logical arguments in your written work 10. Manage information, collect appropriate information from a range of sources and undertake essential study tasks under guidance

Module Content

Syllabus Plan

Whilst the module’s precise content may vary over time, it is envisaged that the syllabus will consider a range of issues that relate to the contemporary study of children and young people’s mental health. The syllabus will consider theory, research and methodology in this area of psychological study. Indicative examples of what may be covered include:

Theoretical perspectives that can help to understand children and young people’s mental health
School mental health
How family influences children and young people’s mental health
Internalising difficulties
Externalising difficulties
Risk and resilience factors
Physical and mental health
Social mobility and mental health
How wellbeing relates to mental health
Early intervention
Social and emotional learning

Learning and Teaching

This table provides an overview of how your hours of study for this module are allocated:

Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities	Guided independent study	Placement / study abroad
27	123	0

...and this table provides a more detailed breakdown of the hours allocated to various study activities:

Category	Hours of study time	Description
Scheduled Learning and Teaching	27	Engagement online with taught content
Guided Independent Learning	27	Set and supplementary reading
Guided Independent Learning	9	Collation and review of online taught content notes
Guided Independent Learning	27	Undertaking additional tasks and activities (e.g. on ELE) and preparing for online taught content
Guided Independent Learning	60	Work on assessments

Online Resources

This module has online resources available via ELE (the Exeter Learning Environment).