Everything you need to know...
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What is the fee?
Home: £10,940 for the course
International/EU: £11,150 for the course -
How long will I study?
3 Years
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Where will I study?
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When do I start?
September 2026
Course summary
- Understand the determinants of emotional wellbeing for children and young people.
- Apply your skills and knowledge in early interventions with families.
- Gain postgraduate qualifications from a PgCert to an MSc.
- Work effectively with children, young people and families with mental health issues.
On this course you’ll develop your knowledge of mental health for children, adolescents and families around an existing job role. You’ll consider the factors which affect emotional health from an early age, and focus on a specific area in a dissertation. You’ll graduate with an increased awareness and ability to support children, young people and families with their mental health.
How you learn
You’ll access and explore learning materials online, learning at your own pace. You’ll explore theoretical models and principles alongside practical interventions and approaches.
This course is relevant to anyone who’s working with children, young people and families where mental health is an issue. Your professional background could be in nursing, allied health, education, social work, charitable/project work. And you don't necessarily need to have had previous training within mental health.
You learn through
- flexible distance learning
- stimulating and up-to-date online materials
- guidance from experienced staff
- online interactions with fellow students
- formative and summative assessments
- the production of a health promotion resource
Through core modules you’ll consider the factors that influence emotional health, as well as conditions, interventions, health promotion and research. You can choose other modules based on your role and interests – and a dissertation module allows you to consolidate and focus your learning.
Applied learning
Live projects
You’ll be able to draw from and expand upon the materials presented within the course, applying them to your own specific role. Throughout the course you'll keep a log of your experiences and applied learning. You’ll have ongoing assessments to help you reflect on your practice.
You’ll also produce resources that can be used within your area of practice. This will help you expand your ‘toolkit’ in approaching and supporting children, adolescents and families with mental health issues.
Networking opportunities
Throughout the course you’ll learn from health, social care, education and voluntary sector practitioners across the mental health sectors. You’ll also interact with peers and other students – hearing about experiences from a diverse variety of professions.
Course leaders and tutors
Greg Thomas
Senior Lecturer Mental Health NursingHaving qualified as a Mental Health Nurse I specialised straightaway in the area of CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health), and my clinical career involved worki … Read more
Modules
Important notice: The structure of this course is periodically reviewed and enhanced to provide the best possible learning experience for our students and ensure ongoing compliance with any professional, statutory and regulatory body standards. Module structure, content, delivery and assessment may change, but we expect the focus of the course and the learning outcomes to remain as described above. Following any changes, updated module information will be published on this page.
Year 1
Compulsory modules
This module aims to enable you to gain a broad understanding of child development, a critical awareness of the determinants of emotional wellbeing in children and families, and an ability to apply these principles effectively in practice.
INDICATIVE CONTENT
The following topics will be included in the teaching sessions:
Cognitive development
Neurological development
Physical development
Attachment and Attunement
Family Relationships and Dynamics
Risk and resilience factors
Social Factors (inherent and external to the family situation)
Stigma and perceptions of mental health issues
To gain knowledge and skills in working with specific mental health disorders/issues in this client group, and effective evidenced based approaches/interventions that address these needs.
INDICATIVE CONTENT
The following topics will be included in the teaching sessions:
- Specific mental health disorders in children, adolescents and families (e.g. Anxiety, Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder, Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Conduct Disorder, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Psychosis, Eating Disorders, Depression, etc.)
- Behaviours related to issues with emotional wellbeing (e.g. Self Harm, Para-suicide, Substance Misuse, Disinhibition, Dysfunctional Risk-Taking, etc.)
- Approaches/interventions that can be used in assessing and working with the above (e.g. Diagnostic tools, CBT, Motivational Interviewing, Solution Focused Therapy, Family Therapy, Sensory Assessment/Integration, Medication, Psychotherapy, etc.
- Models and theories of Health Promotion.
Year 2
Compulsory modules
The module aims to provide you with an introduction to research design and methods relevant to an applied area of investigation. It will enable you to consider factors that will impact on future planning and management of their investigation.
