Developing clinical skills within child and youth mental health

Many children and adolescents in British Columbia experience mental health problems that greatly impact their wellbeing and ability to thrive. This report will focus on the learning and experience gained about the Child and Youth Mental Health System and the services provided through Child and Youth Mental Health to help alleviate the effects and impacts of mental illness in children and youth. While the learning through the practicum experience was very broad, limitations were utilized to focus on the assessment and treatment of children/youth with anxiety and depression. A review of the literature provided a context for developing clinical competencies in delivering child and youth mental health care, while shadowing, clinical work, and ongoing supervision provided the practical landscape for skill development. --Leaf ii.