supporting young people with mental health difficulties: parents and educators working together

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Supporting Young People with Mental Health Difficulties Parents and Educators Working Together

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Page 1: Supporting Young People with Mental Health Difficulties: Parents and Educators Working Together

Supporting Young People with Mental Health Difficulties

Parents and Educators

Working Together

Page 2: Supporting Young People with Mental Health Difficulties: Parents and Educators Working Together

Roles Parents & Youth Appreciate

Educators play crucial roles in…

Identification & Assessment

Advocacy & Support

Page 3: Supporting Young People with Mental Health Difficulties: Parents and Educators Working Together

Helping to Identify

Educators often 1st to suggest possibility of a mental disorder (e.g. ADHD) (Sax & Kautz, 2003; Today’s Parent Survey, 2009)

Educators > source of initial identification of a problem than physicians Leading support for coping with mental health (behind physicians & family) Better link between schools & mental health services desired by families, educators and MH Prof.

Accessible & trusted source of info for youth and parents

Page 4: Supporting Young People with Mental Health Difficulties: Parents and Educators Working Together

Key Role in Assessment

Provide key insight into behaviours of child in a setting with various levels of structure (independent work to group work)

Provide insight into social functioning

Provide accurate comparisons to developmental peer group

Page 5: Supporting Young People with Mental Health Difficulties: Parents and Educators Working Together

Educators & Assessment

Reliable source of info

Often know child best 2nd to parent (age related)Key role in accurately completing assessment measures

School Psychologists – often the only source for Psychoeducational testing for LD

Page 6: Supporting Young People with Mental Health Difficulties: Parents and Educators Working Together

6

Stigma – “Us & Them”

Page 7: Supporting Young People with Mental Health Difficulties: Parents and Educators Working Together

Stigma

Stigma is often poorly defined

Constellation of 3 related concepts:Lack of knowledge (ignorance)Negative and unfavorable attitudes (prejudice)Negative behaviours that result from those attitudes (discrimination)

Creates barriers to identification & access http://www.mentalhealthcommission.ca/SiteCollectionDocuments/Anti-Stigma/TimeforAction_Eng.pdf

Page 8: Supporting Young People with Mental Health Difficulties: Parents and Educators Working Together

Activity – Part I

8

(Kutcher, 2009)

Person with Mental Illness

1. __________________

2. __________________

Write down 2 words that describe a person who has a mental disorder/mental

illness

Page 9: Supporting Young People with Mental Health Difficulties: Parents and Educators Working Together

Activity – Part II

9

Person in the Room

1. __________________

2. __________________

Write down 2 words that describe a person who you know in this room

(Kutcher, 2009)

Page 10: Supporting Young People with Mental Health Difficulties: Parents and Educators Working Together

Challenging Stigma

How do ‘show’ that you’re an ally, a support?

How do we ‘spread’ the word in schools that we are against mental health stigma?

http://www.mentalhealthcommission.ca/SiteCollectionDocuments/Anti-Stigma/TimeforAction_Eng.pdf

(see Mood Disorders Canada)

Page 11: Supporting Young People with Mental Health Difficulties: Parents and Educators Working Together

• Differing Views of Impairment and Disability

• Diagnostic-medical model (bio-centric)• Disability located within the person• Equates impairment with disability

• Social Model (also referred to as Human Rights model)• Impairment (e.g., lacking use of mechanism of the body)• Focuses instead on the disabling conditions that can arise

through a mismatch between peoples’ needs and the unjust policies and practices of society and its key institutions

Disability vs: (dis)Ability Theory

11

(Oliver, 1986; Shakespear & Watson, 2001)

Page 12: Supporting Young People with Mental Health Difficulties: Parents and Educators Working Together

• Mental disorders can be considered ‘hidden’ disabilities

– aka: non-obvious or invisible disabilities/impairment

• Other than symptoms, often no telltale sign of ‘impairment’

– DSM-based diagnosis used to ‘legitimizing’ the difficulty

• Consistent with the LD movement

– Advocacy for identification & access to resources

‘Hidden’ (dis)Ability

12(Miller & Sammons, 1999;

Ryan & Runswick-Cole, 2008;

Warshaw, 2004; Wolf, 2001)

Page 13: Supporting Young People with Mental Health Difficulties: Parents and Educators Working Together

a) Deserve help (‘worthy deserving poor’)• Because of failure of society/ structure of system (e.g.,

physical impairment & need for ramp to bypass stairs)• Clear proof as judged by ‘those in charge/those with power’

b) Don’t deserve help (‘undeserving poor’)• Because of their own personal failure (e.g., parent blaming,

lazy, it’s just behaviour, we’re being manipulated)• No ‘clear’ proof of problems (thus ‘unfair’ to give help, or

‘everyone would want it’)

Hidden Dis/ability & British Poor Law

13

Page 14: Supporting Young People with Mental Health Difficulties: Parents and Educators Working Together

