Adapting an emotional regulation and social communication skills group programme to teletherapy, in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Covid-19 pandemic created an unprecedented situation whereby essential services within child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) were suspended. This created a need to modify regular methods of treatment at a rapid pace, to avoid cessation of clinical intervention and prevent potential regression in mental health. Eighteen children with moderate-severe mental health disorders and their parents were attending weekly group cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) based sessions ('The Secret Agent Society' (SAS) programme) when the Irish Department of Health suspended face-to-face intervention. This report describes how the group sessions were adapted to individualized, online therapeutic triads between each child, his/her parent and their clinician. Whilst internet technology has emerged as a promising solution to shortfalls in therapy services, in-depth exploration is needed to confirm the efficacy of telehealth for children attending CAMHS.