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Research summary
Highlights in child mental health research: October 2024
Prepared by AIFSThis October 2024 research summary provides a selection of recently released papers, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses related to infant and child mental health. Each summary includes an introductory overview of the content for the month, followed by a list of selected articles. Each article is accompanied by a brief synopsis which presents the key messages and highlights. Links to abstracts, full-text articles and related resources, where available, are provided. -
Practice paper
Why we need to support infants and children before, during and after disasters
Emerging MindsInfants and children rely on the adults around them to meet their needs, keep them safe and help them to make sense of their world. This puts them at greater risk of adverse impacts when a disaster occurs. This practice paper introduces the foundational knowledge and skills needed to support children and families at all stages of a disaster (preparedness, response and recovery). -
Practice paper
Disaster preparedness with a focus on infants, children and families
Emerging MindsThis practice paper is designed to help you understand the importance of disaster preparedness for not only increasing safety and protecting lives when a disaster occurs, but facilitating the recovery of individuals, families and communities. It also offers practical advice for supporting the disaster preparedness of the children and families you work with. -
Practice paper
Understanding how disasters influence infants and children
Emerging MindsThis practice paper aims to equip practitioners with knowledge about the ways disasters can influence a child’s ecology and the importance of targeted support for children’s resilience and recovery in the short and long term. -
Practice paper
Supporting infants, children and families in an evacuation
Emerging MindsThis practice paper explains why it’s important to consider pregnant people, infants, children and families in evacuation planning and management. It provides practical considerations and strategies for ensuring evacuation procedures and centres meet the needs of infants, children and families and enhance their safety, wellbeing and recovery. -
Practice paper
How psychological first aid can support infants, children and families who experience a disaster (part one)
Emerging MindsThis paper is the first of two and introduces psychological first aid (PFA), a psychosocial support approach that can reduce distress and support the mental health of infants, children and families who have experienced a disaster. -
Practice paper
Psychological first aid with infants and children: Practice guidance (part two)
Emerging MindsPart two of two: This paper provides guidance to practitioners offering psychological first aid with infants, children and families in the context of a disaster. -
Practice paper
Wellbeing for workers supporting children and families after a disaster
Emerging MindsThis resource focuses on how to look after your own wellbeing as a practitioner or worker when supporting children and families after a disaster. -
Practice paper
Supporting infants, children and families during and immediately after disasters
Emerging MindsProviding targeted psychosocial support to families in the immediate aftermath (the hours and days after a disaster) is essential to supporting infants’ and children’s mental health. This paper introduces evidence-informed strategies and practical advice to help practitioners support the mental health of infants, children and their parents during and immediately after a disaster. It may also aid in planning disaster response and relief strategies that are child-centred and family-focused. -
Practice paper
Practices for supporting infant and child mental health after disasters
Emerging MindsThis paper provides practice guidance for addressing the immediate and long-term impacts of disasters on infant and child mental health using multifaceted approaches that promote resilience and mental health recovery. -
Practice paper
Strategies for supporting the mental health of infants and children after a disaster: Child–adult relationships
Emerging MindsFollowing a disaster it's common for children to experience increased separation anxiety. This resources explores how parents can help children to develop safe relationships with other caring adults. -
Practice paper
Strategies for supporting the mental health of infants and children after a disaster: Emotional regulation
Emerging MindsThis resource explains the importance of connection, emotional literacy and environment in helping children feel safe, and how regulation can be achieved through the body using sensory- and movement-based exercises, along with fun, relaxing and mindfulness activities.