Conversations with mental health practitioners from working class backgrounds working in children’s mental health services

Abstract

Social class is an often neglected component of a clinical psychologist’s multicultural competence, and there have been calls for more research and commentary on how personal social class identities impact upon clinical practice. This article presents the conversations of four working class mental health practitioners reflecting on the process of training and working in NHS children’s mental health in the UK. Throughout the paper we will include both academic research about various parts of the pathway, and also share some of our lived experience, captured from our conversations. We make recommendations for improving the experiences of psychologists from working class backgrounds, and making the most of their unique strengths and experiences.

Plain Language Summary

The experiences of psychologists from working class backgrounds working in children’s mental health services: Social class is often overlooked when thinking about a clinical psychologist’s ability to understand and work with people from different backgrounds. However, researchers have called for more discussion on how personal social class identities affect clinical practice. This article shares conversations between three working-class clinical psychologists as they reflect on their experiences training and working in NHS children’s mental health services in the UK. Alongside academic research on different stages of this journey, we also share our personal experiences. We offer recommendations to improve the experiences of psychologists from working-class backgrounds and highlight how their unique strengths can benefit the profession.