This collection on 'bundlr' draws together resources which may be of interest to those learning and teaching about mental health rights and legal issues.

Clinical psychologist and vocal critic of psychiatry Richard Bentall reveals why social inequality, racism and the built environment have a far more significant role to play in mental illness than the biomedical establishment acknowledges.

The Depression Project challenges society's view on what a mental health problem is, and to show that in fact, no-one is "normal". It is currently being used within the NHS as a training tool. It was also shown as part of the University of Birmingham's Mental Health Awareness Week.

We call mad people lots of names. Most of them are not meant to be complimentary. But what do mad people call themselves? Do they accept labels that others stick on them? Do they apply their own labels? Why might one person choose a different label than another? This is a short documentary in which 12 Toronto activists discuss how they identify themselves. Documentaries are one of Ryerson University's online learning tools, used by instructors to spark discussion in the online student forums. This documentary is a part of unique and engaging online course called 'Mad People's History' (CDST 504), developed by Digital Education Strategies at The Chang School and David Reville, an instructor with the School of Disability Studies at Ryerson University.

Channel 4 screened Eleventh Hour's "We're not mad we're angry" in 1986. This was a unique docu-drama which took two years to make with a group of current and former psychiatric patients who held full editorial control. Many of the actors in the drama sequences had been service users; others were involved in the editing and production process. Many of the survivors interviewed were activists such as: Jan Wallcraft who became Mindlink's first co-ordinator; David Crepaz-Keay, who went on to manage Mental Health Media, then became Head of Empowerment and Social Inclusion at the Mental Health Foundation; Peter Campbell, the founder of Survivor's Speak Out'; Mike Lawson, the first survivor vice-chair of National Mind. This is the documentary in full, now available on Youtube.

Film about coping with suicidal thoughts and depression. May be of use to those involved in teaching mental health on prequalifying programmes.

TED talk by Vikram Patel. Nearly 450 million people are affected by mental illness worldwide. In wealthy nations, just half receive appropriate care, but in developing countries, close to 90 percent go untreated because psychiatrists are in such short supply. Vikram Patel outlines a highly promising approach -- training members of communities to give mental health interventions, empowering ordinary people to care for others.

This film is the result of a group project done at CoolTan Arts centre - a charitable arts in mental-health organisation. The group was exploring Personalisation, a new government scheme aiming to distribute personal budget to people who suffer from disabilities, hoping to promote more self-control over one's treatment. The group explored the pros and cons of the new scheme.

Ten standards for adult in-patient mental health care. Useful for facilitating understanding of the in-patient environment.

This collection of Burning Issues has been compiled by the Mental Health in Higher Education project (mhhe) and the Higher Education Academy (subject centres1) Special Interest Group for Mental Health (MHSIG). It provides a snapshot of the views of educators - from across the disciplines - about key issues that they face in teaching.

Meriden Family Programme reading list

Dr Ali Ajaz, a specialty trainee in forensic psychiatry, interviews consultant forensic psychiatrist Dr Paul Simon Williams about his work. Royal College of Psychiatrists podcast

Royal College of Psychiatrists podcast. A patient (Alan) talks to a consultant forensic psychiatrist about his admission to a medium secure unit

Explores the communication strategies that can be used to talk to parents, children and families about parental mental health issues.

Provides a range of audit tools for front line managers to gauge the readiness of their staff to implement the ‘Think Family’ guidance. It also identifies the key drivers needed by strategic managers to target action at a local level, identify the barriers to change and potential solutions.

Explores screening, active signposting and early intervention, and their importance in addressing the needs of all parts of the family system.

oks at what makes an effective plan as well as considering how reviewing processes can be used to ensure changing needs are assessed and plans modified as a result.

Explores the challenges facing workers in maintaining a multi-agency approach and how the Family Model can be used to strengthen professional working relationships.

Explores the key principles of working in partnership with parents.

Explores the impact of parental mental illness on all family members. Also looks at child development stages and some common diagnoses, interventions and treatments for mental illness.

