Children’s mental health and diagnosis: Time for alternatives?

Abstract

Children and Young People are being labelled with psychiatric diagnoses at higher rates than ever before (e.g. NHS Digital, 2022). This is despite significant concerns with the diagnostic model in mental health, including that it locates problems within individuals, can lead to stigmatisation and can seem insufficiently curious about their voices and experience. There are good examples of non-diagnostic approaches that are non-blaming, trauma-informed and put the voices of children, young people and families at their heart. This article describes three: Adverse Childhood Experiences, Power Threat Meaning Framework and Emotion-Based Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, showing how they can apply to clinical practice.