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Digital Dialogues
Guidance for conversations on mental health and digital technology with young people
‘Outcomes’ - following up on conversations
What should be done with the information from conversations, particularly where risky use is uncovered?
Good Practice Indicators
1. Online activity that causes concern should be flagged in notes so that it can be followed-up at other appointments
2. Clinicians should involve parents in conversations about a young person’s online activities if the young person is under 12-years-old
3. Clinicians should encourage the young person to be active in taking care of their own online safety
4. A clinician should not simply recommend stopping online activities but support the young person to engage with the online world in a more positive way
5. Aspects of online safety should be incorporated into treatment/ safety plans (see below)
6. When recommending apps, it is important for a clinician to offer several choices of app, always offer to demonstrate apps, and then follow-up on whether the recommendation was helpful or not
Personalised treatment/ safety plans should include
Strategies for reducing exposure to harmful content
Strategies for recognising where patterns of online activity indicate worsening mental health
Strategies for dealing with harmful or upsetting content
Identification of offline alternatives to online activities
Signposting to useful sites or apps
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