An introduction to the family model and the impacts of some common risks, stressors and protective factors.

These resource use audio, video and interactive technology to assist in exploring the nature of parental mental health and its impact on families.

Explores the relationship between the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) and the Mental Health Act (MHA) of 1983 (as amended by the Mental Heath Act 2007) the difference between the two laws in relation to detention and deprivation of liberty.

Looks at the law on deprivation of liberty safeguards (DOLS).

Explores who can make decisions on behalf of other people and when those decisions can be made.

Explores what kinds of disagreement can arise in relation to the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and possible solutions to resolve these.

Explores how you begin to work out a person’s best interests in a practical context and the limits and challenges associated with best interests decision making.

Explores why, when and how to carry out a formal, recorded assessment of capacity.

Explores what the Act means by ‘best interests’ as well as when best interests decisions need to be made.

These learning resources use audio, video and interactive technology to assist in exploring the many areas of the Mental Capacity Act.

Working With Parental Mental Health Problems. Contemporary issues in child protection seminar series, Bryony Beresford at University of Stirling

Tina Coldham and Steve Tee describe a piece of action research, involving pre-registration nursing students and service users in a process known as "co-operative inquiry". This model is introduced, together with some reflection on how it was used on a pre-registration nursing programme at the University of Southampton. Includes reflection on the efficacy of this approach in facilitating the meaningful involvement of service users in learning and teaching about mental health.

These resources are linked to the Curriculum guide for qualifying social work education - mental health.

Three films produced by Framework - a housing charity based in Nottingham: 1) A Day in the Mind... a short film that depicts what a typical day is like for someone with mental health difficulties. 2) What a Difference a Day Makes... Recovery doesn't happen in a day, but a day can make a difference. This the second film made by Framework about the realities of experiencing mental health difficulties. 3) A Human Experience Made by Rethink, the film interviews three people who have used mental health services. They discuss the impact that their own personal experiences of stigma have had on their family, their friends and themselves. Other areas touched upon include changing attitudes towards mental health and the role of the media in generating and re-enforcing the public perception of mental health. Useful as triggers for discussion about stigma and mental health. Accompanied by the Changing Your Mind training pack: http://www.frameworkha.org/pages/changing_your_mind.html

Talking our language tells the story of two conversations about mental health. It explains how a mental health organisation - Touchstone - started these conversations with two linguistically distinct communities in Leeds: Urdu speakers and Cantonese speakers. Both communities came with rich cultural understandings of mental health, but many of the concepts and ideas which dominate both ‘medical’ and ‘social’ models of mental health had no clear analogue in either of these languages. This is the story of the conversations which took place and includes training materials.

This learning module - created by the Science Museum - aims to take the user through various aspects of psychiatry and the study of 'mental illness'. It looks at the treatment, diagnosis and methods used in psychiatry as well as the investigation of mental illness from a historical and socio-cultural perspective. This is done by relating the subject matter to examples found in people's day-to-day lives. Important concepts of psychology are investigated and the user is given the opportunity to test their knowledge through various activities. Some of the concepts investigated include definitions of what is normal and abnormal, concepts of the mind, the concept of mental illness in other cultures, Chemotherapy, electro-convulsive therapy and Psychosurgery. May be of use in supplementing classroom based learning.

Report on the activity of the Mental Health in Higher Education project for the year 09-10

This resource provides links to some databases of films for use in teaching and a brief bibliography on the use of cinema in teaching mental health. May be of use to those wishing to locate films for use in teaching or consider some of the challenges of using this medium well.

This site provides titles and summaries of literature on the topic of mental health. Entries are submitted by members of the network. May be of use in preparing reading lists and encouraging learners to access first person accounts and other reading which falls outside academic literature on the subject.

This bibliography has been prepared by Gail Hornstein - a professor of psychology at Mount Holyoke College in the USA. She describes it as being in four sections: '(1) personal accounts of madness written by survivors themselves; (2) narratives written by family members; (3) anthologies and critical analyses of the madness narrative genre; and (4) websites featuring oral histories and other first-person madness accounts'. It may be of value in encouraging learners to access first person accounts of mental ill health - alongside other resources such as the madness and literature network (which also provides summaries).

