Deeming mental health of children, the nation’s future, as an essential component of overall health and wellbeing of society, Bharathidasan University’s Department of Social Work on Friday has envisaged an international conference as a platform for participants to share research outcomes and theoretical insights.
Against the reality of lack of attention to mental health of children and adolescents leading to consequences that reflect negatively on the capacity and productivity of society, the mandate of the participants comprising physicians, psychiatrists, special educators, professors, practitioners, lawyers, social workers, physiotherapists, nurses, sports persons, dieticians, and research scholars was to showcase innovative and effective interventions to address the issues globally.
At the start of the two-day conference on child and adolescent mental health on Friday, speakers dwelt on the disadvantages of modern era wherein the lives of children and adolescents who find themselves in clutches of technological development turn mechanical.
The nuclear family system denies children grand-parental and even parental guidance, leading to lesser interaction among family members.
Academic load
While parents hardly had time to impart skills, values and ethics to children, the heavy academic load deters teachers from setting right the shortcoming, they explained, cautioning that the inadequacy of guidance from elders eventually would produce future generations incapable of coping up with challenges of life.
Sue McGinty, Professor and Acting Director, The Cairns Institute, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia, inaugurated the conference that has attracted 207 abstracts and 174 full papers for publication.
Nonie Harris, Course Coordinator and Senior Lecturer at the Institute; M.Daniel, Director In-Charge, UGC Academic Staff College, Bharathidasan University; and P.Illango, Professor and Head, Department of Social Work, also addressed the participants encompassing delegates from 26 universities from eight States in India, and from Australia and United Arab Emirates.
