Working with children and adolescents with mental health concerns
Tracks
1
Adolescent
Assessment
Evidence based practice
Language disorder (e.g. LD associated with...)
Mental health
Mentoring
Oral language
Professional practice
Professional support
School age
Service delivery
Trauma informed practice
Wellbeing
| Saturday, June 14, 2025 |
| 10:30 AM - 10:40 AM |
Overview
Adele Wallis, Dr Angela Clarke and Elle Sleeman
Details
⏫ Peer-led dialogue (extended)
⏲️ 10.30am - 12.30pm
⌛120-minutes
📚 Assumed knowledge of attendees: Foundational (new/casual familiarity with the topic e.g. treated a single case)
⏲️ 10.30am - 12.30pm
⌛120-minutes
📚 Assumed knowledge of attendees: Foundational (new/casual familiarity with the topic e.g. treated a single case)
Presenter
Ms Adele Wallis
HDR Student
Working with children and adolescents with mental health concerns
10:30 AM - 12:30 PMPresentation summary
Mental health issues are a growing public health concern amongst children and adolescents. Clients accessing speech-language pathology (SLP) services in all clinical settings are presenting with signs of mental health problems; whether diagnosed, treated, or just observed in the clinic.
The aim of this session is to generate and facilitate a clinician-led dialogue, sharing clinical experiences and potentially identify key concepts or qualities that may contribute to an understanding of “best clinical practice” for working with children and adolescents presenting with mental health concerns.
Topics related to SLPs clinical approach and decision-making processes will be raised through a combination of: (1) clinical leads who have been provided questions in advance to prepare for, (2) question - answer elements, (3) open-floor discussion, (4) a range of break-out activities to stimulate discussion, (5) opportunity for small groups to interact and share feedback. The session will be facilitated by SLPs, experienced in the mental health sector, to ensure the discussion is respectful, open, people are listened to and heard, and as many voices as possible are shared through the informal discussion / professional conversation. This aligns closely with Speech Pathology Australia's Mental Health and Trauma Advisory Group’s stated aim to uplift knowledge in this area to the broader SLP workforce.
Underlying principles of trauma-informed care and a recovery approach to the provision of services will be emphasised throughout the discussion – either from the clinical leads, or through the nature of the questions. Facilitators are well-informed in these mental health principles of care.
Audience participants will gain valuable insight into working with individuals who report or present with mental health issues. It would be invaluable if the session could be recorded so a summary of the discussion could be made available after the conference, to capture essential points and reflect the group wisdom.
The aim of this session is to generate and facilitate a clinician-led dialogue, sharing clinical experiences and potentially identify key concepts or qualities that may contribute to an understanding of “best clinical practice” for working with children and adolescents presenting with mental health concerns.
Topics related to SLPs clinical approach and decision-making processes will be raised through a combination of: (1) clinical leads who have been provided questions in advance to prepare for, (2) question - answer elements, (3) open-floor discussion, (4) a range of break-out activities to stimulate discussion, (5) opportunity for small groups to interact and share feedback. The session will be facilitated by SLPs, experienced in the mental health sector, to ensure the discussion is respectful, open, people are listened to and heard, and as many voices as possible are shared through the informal discussion / professional conversation. This aligns closely with Speech Pathology Australia's Mental Health and Trauma Advisory Group’s stated aim to uplift knowledge in this area to the broader SLP workforce.
Underlying principles of trauma-informed care and a recovery approach to the provision of services will be emphasised throughout the discussion – either from the clinical leads, or through the nature of the questions. Facilitators are well-informed in these mental health principles of care.
Audience participants will gain valuable insight into working with individuals who report or present with mental health issues. It would be invaluable if the session could be recorded so a summary of the discussion could be made available after the conference, to capture essential points and reflect the group wisdom.
Refrences
Allen, K. A. & McKenzie, V. L. (2015). Adolescent mental health in an Australian context and future interventions. International Journal of Mental Health, 44(1-2), 80-93. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207411.2015.1009780
Goh, S. K. Y. & O’Kearney, R. (2013). Emotional and behavioural outcomes later in childhood and adolescence for children with specific language impairments: meta-analyses of controlled prospective studies. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 22(2), 165-171. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0002-7138(09)62330-X
A national framework for recovery-oriented mental health services: Guide for practitioners and providers. (2013). Canberra: Commonwealth of Australia.
Speech Pathology in Mental Health. (2018). The Speech Pathology Association of Australia.
Wallis, A.K., Westerveld, M. F., & McKenzie, M. L. (2024). Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Speech-Language Pathologists Working with Adolescents with Mental Health Concerns. (Submitted for publication)
Wallis, A.K., Westerveld, M. F., & McKenzie, M. L. (2024). “Sensitivity is the key”: Speech-Language Pathologists’ Perspectives on Working with Adolescents with Mental Health Concerns. (Unpublished)
Goh, S. K. Y. & O’Kearney, R. (2013). Emotional and behavioural outcomes later in childhood and adolescence for children with specific language impairments: meta-analyses of controlled prospective studies. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 22(2), 165-171. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0002-7138(09)62330-X
A national framework for recovery-oriented mental health services: Guide for practitioners and providers. (2013). Canberra: Commonwealth of Australia.
Speech Pathology in Mental Health. (2018). The Speech Pathology Association of Australia.
Wallis, A.K., Westerveld, M. F., & McKenzie, M. L. (2024). Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Speech-Language Pathologists Working with Adolescents with Mental Health Concerns. (Submitted for publication)
Wallis, A.K., Westerveld, M. F., & McKenzie, M. L. (2024). “Sensitivity is the key”: Speech-Language Pathologists’ Perspectives on Working with Adolescents with Mental Health Concerns. (Unpublished)
**********
Adele is a SLP of over 40 years experience, who is finally doing what she has always wanted to do - a PhD in an area that she feels totally passionate about. She combines her love for working with adolescents who have mental health concerns with investigating personal narratives through discourse sampling and analysis. She considers the outcome of her PhD to be an offering back to a profession that has always kept alive her curiosity, passion, and love of language. Adele has worked with children and adolescents since she graduated, working in education, disability, and mental health. She has also developed, written and published several resources for SLPs and teachers under Sandpiper Publications. Her PhD, supervised by Prof Marleen Westerveld through Griffith University, is the final tick on her professional bucket list.
Dr Angela Clarke
Cymhs Qld Health
Working with children and adolescents with mental health concerns
10:30 AM - 12:30 PM**********
Dr Angela Clarke is a Consultant Speech Pathologist in Child and Youth Mental Health. Angela started in CYMHS in 1995, so this year celebrates 30 years of dedication to children and young people living with mental health conditions. Angela has worked in numerous mental health settings including community, outreach, inpatient, and forensics. She has held discipline-specific, multidisciplinary, clinical educator, and program coordinator roles. She is a highly respected presenter and clinical supervisor. Angela is renowned for her work with adolescents and completed her PhD in 2022 exploring interpersonal trust and language skills in young people with and without mental illness. In her current position, Angela leads the strategic direction, development, professional scope of clinical activity of Speech Pathology across CYMHS.
Miss Elle Sleeman
Queensland Health
Working with children and adolescents with mental health concerns
10:30 AM - 12:30 PM**********
Elle Sleeman is a mental health speech pathologist and clinical educator with years of experience in Child and Youth Mental Health. She is passionate about the interplay between communication skills and mental health difficulties, as well as the role of speech pathology in supporting gender diverse youth.
Session chair
Cathy Pateras
MAX Solutions/AKG
The information contained in this program is current at of the time of publishing but is subject to changes made without notice.
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