This module is offered as part of the Open University's OpenLearn initiative. 'Although society's attitude toward mental illness has improved, discrimination and misconceptions surrounding those affected are still prevalent. This unit explores a number of issues relating to mental health practice, including the difference between mental health and mental illness, and the discrimination that can arise when people experience some form of mental distress'. It may be of use in informing module planning, or alternatively can be directly accessed by students as a supplementary online learning opportunity.

This module is offered as part of the Open University's OpenLearn initiative. 'What do we mean by ‘wellbeing’ for young people? How is it shaped by social differences and inequalities, and how can we improve young people's mental and physical health? This unit will examine the range of factors affecting young people’s wellbeing, such as obesity, binge drinking, depression and behavioural problems'. It may be of use in informing module planning, or alternatively can be directly accessed by students as a supplementary online learning opportunity.

This module is offered as part of the Open University's OpenLearn initiative. 'Take a new and different look at mental health. This unit invites you to think differently about life's dilemmas by taking account of the views of all concerned, especially people experiencing mental distress. It explores ideas and practice in mental health, and will appeal to a wide range of people'. It may be of use in informing module planning, or alternatively can be directly accessed by students as a supplementary online learning opportunity.

Mental Health in Higher Education aims to increase networking and the sharing of approaches to learning and teaching about mental health, across the disciplines in UK higher education. It produces a bimonthly ebulletin, organises workshops and events, maintains a national database of mental health educators and provides an information and enquiry service.

This group is open to everyone with an interest in sharing approaches to learning and teaching about mental health, across all disciplines in higher education. It complements the work of the Mental Health in Higher Education project www.mhhe.heacademy.ac.uk

Links between physical and mental health are often underplayed in teaching (as in service delivery). This checklist is aimed at educators who wish to think about how physical mental health might feature in learning and teaching about mental health. It arose from a conference held in 2008. See here for further details: www.mhhe.heacademy.ac.uk/letsgetphysical

This is an archive of papers relating to the Mental Health in Higher Education project - a collaboration between the Higher Education Academy subject centres for Social Policy and Social Work; Psychology; Health Sciences and Practice; Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Medicine and Education (ESCalate). mhhe aims to increase networking and the sharing of approaches to learning and teaching about mental health - across the disciplines in UK higher education.

The purpose of the seminar, held in York on 8/9 April 2002, was to initiate a debate about how learning and teaching in mental health in higher education might be enhanced. The objectives were: to develop a shared understanding of different approaches to learning and teaching, to identify strengths, development needs and other drivers for change, to explore ways of improving teaching and learning within and across different disciplines, to test assumptions and explore perhaps unforeseen problems and consequences, and to consider how to take the work forward and the role the LTSN might play in this. Five or six participants were invited by each of the four LTSNs (Health Sciences and Practice; Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Medicine; Psychology; and Social Policy and Social Work -SWAP), all of whom had a special interest in mental health issues in learning and teaching.

The Guide contains a general introduction to the topic and, drawing on a range of current initiatives, pointers towards good practice in relation to each of the components of effective involvement. A range of evaluation tools are offered which may be useful in charting progress and identifying the next steps to be taken.

University life can be exciting for students, but can also engender frustration and isolation. Students with mental health problems may find it difficult to ask for help - appropriate services may be lacking and/or they may fear the stigma that can result from disclosure. For students on professional programmes, the need to prove oneself as ‘fit for practice' can be the source of additional stress. The development of appropriate values and attitudes requires a focus on the self. This can be an emotional journey, especially for students who are also users of services. This section of the mhhe site provides links to guidelines and publications; some examples of institutional policies; guidance on developing an inclusive curriculum, and on fitness to practice issues; event reports and links. It also contains a link to an annotated reading list.

