[This course will take about 1 hour 45 minutes to complete.]

Depression can affect anybody, including children, and must be taken very seriously. Mental ill-health is, unfortunately, still often considered a taboo topic, which can make it harder to talk about and address. In the UK, it is estimated that nearly 50% of children in care meet the criteria for possible mental ill-health. This is around 5x higher than in the general population. Foster carers play an important role in noticing possible signs of depression in the children they care for, supporting them as they learn and use coping strategies, and helping them feel supported and understood.

In this course, you will learn:
- What depression is and why some children are prone to it
- About the range of depression severity and related disorders
- How to identify the signs of depression
- How depression is diagnosed and treated
- What to look out for if a child is facing suicidal thoughts, including advice regarding suicide prevention and emergency response (focusing on self-poisoning, hanging and ligaturing)
- How you can help a child with depression

Important note: This course is for educational purposes only and does not replace professional medical advice. If you have concerns about a child or young person’s mental health, you should always seek guidance from a GP or other qualified health professional. Please also be aware that some of the content in this course covers sensitive topics, which some learners may find distressing.