Tom Billington – författare

A clear and compelling text written by teachers, psychologists, and educationalists, Relational Practice: New Approaches to Mental Health and Wellbeing in Schools proposes a dynamic and relational approach to supporting the mental health needs of children and young people within education. Contributing authors advocate a movement away from the deficit, medicalised model of mental health and instead encourage readers to embrace a relational approach, considering philosophical and spiritual dimensions, as well as the wider everyday contexts that shape the mental health of individuals, groups, and school communities.

Filled with case studies, intervention strategies, and CPD activities, this essential guide bridges the gap between theory, research, and practice to offer evidence-based resources for practical application within schools.

Areas covered include, but are not limited to:

Providing a comprehensive introduction to relational practice within education, this is an indispensable resource for anyone working in education who wishes to support the mental health and wellbeing of their school community.

A clear and compelling text written by teachers, psychologists, and educationalists, Relational Practice: New Approaches to Mental Health and Wellbeing in Schools proposes a dynamic and relational approach to supporting the mental health needs of children and young people within education. Contributing authors advocate a movement away from the deficit, medicalised model of mental health and instead encourage readers to embrace a relational approach, considering philosophical and spiritual dimensions, as well as the wider everyday contexts that shape the mental health of individuals, groups, and school communities.

Filled with case studies, intervention strategies, and CPD activities, this essential guide bridges the gap between theory, research, and practice to offer evidence-based resources for practical application within schools.

Areas covered include, but are not limited to:

Providing a comprehensive introduction to relational practice within education, this is an indispensable resource for anyone working in education who wishes to support the mental health and wellbeing of their school community.

The first textbook of its kind, Critical Educational Psychology is a forward-thinking approach to educational psychology that uses critical perspectives to challenge current ways of thinking and improve practice.

The first textbook of its kind, Critical Educational Psychology is a forward-thinking approach to educational psychology that uses critical perspectives to challenge current ways of thinking and improve practice.

`This is a book that poses questions, asks the reader to contain the experience of anxiety and ambivalence, and purports a healthy criticality with respect to the ways we represent children and adolescents. Chock full of compassionately portrayed case material, Working With Children left me wondering...what the various systems of child mental health would actually look like if all the professionals who work with youths put the ideas in this book into action' - Michael Axelman, American Psychological Association

`[Tom Billington] makes clear his commitment to finding solutions for troubled children other than excluding them from school...[He] certainly succeeds in achieving his aims and has written a book which deserves to be read by the practitioners and students of the children's workforce it is designed for' - British Journal of Social Work

`The voice of the child is championed throughout and made all the more relevant by an honest and refreshing examination of the author's part in the process of selection and editorial control...The text is a glowing example of the use of criticality in relation to both theoretical paradigms and personal and professional experience' - Pastoral Care

'[Tom Billington's] expertise and his commitment to working with excluded and marginalised children shines through this thoroughly engaging book... The vignettes of children from his own professional caseload are insightful, moving and thought-provoking, and I believe anyone working with children would gain much from these alone, never mind the rest of the book' - Therapy Today

'The chapter on "Working with autistic children" shows, thoughtfully and precisely, how continuing reflection on the experience of autistic children, and our response as professionals, to them, provides as opportunity not only to think about the child in question, but also about ourselves as experimental beings... Billington's book serves as an excellent guide for students pursuing professional training, as well as operating as a resource for more experienced child health specialists' - YoungMinds Magazine

Written for professionals working with children and young people who require support, assessment or intervention at home or in school, this interdisciplinary book explores everything from the legislative background and foundations of ideas in the social sciences, to dealing with children's distress, fear or special needs in professional practice.

The book is an excellent resource for those who either work with children in CAMHS settings, social work, youth work, counselling, psychology, general education and special educational needs or who are undertaking professional training in any of the above fields.