This page was created to support the integration into curricula of knowledge and skills relating to infant and perinatal mental wellbeing and ill-health. It was created following an mhhe workshop on learning and teaching about perinatal mental health at Staffordshire University in January 2009 - Learning and teaching about perinatal mental health: Don't let women fall through the net. You will find here: General Resources, Publications and Reports, Curriculum Frameworks and Training Materials and Details of Modules and Programmes.

This section of the Mental Health in Higher Education project website draws together publications and resources related to the role of social work in the area of mental health. This page was initially developed to support a learning and development event for mental health social workers in Lancashire in the spring of 2009. It may be of use in informing module planning, or act as a resource that students can access directly.

This is a paper included in the proceedings of the Living and Learning, Learning and Teaching: mental health in higher education conference held at Lancaster University in 2010. Influential social and recovery models form key mandates for mental health education today. These models advocate a shift from traditional notions and approaches linked to mental illness, to service users’ active empowerment and control over their lives and symptoms. This short paper questions, however, how far the emphasis of these models on autonomy takes account of service user experiences. May be of use in informing thinking when planning the content and emphasis of teaching about mental health.

This module is part of the Health Talk Online collection of resources. It focuses on people’s experiences of psychosis. Many of the people interviewed had, at some point in their lives, received a diagnosis of schizophrenia. However there were a number of people who had never received this diagnosis but who had experienced psychosis i.e. hearing or seeing things or holding unusual beliefs which other people don’t see or share. This is a collection of online interviews which is searchable in a whole range of ways (ie by age group and by theme).

The Realising Recovery learning materials were developed jointly by the Scottish Recovery Network and NHS Education for Scotland. They are designed to support all mental health workers to develop their recovery focused practice. The following modules are included: • Module 1, Understanding Recovery • Module 2, Using Self to Develop Recovery Focused Practice • Module 3, Enabling Self-direction • Module 4, Providing Person-centred Support • Module 5, Sharing Responsibility for Risk and Risk-taking • Module 6, Connecting with Communities The materials have been designed so they can be studied in a way that involves elements of self directed study and reflection. However, it is recomended that opportunities for group discussions should be made available to help learners put individual experiences into a broader context and enhance learning.

Published by the National CAHMS Support Service, this document brings together guidance, best practice examples, case studies, resources and literature to help tackle the stigma associated with children's and young people's mental health.

In this film, Sarah Carr, mental health and social care researcher discusses the experiences and challenges faced by lesbian, gay and bisexual people when accessing mental health services. This links to the podcast, but also a full transcript of Sarah's presentation.

The COPMI national initiative in Australia has developed an on-line workforce education resource in association with parents with mental health problems and their carers (including young people), called ‘Keeping Families and Children In Mind'. The involvement of consumers of mental health services and their carers was pivotal to the success and ‘user friendliness' of the resource and it contains a large number of video and audio clips of parents and carers. Although not a UK resource, may be of use in teaching.

This Handbook is designed to provide basic knowledge and awareness of the facts and issues behind self-harm in children and young people, with advice about ways staff in children's services can respond. May be used by learners on their own, and hence supplement classroom based activity.

The purpose of this training resource, produced by Young Minds, is to help schools think about why some children may be more vulnerable than others in facing transition, and to support schools in developing ways of working that will allow all children to find a sense of belonging and engagement in school. The Targeted Mental Health in Schools (TaMHS) project and others locally are already supporting schools and this resource is intended to add to and complement that work. Will also be of use in raising awareness of transition issues amongst other practitioners.

Based in Toronto, the Mad Students Society (MSS) is a group organised for and run by students who have experienced the psychiatric system (known as psychiatric survivors and/or consumers). MSS was created to provide peer support, advocacy and self-empowerment for students experiencing mental health issues in post-secondary institutions and other centres of education such as adult education, and privately funded education institutions. Mad Students Society works to create a community to empower, support and mobilize students who are currently or may in the future experience the psychiatric system. As a group members support each other, share similar experiences, learn about their history as a community, build from each other's strengths, identify barriers in the education system and address systemic discrimination. This is an interesting model which, to my knowledge, has no precise counterpart within a UK context. It provides a model for thinking about how peer support for students experiencing mental distress might be facilitated. The link provided here is to the website for the group, which provides some information and contact details.