INDICATIVE CONTENT
- Identifying a research question
- Research methods to support quantitative and qualitative research
- Research ethics
- Literature based studies
- Service evaluation - design and methods
- Project planning and management
For those studying on the apprenticeship route, the following KSB’s will be met through study of this module
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You will be able to: |
You will know and understand: |
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Knowledge |
2.2 Assess own learning needs and engage in self-directed learning to maximise potential to lead and transform care and services |
2.2 Your role, responsibility and motivation to manage your own learning; the range of tools and techniques that can be used to direct own learning, set goals and evaluate learning |
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4.2 Evaluate and audit your own and others’ clinical practice and act on the findings |
4.2 The range of valid and reliable evaluation and audit methods used in clinical practice |
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4.3 Alert individuals and organisations to gaps in evidence; initiate and/or lead evidence-based activity that aims to enhance clinical practice and contribute to the evidence base; support others to develop their research capability |
4.3 The range of quantitative and qualitative research methodologies relevant for use in health and social care; the roles and responsibilities of those involved in research; the range of legal, ethical, professional, financial and organisational policies and procedures that will apply to your research activities; the importance and impact of research on advancing clinical practices |
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4.4 Critically appraise and synthesise the outcomes of research, evaluation and audit; apply this within your own and others’ practice; act as a bridge between clinical and research practice; promote the use of evidence-based standards, policies and clinical guidelines |
4.4 Critical appraisal techniques and how to apply new knowledge effectively to own and others’ clinical practice; the importance of integrating research into clinical practice; the range of evidence-based standards, policies and clinical guidelines which apply to own and others’ practice |
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4.5 Develop and implement robust governance systems and systematic documentation processes |
4.5 The importance of effective governance systems and methods that can be used to ensure systematic documentation is in place |
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4.6 Disseminate your work through appropriate media to further advance clinical practices. |
4.6 The value of disseminating research to advance clinical practice, enhancing the quality, safety, productivity and value for money of health and care; how to select and use media appropriately to optimise research impact. |
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Skills |
1.1 Practise with a high level of autonomy and be accountable for your decisions and omissions; work in line with your code of professional conduct, professional standards and scope of practice |
1.1 Local, national policies and procedures within your scope of practice, the professional and regulatory codes of conduct relevant to your advanced clinical practice; the importance of working within boundaries of practice; the range of physical, psychological, pharmacological, diagnostic and therapeutic interventions within your scope of practice |
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Behaviour |
3.6 Establish and exercise your individual scope of practice within legal, ethical, professional and organisational policies, procedures and codes of conduct to manage risk and enhance the care experience |
3.6 The range of legal, ethical, professional and organisational policies, procedures and codes of conduct that apply to your practice |
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3.7 Identify and manage risk in own and others’ clinical practice; be receptive to challenge and demonstrate the ability to challenge others. |
3.7 The range of evidence-based strategies to manage risk in clinical practice. |
Elective modules
To provide practitioners working in health and social care settings, with a structured programme of study that will facilitate critical reflection on the application of advanced communication skills and develop insight into present and future practice.
INDICATIVE CONTENT
Self awareness
Support for professional carers
Advanced communication skills
Theories of communication
Client assessment
Structure for assessment interview
Levels of psychological interaction
Responding to challenging situations
Sharing significant information
Boundaries and ethics of therapeutic relationships
Clinical Supervision
Continuing professional development
On successful completion of the module a student will have demonstrated a critical and evaluative insight into health and social care professionals who are leading and delivering autonomous advanced or advancing practice roles.
