Parent-led CBT is an evidence-based treatment for child anxiety problems. It teaches parenting strategies that parents/carers can use at home or in other settings to support their child. This treatment is now being disseminated across England in several formats and in diverse settings including schools. It is vital to collect evidence on these different approaches in order to better understand and address the factors that promote and impede positive outcomes.
The webinar was organised by the NIHR Mental Health Implementation Network, a national programme which aims to drive national collaborations and changes in mental health practice. The event brought together more than 150 participants, including parents and carers, commissioners, policymakers, clinicians and researchers interested in innovative approaches to tackling mental health problems experienced by children and young people in England.
The webinar included:
The event also featured parents who spoke about their experiences of being involved in parent-led CBT.
Parents spoke positively about the benefits of a parent-led CBT programme:
After going through the [CBT] programme […] our daughter has really improved and has now got the tools to cope with her anxiety. She now no longer has those tummy nerves, for example, as she approaches the school gates every morning.
It’s been quite life-changing for us. You learn lots of new things which you can help your child with and in turn they can help themselves and hopefully take that forward into the future.
I think some children find it easier to get help through their parents, rather than speaking to someone they don’t know. For us, that really worked
The webinar concluded with reflections on implementation and the challenges and opportunities of translating parent-led CBT into practice.
The webinar was a great opportunity to learn from local implementation teams who have been delivering and evaluating parent-led CBT in real-world settings. It was brilliant to hear how our ARC colleagues have been collaborating with local parents, several of whom provided powerful “lived experience” testimonials at the event. We are hopeful that the webinar will galvanise attendees to engage with the next stage of MHIN’s work, which will seek to expand implementation efforts even wider.