Paediatric HIV Psychology Networks Update 2009
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This year has seen the psychology group engaging on some new joint projects and becoming more active in sharing their expertise within health and wider care systems looking after children, young people and their families living with HIV infection.
The group still meets every two months in London and tries to keep all members from all around the UK in touch and informed about relevant issues through email. The group meetings provide a forum to discus cases, professional issues as well as feedback from smaller working groups on specific topics.
This year has seen several new members joining the group perhaps reflecting the increasing needs of the population for support in coping with longer and healthier lives which often bring new demands. Recently the PHP has been joined by some psychologists working with older children, adolescents and young adults and this reflects the shift in the age of the paediatric HIV population in the UK. Our life span training makes us one profession well suited to different needs at different ages.
We now have 15 members on our contact list working in services in England, Ireland and Scotland and who have at least part of their job dedicated to providing a service for children and families living with HIV infection. There are also other wider connections with psychologists working in general paediatrics or in local Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) who may have had a referral to support these families.
There are also some exciting new psychology posts established working with paediatric HIV services: a new clinical psychology post at St Thomas’ hospital with a particular emphasis on neuro cognitive aspects, and a post being developed to work with the multidisciplinary team at the Manchester clinic. This year has seen a psychology post in the Oxford area become fully operational and specifically focussed on providing services for affected children.
These developments have led to the PHP group working on a document explaining the skills and knowledge that psychologists can contribute in effective care and understanding of children and families with HIV. We are great team players – no service should be without one! Hopefully the document will be available on the CHIVA website in 2010. Top of our priorities for next year the PHP plan to have another seminar open to wider professions about a psychology topic, possibly affected children.
Please contact Debbie Levitt ( Counselling Psychologist at the Royal Free Hospital) if you want more information on the PHP and if there is a psychologist with some paediatric HIV experience in your area .
debbie [dot] levitt
royalfree [dot] nhs [dot] uk
Here is a sample of the ‘extra curricular’ achievements and initiatives involving psychologists working with this population during this year:
- A review of uninfected ( affected) children and where they can access support and psychological input if needed
- Development of a screening tool to help identify HIV infected children with developmental or psychological needs
- Presentations at the spring and autumn CHIVA conferences: one on ‘groups for adolescents’ and the other on ‘building resilience and narrative approaches’
- Involvement in the Practice Guidance on disclosure of an HIV diagnosis to children ( CHIVA website)
- Development of an interactive workbook for primary school aged children with HIV entitled ‘Me, my health and my medicines’. Available from CWAC (Children with AIDS Charity) www.cwac.org.uk or email: amenazcwac [dot] org [dot] uk
- Continued and increased participation of psychologists in the CHIVA Africa project, particularly in the Adolescent workshop programme.
- Many of the psychology group are involved in audit and reviews in their services and many supervise trainees on a Doctorate in Clinical or Counselling Psychology course – either on research projects or clinical placements involving this population
- Involvement in CHIVA, HYPNET, NCB Forum for Children& Young People and many statutory and voluntary services providing care and support for children, young people and their families
Involvement in the adherence guidance being developed by HYPNET
Many thanks to all my psychology colleagues. Sorry if I have forgotten any significant achievements.
Diane Melvin, Clinical Psychologist top of page
CHIVA Exec Member