INDICATIVE CONTENT
● Legal and ethical principles and frameworks
● Complex decision making and clinical reasoning
● Socio-political elements of advancing practice
● Positive risk-taking
● Leadership
● CPD
● Resilience
● Community of practice and learning
For those studying on the apprenticeship route, the following KSB’s will be met through study of this module
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You will be able to: |
You will know and understand: |
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Knowledge |
2.2 Assess own learning needs and engage in self-directed learning to maximise potential to lead and transform care and services |
2.2 Your role, responsibility and motivation to manage your own learning; the range of tools and techniques that can be used to direct own learning, set goals and evaluate learning |
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2.4 Advocate and contribute to the development of an organisational culture that supports life-long learning and development, evidence-based practice and succession planning. |
2.4 The importance and impact of organisational culture in learning and development; techniques to influence organisational culture. |
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Skills |
1.4 Assess individuals for risk factors and their impact on health and wellbeing; facilitate and encourage individuals to manage their own health and make informed choices; support individuals with an ongoing plan for preventative and rehabilitative measures |
1.4 How to assess risk in relation to health and wellbeing; the principles of health promotion and prevention; strategies to engage and influence people; the range of health promotion tools available including the importance of therapeutic communication and behavioural change |
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1.7 Ensure safety of individuals and families through the appropriate management of risk |
1.7 Strategies to mitigate risk |
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Behaviour |
3.2 Use your advanced clinical expertise to provide consultancy across professional and service boundaries; drive service development and influence clinical practices to enhance quality productivity and value |
3.2 The implications and applications of epidemiological, demographic, social, political and professional trends and developments appropriate to your clinical practice |
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3.7 Identify and manage risk in own and others’ clinical practice; be receptive to challenge and demonstrate the ability to challenge others. |
3.7 The range of evidence-based strategies to manage risk in clinical practice. |
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MODULE AIM
To identify and critically evaluate a specific work based service improvement project. Evaluation of service improvement has direct benefits for your organisation, and will enhance your understanding of the underpinning improvement methodologies whilst further developing your personal and professional skills.
INDICATIVE CONTENT
The content of the module will be driven by personal and organisational goals negotiated at the start of the module. Key areas will be:
- Organisational structures
- Project management and evaluation
- Change management
- Selecting and using evidence
- Reflective practice
- Action planning
- Work based learning and organisational goals
- Action learning set methodology to support learning and progression through the module.
The module aims to develop knowledge, skills and understanding around the role of exercise and physical activity for clients with mental health problems or issues affecting psychological wellbeing. It will develop skills to facilitate delivery of effective exercise interventions.
This module brings together several themes relevant to implementing exercise within mental health & psychological wellbeing, and uses an enquiry-based learning approach to apply these themes to practice.
- Dimensions of mental health including predisposing factors, presentations
- and diagnoses, prevalence and demographics (which may include Depression and anxiety,
- severe and enduring mental health, self-esteem, sleep, mood, addiction, cognitive
- function, Quality of Life as a long term condition and referral pathways
- Settings for intervention
- Management strategies
- Principles and practice of behaviour change
- Understanding service user experience
- Exercise physiolog
- Principles of exercise prescription in Mental Health
This module explores the concept of health promotion and lifestyle management. During the module you will develop an understanding of how models of health promotion can potentially impact on the health and wellbeing of individuals and communities. It also explores the potential of preventive approaches to improved health and wellbeing. The module will allow you to apply your understanding to individuals and/ or groups of individuals that you may be working alongside.
INDICATIVE CONTENT
- Policy context related to public health and health promotion
- Social determinants of health
- Models of health promotion or social marketing
- Approaches to behaviour change
- Practical skills development including the techniques of self-management, motivational interviewing and goal setting.
- Evaluation of health promotion and lifestyle management interventions
The aim of this module is to develop your role as interprofessional educators and facilitators. This will enable you to enhance the personal and professional development of the learners in your work place allowing them to make a positive contribution to the delivery of high quality care.
INDICATIVE CONTENT
IPE theory, educational theories, sociological theories concerning professional boundaries and identities.
Policy and strategic imperatives driving modern health care education
Theories of coaching, mentoring and facilitation
Conflict resolution theories
This module aims to help you develop an in-depth understanding of the fields of management and leadership in the contemporary health and social care context, whilst considering your role and future development.
INDICATIVE CONTENT
- Overarching concepts of leadership and management
- Leadership overview
- Mapping the field of leadership
- Leadership and learning diagnostic tools
- Leadership learning and development
The aim of this module is to develop your knowledge, skills and attitudes as facilitators of workplace learning to be able to effectively support learners or colleagues who are experiences difficulties affecting their work role. A key principle of being a health professional registrant is that one should be able to reflect on ones work and actions and undertake appropriate development to maintain skills and competence within ones scope of practice. This module will equip you with tools and a framework to support others with this process, to maximise opportunities for them to overcome any difficulties.