Why don’t they just tell us … Uncovering ‘Hidden’ Disabilities

Some parents/youth are……not always aware of difficulties …not always accepting of difficulties

(diagnosis ≠ acceptance)

Many, if not most, parents/youth are… …indirectly & directly impacted by stigma and/or discrimination

Page 15: Supporting Young People with Mental Health Difficulties: Parents and Educators Working Together

Barriers to Disclosing

Fear… …of discrimination/being discredited (stigma reinforced)

Perpetuated in families & institutions (schools/hospitals) Self-stigma (believing negative messages) “I’m dumb”

…of peers finding out

…of limiting future

...of loss of control / limiting future (i.e. academic record)

…of self-advocacy (anxiety provoking..trust issues)

Page 16: Supporting Young People with Mental Health Difficulties: Parents and Educators Working Together

Hidden Disabilities & Accommodations

&

Page 17: Supporting Young People with Mental Health Difficulties: Parents and Educators Working Together

Advocacy & Support

You don’t need a telephone booth

To be a ‘go-to’ educator..a ‘Mrs. Jackson’

Point of contact for youth/parents to navigate services

Be an ally & a champion for change

Page 18: Supporting Young People with Mental Health Difficulties: Parents and Educators Working Together

Tips for Identification - Hearing

To hear about child’s special needs…

Key – start ‘chat’ with youth/parents during a time of ‘less stress’

not always possible e.g., psychosis

‘Hidden’ nature of mental disorders ( + stigma) requires extra effort to create ‘space’ for youth/parents to share

Meet ‘n’ greet-relationship is key (be a go-to-teacher)Crucial for youth entering a new school > stressThey still may not share then, but may in future

Page 19: Supporting Young People with Mental Health Difficulties: Parents and Educators Working Together

More Tips for ‘Hearing’

Explore / work with strengths Ask about what’s worked in the past & who has been helpful and whyThey may tell you about an ‘Alan’, ‘Stan’, ‘Alexa’

Parents/youth may want educators to be involved in assessment/treatment process

Sharing info with MH teamDeveloping in-school supports/ accommodations

Page 20: Supporting Young People with Mental Health Difficulties: Parents and Educators Working Together

Tips for Identification - Sharing

To share about child’s challenges…Relationship is key (get to know parents/youth)

The ‘when’ & ‘how’ is just as important as ‘what’ you have to say

Strive to hear parents’ views BEFORE sharing your viewpointAcknowledge their expertise - share your expertise as an educator (you don’t need to take on ‘psychiatrist’ role)Email & phone with privacy & time to talk important

Need for assessment is often the first message (typically facilitated by Family doctor)

Page 21: Supporting Young People with Mental Health Difficulties: Parents and Educators Working Together

More Tips for ‘Sharing’

Observe & document concerns/worriese.g., change of mood, behaviour, social, work habits, hygiene – this helps parents & MH Pros

Meet with youth/parents early in process to share your concerns

Share what you have tried in-classShare your plan for additional services before you implement

Check in with other teachers/school staff

Page 22: Supporting Young People with Mental Health Difficulties: Parents and Educators Working Together

Top 10 Tips for Connecting with Parents to Launch Identification

1. When meeting parents work on a relationship

– Small things like use their names (not Mom & Dad)

– Ask how they are doing (not all business)

2. Do share about the student– start with positives (not just to say, BUT…)– Share concerns in terms of behaviour not in

terms of diagnosis (e.g., ADHD)

3. Serious ‘talks’ demand private places – Time and place to make sense of issue & next

steps

Page 23: Supporting Young People with Mental Health Difficulties: Parents and Educators Working Together

…Top 10 (continued)

4. Make contact with youth/parents -don’t assume that parents will know to contact you if they have concerns– Establish a preferred mode of communication– Remember it is really hard to connect with a

teacher

5. Find ways to connect directly with parents– Avoid using child as the messenger (it rarely

arrives & when it does message may inaccurate

– Remember it is really hard to connect with a teacher email great, phone, in private

Page 24: Supporting Young People with Mental Health Difficulties: Parents and Educators Working Together

…Top 10 (continued)

6. Work with youth/parents – Try not to wait until report card time,

parent/teacher meetings or when a crisis erupts

7. Use accessible language – avoid acronyms & teacher speak – e.g., “Johnny is doing great in the

mornings”

Page 25: Supporting Young People with Mental Health Difficulties: Parents and Educators Working Together

…Top 10 (continued)

8. Avoid activating parents defenses – Put yourself in parent’s shoes (never easy to

hear that your child is struggling)– Remember mental disorders can be

stigmatizing – Parents see kids in a different context & truly

may not know what you are talking about

9. Sharing difficult news can be difficult – Empathy for the young person/parent can be

your best tool

10. What’s worked for you?