Many people experience mental health challenges at some point in their lives. But children and youth who are neurodivergent often face additional mental health challenges. This includes children and youth with or without confirmed diagnoses of neurodevelopmental conditions. Families and care providers may need additional tools for providing the support that will help their children in the long term.
The videos and resources here were created in collaboration with B.C. experts and families with lived experience. They aim to increase awareness about neurodiversity and mental health by exploring the different ways in which children and youth who are neurodivergent can experience mental health challenges. They also aim to start the conversation and help families and care providers learn more about things they need to consider when supporting children and youth who are neurodivergent and struggling with their mental health.
Topics include: neurodiversity and mental health, looking beyond behaviours, self-injurious behaviours, and circles of support. Each topic has a video and a downloadable PDF that contains additional information. You are welcome to explore both or just use the format you prefer. You’ll also find a downloadable glossary, defining some of the key terms used to talk about neurodiversity and mental health.
Video Series
Resources
- Neurodiversity and Mental Health (PDF)
- Co-occurring and Complex: Looking Through Many Different Lenses (PDF)
- Mental Health and Behaviour: Mislabelling (PDF)
- Self-Injurious Behaviour in Neurodivergent Children and Youth (PDF)
- Assessment and Treatment of Self-Injurious Behaviour (PDF)
- Circles of Support (PDF)
Neurodiversity and Mental Health
What is neurodiversity and mental health?
Through parents’ personal stories and specialists’ insights, this video explores neurodiversity and mental health in children and youth. It highlights why it’s important to understand how children and youth who are neurodivergent may experience mental health challenges differently.
(6:53)
Co-occurring and Complex: It Is Important to Look Through Many Different Lenses
A holistic understanding of mental health in children and youth who are neurodivergent
This video follows Angela in her journey toward understanding her child’s support needs and then advocating for them, including the challenges and obstacles she faced along the way. Throughout the video, we also hear from service providers who share how mental health might show up differently in children and youth who are neurodivergent.
(5:59)
Mislabelling It as Just a Behaviour
Looking beyond behaviours
What are “behaviours” and what is mental health? What can happen when your child’s mental health challenges are labelled as “bad behaviour”? As Kate’s story unfolds in this video, we see the need to take another look at what might be considered a “behaviour challenge” and think about what the child or youth is trying to communicate.
(6:30)
Self-Injurious Behaviour: Favourable Outcomes Are Possible
Self-injurious behaviour in neurodevelopmental disorders
In this video, Farnoush shares her journey as a parent of a child with autism and self-injurious behaviours. She opens up about the challenges her family faced in getting appropriate assessment and treatment, as well as the support and advocacy they received. Experts in self-injurious behaviour in children and youth with neurodevelopmental disorders also provide additional information to help explain this area of mental health.
(5:58)
Circles of Support: Not Alone on the Journey
Building community through peer support
This video is about families supporting families. As parents of children who are neurodivergent, Duane and Laranna talk about their friendship and the value of having a circle of support. At the Family Support Institute of BC, Angela and Laranna explain the benefits of peer support, and share how it can help families to feel less “alone on the journey.”
(5:19)
Additional resources
Support Services for Neurodivergent Children and Youth and their Families in British Columbia
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