INDICATIVE CONTENT
Definitions of 'in difficulty', causes, signs and symptoms
Models of mentoring, coaching, supervision and practice learning support
Benefits of supporting learners in difficulty to individuals, teams, professions and organisations.
Professional body and organisations role in supporting learners in difficulty, e.g., Organisational and Clinical Governance issues, fitness for practice, accountability etc.
Inter-professional Working and learning including diversity in practice
Developing organisational/professional networks to support workplace learning facilitators
A range of models and frameworks used in mentoring, coaching and helping
Developing ground rules and confidentiality
Skills practice and development
Developing listening skills
Peer assessment and feedback
Personal reflection, action plan development
Developing mentoring networks
Critical evaluation of the evidence base
Portfolio development for CPD (Continuing Professional Development)
This module aims to facilitate your reflection and critical appraisal of underpinning theories of learning, teaching and assessment of adults that enables the design, delivery and evaluation of education. The emphasis is on exploring how educational concepts and theories are implemented and how they impact on your professional practice and development in the health and social care setting.
INDICATIVE CONTENT
In the module, a framework is delivered by staff and is planned to promote discussion. The following is indicative of the content:
• Lesson planning and evaluation
• Theories of adult learning and teaching in higher education
• Teaching strategies
• Assessment and feedback
• Learner support
• M level academic writing
• Engagement with the HEA UKPSF and other professional body requirements as appropriate.
Additional aspects of education may be added depending on learning requirements.
For those studying on the apprenticeship route, the following KSB’s will be met through study of this module
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You will be able to: |
You will know and understand: |
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Knowledge |
2.2 Assess own learning needs and engage in self-directed learning to maximise potential to lead and transform care and services |
2.2 Your role, responsibility and motivation to manage your own learning; the range of tools and techniques that can be used to direct own learning, set goals and evaluate learning |
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2.3 Work collaboratively to identify and meet the learning and development needs of health or care professionals; support practice education; act as a role model and mentor |
2.3 The application of teaching and learning theories and models in health and care; how to identify learning needs; organisational and professional roles and responsibilities in relation to life-long learning |
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4.1 Engage in research activity; develop and apply evidence-based strategies that are evaluated to enhance the quality, safety, productivity and value for money of health and care |
4.1 National and international quality standards; the effect of policy on health and social care |
To provide a theoretical underpinning to enable you to work in partnership with clients and multi-disciplinary colleagues in offering safe and effective support to people experiencing loss, grief and bereavement
INDICATIVE CONTENT
The content focuses on the integration of academic theories and research with the personal experience of grief, to identify appropriate good practice.
- Support for professional carers
- Theories of attachment and loss
- Concept analysis of grief
- Aspects of loss
- Altered body image
- Relationships
- Rape
- Domestic abuse
- Societal and multi-cultural responses to loss and bereavement
- Cultural diversity
- Disenfranchised grief
- Gender
- Death following bereavement
- Effect on bereavement of standard of care given to loved one
- Risk factors in bereavement
- Determinants of grief
- Multiple losses
- Grief reactions
- Anticipatory
- Normal
- Complicated
- Biographical accounts of bereavement
- Diverse ways of coping with bereavement e.g. volunteering vs turning to alcohol, destroying reminders of person who has died
- Late diagnosis of terminal illness
- Communication with the bereaved
- Assessing and facilitating grief
- Sudden death
- Death by suicide
- Trauma
- Children facing bereavement
- Bereavement services
This module will enable you to develop the skills to recognise maternal mental health illnesses in pregnancy and during the first year of the postnatal period, to formulate individualised pathways of care, manage potential risks and complications in order to promote positive birth outcomes
INDICATIVE CONTENT
Mental health conditions and management (for example; personality disorders, eating disorders, tokophobia, self-harming, schizophrenia, puerperal psychosis, fabricated illness, substance misuse, antenatal and postnatal depression)
Family Relationships and Dynamics
Risk and resilience factors
Social Factors (inherent and external to the family situation)
Stigma and perceptions of mental health issues
Safeguarding (maternal focus, but also infant in relationship to fabricated illness)
Multidisciplinary working / skills required by professionals
