CAPSS Masterclass #17 Assessment and management of mental health disorders in autistic children and adolescents

 This will be an in-person event held at the Royal College of Psychiatrists at 21 Prescot Street, London, E1 8BB

To book, please follow the booking button above. You will be directed to the member's area of the College website where you can log in with your College credentials to make a payment. If you do not have a College member account, you will be prompted to register your details, which will then allow you to log in and make a payment. 

Please note, payment can only be made online, via credit or debit card. 

You will then receive confirmation of your payment via email. 

The masterclass will cover the evidence-base and the practical clinical aspects related to the diagnosis, epidemiology, differential diagnoses, comorbidities, and the pharmacological as well as non-pharmacological interventions of mental health disorders in the context of autism. The intersection with the legal frameworks, policy and guidance on mental health practice in this field will also be discussed.

Delegates will have the opportunity to present clinical scenarios from their caseload throughout the day.

At the end of the masterclass, delegates should become more knowledgeable and confident in the assessment and management of children and adolescents presenting with other neurodevelopmental and mental health disorders.

Learning objectives

• Improved knowledge about the diagnosis of mental health conditions in autistic children and young people taking into account epidemiology and risk factors.
• Increased confidence in developing a formulation for young people with Autism to inform treatment and foster engagement.
• Greater understanding of the multidisciplinary elements of assessment and management of mental health problems in the context of autism.
• Increased awareness of the challenges in managing mental health conditions in this population and the implications of legal, policy and available guidance for clinical practice.

Dr Nicoletta Adamo is a Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist working within the specialist service for children with Autism and complex neurodevelopmental disorders at the Maudsley Hospital. She is also a Senior Clinical Lecturer at and the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London. She has published extensively on the clinical and pharmacological management of ADHD, Autism, and on the overlap between neurodevelopmental conditions. 

Rachel Isaku is a Clinical Specialist Occupational Therapist working within the National and Specialist CAMHS Autism and Intellectual Disabilities Intensive Intervention Team (AID-IIT) at the Maudsley Hospital. She has worked within specialist outpatient neurodevelopmental services, and adult inpatient units including psychiatric intensive care units (PICU). Rachel has expertise in sensory integration approaches to augment mental health interventions in autistic young people. 

Tesni Cadwallader is a Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist with the AID-IIT team at the Maudsley Hospital. Tesni has extensive experience supporting individuals with a wide range of complex communication needs. Her approach is person-centred with a strong focus on developing functional communication and supporting meaningful participation.

Dr Eleni Paliokosta is a Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist in the specialist service for children with Autism and complex neurodevelopmental disorders at the Maudsley Hospital. She has extensive expertise in the assessment and management of children and young people with autism, Intellectual Disabilities and co-morbid mental health or behavioural difficulties.  She has researched the effects of pharmacological interventions for ADHD in children with ID and the effectiveness of early parental interventions for preschoolers with ID.

Dr Catherine Sholl is a Consultant Clinical Psychologist and clinical lead for the National and Specialist CAMHS AID-IIT team within the Maudsley Hospital. She has vast expertise in assessment and psychological interventions for children and young people with ID, Autism and emotional/behavioural/mental health difficulties. Dr Sholl has led on numerous training courses in child and adolescent mental health assessment and intervention for healthcare professionals.

Please refer to the Royal College of Psychiatrist's Terms and Conditions when booking this event.