Mothers in this study shared similar concerns to mothers of children with other chronic illnesses. It is recommended that the experience of allergy should be viewed in the wider family context with specific consideration given to parental coping and anxiety. Services could better meet the psychological and social needs of those affected by allergy.

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Behavioural experiments (BEs) are amongst the most powerful methods for bringing about change in cognitive therapy. They are a key component of treatment. They are widely used, and yet, to be successful, they require creativity and sophisticated understanding on the part of the therapist. It is therefore surprising that there is remarkably little written about BEs: about their place in cognitive therapy, their value, or about the practicalities of designing and carrying out BEs. It is this gap that the present book seeks to fill. The purpose of this first chapter is to provide some underpinnings for conceptualizing the place and role of BEs in cognitive therapy. It is divided into two parts. The first part provides a review of cognitive therapy. It describes the development of the therapy; its standing as a treatment for psychological disorders; its historical roots in behaviour therapy; and its core ideas. The second part focuses on the BE as a key intervention within cognitive therapy. It provides a definition; looks at the historical roots of BEs in the scientific method and in behaviour therapy; examines evidence supporting their effectiveness; and reviews theories which provide some understanding of their impact. Our aim is to provide a historical and conceptual understanding of the value of BEs, while acknowledging that, in the current state of knowledge, there are large gaps to be filled. the development of cognitive therapy 3 the cognitive model 5

Adult mental health problems can impact on parents, and research highlights that their children are at higher risk of developing mental health problems. In extreme cases, mental health problems are associated with a risk of fatal child abuse. Despite this, there are few studies exploring clinical decision‐making by adult mental health professionals. This study used qualitative methods to explore Community Mental Health Team (CMHT) workers' experiences of decision‐making in the interface between mental health and child welfare. Workers were interviewed about their experiences of clinical decision‐making regarding child welfare. Interviews and accounts were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Influences on decision‐making were explored and triangulated with the accounts of Named Nurses for Child Protection. The findings revealed that CMHT participants were aware of their responsibilities towards children, but a complex synthesis of factors impacted on their sense‐making about risk and welfare. Three superordinate themes emerged: the tensions of working across systems; trying to balance the perceptions and feelings involved in sense‐making; and the role that interpersonal dynamics play in the understanding and management of risk. This paper focuses in particular on perceptions and feelings. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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