Mental health legislation (including deprivation of liberty safeguards (DOLS))
This module will enable you to develop the skills to recognise the impact (short and long term) of maternal mental health on the development of the infant / child, to formulate individualised pathways of care, manage potential risks and complications in order to promote positive birth outcomes
INDICATIVE CONTENT
Short and long term impact on the infant and child
Maternal / parental abuse of the infant
Safe guarding - in relation to the infant and also domestic violence
Difficult conversations with the mother / her family
Family Relationships and Dynamics
Risk and resilience factors
Social Factors (inherent and external to the family situation)
Baby Friendly Initiative standards - significance of relevant neuro-science, mother-baby relationship, cognitive development, learning goals and neurological development
Multi-disciplinary working and skills involved in practice with complex cases
MODULE AIM
To identify and successfully plan a negotiated and critically justified work based service improvement project. The service improvement project will consider benefits for the organisation and will develop your understanding of service improvement methodologies whilst enhancing your personal and professional skills
INDICATIVE CONTENT
The content of the module will be driven by personal and organisational goals negotiated at the start of the module. Key areas will be:
- Organisational structures
- Project management and evaluation
- Change management
- Selecting and using evidence
- Reflective practice
- Action planning
- Work based learning and organisational goals
- Action learning set methodology to support learning and progression through the module.
Final year
Compulsory modules
This module will enable you to develop a proposal and then plan and conduct an in-depth investigation of a topic that contributes to professional practice. It provides the opportunity to apply an understanding of research methods to the investigation and allows you to demonstrate your ability to work with relative autonomy in undertaking a sustained, in-depth piece of independent learning. It promotes the dissemination of findings to your professional community.
INDICATIVE CONTENT
This module is essentially an individual, self-directed piece of work the contents of which will be specific to your professional area and interests. You will be expected to demonstrate a knowledge base relevant to the topic of interest as well as knowledge and understanding of appropriate research methods.
Students must submit a proposal for approval and this is a mandatory element of this module. You will be advised and supported through the proposal stage and necessary internal and external ethical and scientific approval processes. Approval from the reviewers on behalf of the Faculty Research Ethics Committee is essential before students can progress with their study.
You will be advised about the necessity of obtaining SHU ethical and scientific approval for your project. This and other ethical approvals outside of SHU e.g. NHS will be supported.
Future careers
This course prepares you for a career in
- mental health practice with children, adolescents and families
- mental health linking
- mental health liaison
- consultation
- teaching/training
- mental health project work/research
Equipment and facilities
On this course you work with
- dedicated Blackboard module sites
- video and text-based resources
- discussion forums
- interactive notice boards
- webinar platforms
- module reading lists and the wider Library Gateway
We’ve invested over £100m in new facilities to help you study how and when you want. This means 24-hour libraries and study spaces designed by our students.
Where will I study?
You study this course online from any location
Entry requirements
All students
Normally, applicants will hold a first degree or professional qualification which is recognised in the UK in a related subject. A first degree in a relevant subject for example BSc (Hons) Nursing/Education/Social Work. Those who have already completed the PGCert in Child, Adolescent & Family Mental Health would be able to APEL onto further parts of the course.
Other formally certified qualifications
Equivalent, international academic and/or professional qualifications will be accepted. Applicants will be considered on other relevant evidence which may include for example documented evidence of recent CPD activity, innovative practice, practice leadership, service development, research projects and/or publications. Such evidence must be clearly described in any application
Level of English language capability
Where English is not your first language an IELTS score of 6.5 is required, with a minimum of 6.0 in writing and no individual element below 5.5.
Relevant work or work-related experience
It would be expected that applicants have worked or would be working with children, adolescents or families in some capacity.
Motivation and engagement
Applicants will be motivated and prepared to study independently and autonomously. They must be prepared to embrace the challenges of Masters level study in an online distance learning environment, have access to a reliable internet connection to support engagement and have sound IT skills.
