'Mind the Kids': an ACAMH podcast

This episode ‘Depression Symptoms - Should Fatigue be in the Major League?’ extends well beyond clinical perspectives to offer a vivid, human portrayal of what fatigue truly means for young people experiencing depression. By the end of the episode, listeners gain a clear understanding of why fatigue is significant, the scientific revelations about its impact, and how young people themselves wish for their voices and struggles to be acknowledged—inviting reflection, debate, and a renewed commitment to innovation in youth mental health care. Dr Nina Higson-Sweeney joins Dr. Jane Gilmour and Professor Umar Toseeb in an open, insightful discussion that blends lived experience with the latest research. The conversation encourages listeners to look beyond clichés—emphasising that fatigue is not simply ‘being tired’ but a profound, subjective exhaustion that rest does not alleviate, and which profoundly affects motivation, self-concept, and daily activities. Personal accounts reveal fatigue as both a physical and mental force—sometimes striking without warning, often unseen by others, yet disruptive to education, friendships, and self-esteem. Listeners learn how this ‘all-encompassing’ symptom can generate feelings of guilt and social isolation, exacerbated by misunderstandings from peers and even healthcare professionals. The episode adeptly explores the blurred distinctions between fatigue, tiredness, and executive function challenges such as procrastination, considering how depression complicates these concepts. The discussion further examines how current therapies address fatigue—whether they focus on general depression or also reduce fatigue as a distinct symptom. Nina’s research offers promising insights: whether through psychoeducation, cognitive behavioural therapy, or psychoanalytic methods, treating depression in adolescence can alleviate fatigue; however, more nuanced, targeted interventions may yield even better outcomes. 

 In this episode of Mind the Kids, host Dr. Clara Faria sits down with Dr. Alice Wickersham, Zoe Frith, and Professor Johnny Downs from the CAMHS Digital Lab at King's College London to explore how digital innovation is transforming child and adolescent mental health services. The conversation delves into their groundbreaking work bridging the gap between research and real-world practice, addressing the critical challenge of implementing digital mental health technologies in clinical settings.​ The team discusses their multi-faceted approach to digital mental health innovation, including developing user-centered digital therapies and assessment tools, creating apps like My Journey and My Health that engage young people at the point of referral, and pioneering electronic health record linkage between CAMHS and education systems. They share insights on using natural language processing to extract meaningful clinical information from patient notes, reducing administrative burden through ambient voice technology for clinical assessments, and engaging schools and young people through creative partnerships like their collaboration with Elstree Screen Arts Academy.​ This episode offers a comprehensive look at how digital technologies can address waiting lists, improve research participation, and provide better outcomes for young people facing mental health challenges. Whether you're a clinician, researcher, policymaker, or anyone interested in the future of child mental health services, you'll gain valuable insights into the practical challenges and exciting possibilities of digital mental health innovation.​ For details on CAMHS Digital Lab visit https://www.camhsdlab.co.uk/ 

 This Mind the Kids episode, ‘Therapy and Autism: Actions for Adaptations’, asks what does truly neurodiversity affirming therapy look like for autistic young people with co occurring mental health difficulties?  Dr Jane Gilmour and Professor Umar Toseeb are joined by clinician researcher Professor Francisco Musich to step inside the therapy room and examine how it actually feels for autistic children and adolescents with co occurring conditions to navigate CAMHS support. Across the conversation, they move beyond theory and guidelines to the lived details that make or break engagement: the speed and style of language, the sensory impact of the clinic environment, and how far therapists are willing to adapt around special interests, alternative media and different processing speeds.  Along the way, they weigh personal clinical instincts against a still emerging evidence base, asking which accommodations genuinely improve outcomes and which might be comforting but ineffective, and what this means for designing neurodiversity affirming, research informed care.  Professor Francisco Musich will be delving into this topic more in February 2026 at the ACAMH webinar - Autism and Co-occurring Conditions: Adapting Psychological Therapies https://www.acamh.org/event/autism-cooccurring-conditions/  Get a free CPD/CME certificate for listening to this podcast by registering for a FREE ACAMH Learn account at www.acamhlearn.org 

What actually is a ‘meltdown’, and when do big feelings in kids become a problem that families and schools can’t ignore? In this episode of Mind the Kids, hosts Dr. Jane Gilmour and Professor Umar Toseeb sit down with Associate Professor Erin Gonzalez from the University of Washington School of Medicine, to unpack meltdowns in real-life, everyday language rather than just research jargon. Drawing on her clinical work with families in crisis, Erin explores what happens in a child’s brain and body during a meltdown, why these episodes are so common in neurodivergent children, and how screens, sleep, and anxiety can create a ‘perfect storm’ for explosive behaviour. She offers practical, evidence-informed strategies for parents and teachers, including how to respond in the moment, why “doing less” can sometimes de-escalate faster, and how to use meltdowns as opportunities to build emotional literacy instead of shame. The conversation also previews Erin’s upcoming ACAMH webinar, ‘Mastering Meltdowns: Managing Big Feelings in Kids’, and highlights why emotional competence should be treated as just as fundamental as learning to read. This episode is essential listening for parents, carers, educators, and clinicians supporting children whose emotions sometimes feel bigger than they are. Don’t miss Associate Professor Erin Gonzalez deliver the ‘Mastering Meltdowns: Managing Big Feelings in Kids’ from just £5, details at https://www.acamh.org/event/no-more-meltdowns/ 

‘Mental Health Needs in Care, but Missed Out’ takes listeners inside the realities and challenges faced by children in the UK care system. This episode brings real human stories and statistics together, highlighting that care experiences are diverse and often compounded by instability, repeated moves, and separation from familiar environments.  The team’s guest, Dr. Eva Sprecher, unpacks not only the scale of the issue but also the pitfalls of current screening tools—revealing how many children’s trauma-related mental health needs go undetected. The episode ultimately advocates for holistic, individualised approaches, emphasizing that recovery and positive trajectories are possible when we truly see and support the whole child, rather than focusing solely on their status in the care system.  Hosts Dr. Jane Gilmour and Professor Umar Toseeb not only discuss powerful research but also weave in personal anecdotes, legal definitions, and hard-hitting societal themes—from the nuances of terminology like “in care” versus “looked after children,” to the impact of pivotal legislation such as the 1989 Children’s Act. The conversation spotlights stark realities: young people enter care due to layered adversities—neglect, abuse, poverty, parental mental health difficulties, and more—which frequently lead to complex emotional and behavioural needs. Listeners will leave with real takeaways, fresh understanding, and hope that with the right awareness and policy change, outcomes for these vulnerable young people can be transformed. More information Read the Open Access JCPP Advances paper 'Sufficiency of current practice: How well does the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire detect clinically elevated PTSD, anxiety, and depression symptoms in children in care?' Eva Sprecher, KH Shelton, Lisa Holmes, Bethan Carter, Charlotte Robinson, Maryam Javed, John Macleod, Jeongeun Park, Julie Selwyn, Rachel Hiller