Robert Whitaker is an American journalist and author of Mad in America and Anatomy of an Epidemic. He gave this lecture in Cork on 14 March 2011, invited by the schools of nursing & midwifery and aplied social sciences, in association with the Irish Network of Critical Voices in Mental Health and sponsored by the Irish Institute of Mental Health. In it he provides a critique of medical model approaches to the treatment of mental ill health and in particular of psychiatric medication.

This website features a series of interviews with members of the different professions working in mental health care. Psychiatrists, nurses, social workers, psychologists, and occupational therapists talk about their roles within the multidisciplinary team, and their perspectives on team working and on their client group. I have found the interviews with Bailey particularly helpful in providing an insight in to the social work role in mental health - his perception of the role is contestable and has acted as a useful trigger for discussion.

This is a collection of resources uploaded by the Mental Health in Higher Education project, and intended to be of use in developing learners' understanding about mental wellbeing and ill health.

At the end of the 1990s a group of interviewers from a range of backgrounds went across England and Wales to record first hand accounts from individuals who had experienced life in old mental health asylums. Their aim was to create a historical resource coming from an often ignored perspective - instead of relying on opinions of those distanced from the situation, it would give those with direct experience the power to speak for themselves. This link provides access to the video interviews that the Testimony Project carried out between 1999 and 2001. Full transcripts and extracts from the interviews are available. This resource provides a helpful insight for students in to how mental health services were provided in the past, and can be used as a trigger for discussion about what has (and has not!) changed.

Animated Minds is a series of short animated documentaries which use real testimony from people who have experienced different forms of mental distress. A single aim underpins all the films: to help dispel myths and misconceptions about ‘mental illness’ by giving a voice to those who experience these various difficulties first hand. I have found these extremely useful in teaching - they provide a short, highly engaging insight into the experience of mental distress and have proved helpful as triggers for discussion.

Samples of material used in a ten-week module on human growth and mental health on the qualifying social work programme

A list of about twenty acronyms that emerged during the course of teaching a module on mental health on a social work qualifying programme (answers in the notes!). Some of the acronyms link directly to websites that give further information, though these links will only be live as long as the websites themselves exist. Some of the sites are local to Hampshire as this was the location of the course. I would love you to add a few more examples. i used this as a quick quiz at teh end of the module and, although great fun, it also served as a reminder to students of some of the content of previous sessions

In this short film two family carers describe symtoms of dementia they have observed.

In this learning object you are introduced to the importance of seeing later life as one phase of an entire course of life from birth to death shaped by earlier life stages and experiences. Meaning and identity are important to mental health in later life and require that we can connect past, present and future in our lives. A highly influential theory of the life course which embodies these themes is the psychosocial theory of Erik Erikson, which you will consider in Section 2. A life course approach suggests that in order to understand and work effectively with older people we need to see them in the context of their past lives, taking a life story or biographical approach, or through reminiscence. You will consider these approaches in Section 4. Please note that this object also contains a self-assessment section where you can test how far you have assimilated the key messages from this learning object.

In this learning object you will have an opportunity to learn about the principal services available for older people at the primary, mainstream, secondary/specialist and tertiary levels by travelling down a virtual ‘care pathway’. Along the way you will have the chance to test you knowledge of relevant statistics and will examine cross cutting issues and assessment. Please note that this object also contains a self-assessment section where you can test how far you have assimilated the key messages from this learning object.

In this learning object you are asked to consider issues which are central to understanding the experience of ageing and older age in contemporary society. Ageism, age discrimination and social exclusion diminish the quality of life which older people may enjoy. They also threaten their mental health. In spite of their negative effect on the daily lives of older people, however, ageism and age discrimination are often unrecognised, ignored, or even compounded in health and social care settings. And social exclusion has only recently been officially acknowledged as affecting older people as well as children and families. As you work through this learning object you will be able to read the views of older people talking about their experience of age discrimination. We hope that by the time you complete this learning object you will be sensitised to ageism and its impact on those older people you encounter in your life. Please note that this object also contains a self-assessment section where you can test how far you have assimilated the key messages from this learning object.