The programme is intellectually challenging and applicants should be prepared to actively contribute to discussion and debate; critically reflect upon own and others practice; explore and evaluate the evidence base underpinning their chosen course of study.
Recognition of prior learning (RPL) (previously known as accreditation for prior learning or APL)
Through the University's recognition of prior learning (RPL) process it may be possible for applicants to be exempt from some modules of the programme.
Recognition of prior learning is a term used to make explicit the link between assessment used as the basis for recognising learning gained outside a formal programme and that used for learning within a programme; the key features of sound practice are common to both forms.
The term 'recognition' is used to describe accurately the process in relation to two widely recognised forms of prior learning: prior certificated learning and prior informal (or experiential) learning. The recognition of prior certificated learning involves the transfer of credit, or exemption from part of a programme, for learning that has previously been formally assessed. The essential characteristic of such learning is that the student has a certificate to evidence that the learning has been assessed. Sheffield Hallam University (SHU) determines the status of that certification (including consideration of its volume and level) as it relates to this specific course. All applicants who wish to apply for Recognition of Prior Learning must have been offered a place on the course and then are supported to complete the University online RPL process.
Through RPL procedures, applicants to SHU, or students already enrolled on SHU courses, may be able to use credit gained from formal study and assessment elsewhere, or from within the University, to count towards this award or to transfer to a different University award. The recognition of prior informal learning involves an assessment process on the part of SHU academic staff that leads to recognition, normally through the award of credit. The essential feature of this process is that it is the learning (gained through experience) which is being assessed not the experience itself.
In both cases recognition takes place within SHU's assessment and regulatory framework, which is designed to ensure that assessment decisions are conducted transparently, fairly and consistently for all programmes or subjects. The QAA indicators of sound practice are fully adhered to, and SHU publishes comprehensive guidance on RPL which is available to read publicly on SHU space under 'Rules and Regulations'. Students can apply for exemption from specific modules if they can provide evidence of previous certificated learning.
The process will commence with confirmation of a student being offered a place on the course. Claims under the RPL regulations will be considered by the course leader and other relevant colleagues. Students must provide evidence in the form of certification, the successful completion of the assessment activity, its academic level and credit rating. Outcomes of successful RPL claims will be ratified by the Board of Examiners and details recorded on individual student records.
Additional information for EU/International students
If you are an International or non-UK European student, you can find out more about the country specific qualifications we accept on our international qualifications page.
For details of English language entry requirements (IELTS), please see the information for 'All students'.
Fees and funding
Home students
Our tuition fee for UK students starting part-time study in 2026/27 is £10,940 for the course. The tuition fee displayed above is for the full course. If the full course is more than one year in duration, the fee will be divided into annual payments which will then be rounded. This may mean the total fee you pay is slightly higher than the fee stated above. If you take a break in study or have to re-take part of the course, you may also be charged an additional fee and will be notified of this at the time. Our tuition fee for UK students starting part-time study in 2026/27 is £3,650 per year.
If you are studying an undergraduate course, postgraduate pre-registration course or postgraduate research course over more than one academic year then your tuition fees may increase in subsequent years in line with Government regulations or UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) published fees. More information can be found in our terms and conditions under student fees regulations.
International students
Our tuition fee for International/EU students starting part-time study in 2026/27 is £11,150 for the course. The tuition fee displayed above is for the full course. If the full course is more than one year in duration, the fee will be divided into annual payments which will then be rounded. This may mean the total fee you pay is slightly higher than the fee stated above. If you take a break in study or have to re-take part of the course, you may also be charged an additional fee and will be notified of this at the time.
Scholarships and financial support
Find information on scholarships, bursaries and postgraduate student loans.
International scholarships up to £3000 ›
Alumni scholarships up to £2000 ›
Postgraduate loans for UK students ›
Additional course costs
The links below allow you to view estimated general course additional costs, as well as costs associated with key activities on specific courses. These are estimates and are intended only as an indication of potential additional expenses. Actual costs can vary greatly depending on the choices you make during your course.
General course additional costs
Additional costs for Health and Social Care (PDF, 277.7KB)Legal information
Any offer of a place to study is subject to your acceptance of the University’s Terms and Conditions and Student Regulations.
