Children with Mental Disorder and the Law: A Guide to Law and Practice

Anthony Harbour

May 2008 · Jessica Kingsley Publishers

About this ebook

Children and young people with complex mental health needs are increasingly being cared for within specialist mental health care settings, either in the community or in in-patient facilities. With rapid social developments, it can be difficult for carers and practitioners to keep track of the law in this area.

This book provides a guide to the law relating to mental health care for children and young people, their rights and entitlement to service, and discusses important issues in clinical and social care practice such as parental responsibility, Gillick competency and capacity, emergency intervention and detention, assessment of mental illness and confidentiality in practice. A chapter written by Mary Mitchell considers the diagnosis and management of complex mental illness in young people, and a concluding chapter discusses changes in the law.

Jargon-free and accessibly written, this is an invaluable guide for professionals working in child and adolescent health and social care, social workers, youth workers, social welfare policy makers, medical professionals, teachers, educational professionals and students, as well as advocates for children and young people.

About the author

Anthony Harbour is a solicitor in a London practice where he specializes in health and social service law. He is the lead trainer for the Section 12 training for child and adolescent psychiatrists organised by the Royal College of Psychiatrists, UK, and is currently involved in providing training to health and social service professionals on the Mental Capacity Act, the Mental Health Act and various aspects of the law relating to children. He regularly publishes articles and papers on these subjects.