The main focus of this learning object is depression amongst older people. The learning object begins by highlighting some of the problems with defining and diagnosing 'depression' and then goes on to discuss the estimated numbers of older people that are thought to suffer from the condition. Next you will consider what makes people more or less vulnerable to developing depression in later life. Finally you will look at effective treatments for depression and explanations for why it so often remains unrecognised in older people. Please note that this object also contains a self-assessment section where you can test how far you have assimilated the key messages from this learning object.

This learning object focuses primarily on the later stages of dementia and on managing the more significant or prominent challenges - and symptoms - associated with this level of dementia. The material aims to reflect, where possible, the experiences of people with dementia and their family carers. Many of the examples given are located in a care home setting although the issues are also very relevant to supporting a person with dementia in the community. This resource contains both audio and video. The learning object makes use of a video produced by the Alzheimer’s Society entitled Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow: Providing Quality Dementia Care in order to illustrate some of the issues we raise. Please note that this object also contains a self-assessment section where you can test how far you have assimilated the key messages from this learning object.

The main focus of this learning object is the early stages of dementia, including the emotional impact of the onset of symptoms and the diagnosis of dementia on the person concerned and those around them. The learning object also considers the importance of community-based support for people with dementia and how social networks can operate in this context. Towards the end of the learning object, you will look at the values and attitudes associated with person-centred care, particularly in relation to caring for and working with people with dementia as their condition progresses. Wherever possible, we focus on dementia from the perspective of people with dementia and their families and we aim to reflect the diversity of experiences among them. This resource contains both audio and video. The learning object makes use of a video produced by the Alzheimer’s Society entitled Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow: Providing Quality Dementia Care in order to illustrate some of the issues we raise. Please note that this object also contains a self-assessment section where you can test how far you have assimilated the key messages from this learning object.

This learning object introduces you to some of the key facts and statistics about depression, dementia and long standing mental ill health. It explains who might be at risk of developing a mental illness as they grow older and why. It also includes information about people who have experienced serious mental illness such as schizophrenia throughout their lives and the main issues facing them as they age. Please note that this object also contains a self-assessment section where you can test how far you have assimilated the key messages from this learning object.

This learning object explores mental health in later life. It reviews the meaning of mental health, why it is an important part of overall well being and how it relates to successful ageing. It also offers an overview of the different aspects of an older person's life and situation that impact on their mental health and the role that an individual and their family, the community they live in and wider society can play in promoting, or undermining, mental health. Please note that this object also contains a self-assessment section where you can test how far you have assimilated the key messages from this learning object.

This learning object is about ways in which people's experience of ageing and mental health are shaped by society's attitudes to older people and later life. You will consider the way age-related images and ideas, displayed in the media and in everyday language, shape our perceptions; but also what we know about older people's own attitudes and aspirations. Please note that this object also contains a self-assessment section where you can test how far you have assimilated the key messages from this learning object.

These e-learning resources are freely available to all users and, through audio, video and interactive uses of technology, aim to raise awareness of key issues, research, messages, policies and approaches relating to the mental health of older people and, in so doing, positively impact on practice.

In this learning object you will have the chance to explore the nature and characteristics of the ageing population in the UK, what being 'old' means, and some of the complexity surrounding the concept of 'mental health'. As this learning object presents basic facts and concepts surrounding mental health and older people, we recommend that you use this object to introduce yourself to this area. Please note that this object also contains a self-assessment section where you can test how far you have assimilated the key messages from this learning object.

SCIE's e-learning resources on dementia.

This learning object introduces Practice Learning Qualification (PLQ) candidates to key concepts and theories relating to communication within the contexts of education, health and social services. It uses the specific context of practice learning within social work education to introduce and explore the themes of verbal, non-verbal and written communication, and communication across diverse situations. In particular it highlights the values and techniques involved in giving and receiving feedback during professional practice learning.