Child & Adolescent Mental Health & Wellbeing

Child and adolescent mental health is one of the most pressing areas of public concern in contemporary healthcare and social policy. The mental health of children and young people is shaped by a complex web of biological, psychological, social, and environmental factors, from early attachment relationships and developmental processes to the pressures of school, social media, poverty, and adverse childhood experiences. Understanding that complexity, and learning how to respond to it effectively, requires both rigorous academic grounding and serious practical engagement with the lived experiences of young people.

At Edge Hill University, this part-time programme examines mental health and wellbeing across the full developmental arc from pre-conception to adulthood, exploring the influences that shape mental health as children grow. You will investigate the barriers that prevent children and young people from accessing support, the structures of provision in health, education, and social care, and the evidence base for different approaches to intervention and treatment. The programme includes a sandwich year and work placement provision, meaning you gain practical experience in settings where children's mental health is the focus, whether in clinical, educational, voluntary, or social care contexts.

This practical dimension is not optional but central to the programme's design, recognising that working with young people requires skills and awareness that can only be developed through real experience.

Graduates of this programme are well placed for professional roles in CAMHS, school counselling, youth work, social care, educational psychology (with further training), therapeutic support work, and commissioning and policy roles related to children's wellbeing. Many use the degree as a foundation for postgraduate training in clinical psychology, social work, counselling, or educational psychology. The field is one of significant and sustained investment, and trained practitioners are consistently in demand.