Letter to the EditorInnovative approaches for training young carers: Nurses cannot be left behind We enjoyed reading the published article ‘Young, gifted, and caring: A project narrative of young carers, their mental health, and getting them involved in education, research and practice’ by McAndrew et al. (2011). We appreciate the fact that the voices of the young people were heard. Young people can contribute a great deal to the professional environment. Unfortunately, sometimes, senior personnel turn a deaf ear to the suggestions given by the younger generation. We need to be more ﬂexible in terms of incorporating new ideas, whether they come from juniors or seniors. We are also pleased about the holding of the World Café event, as mentioned by the authors. Such interactive events, as well as computer web-based seminars, or ‘webinars’, might contribute to the dissemination of information and ideas between health professionals, all over the world. A study in Northern Ireland describes ‘the multiple needs of the young people giving rise to excellent oppor- tunities for development of interdisciplinary working’ (Fleming et al. 2005; 35). For the effective development of any carer, it is very important to assess the level of mental health and behavioural problems of any individual, including self-esteem and self-image issues (Fleming et al. 2005). Neglecting one’s own parents may be a temporary behavioural problem, which can be solved by relatives and other individuals in society. Unfortu- nately, this problem seems to be on the rise all over the world, with the aged often left to their own mercy. Indi- viduals from broken families may also behave differently. Family background plays an important role in the health carer’s behaviour. Public stigma and religious beliefs may also play an important role. We believe that changes to the curriculum, an increase in the number of hours of interaction with patients, and inter-professional collaboration may also contribute to the efﬁcient working of nurses and health carers (Werner 2011). Again, caring may vary from case to case. Young carers may be challenged when confronted with severe illness, like HIV or cancer. It is important that young minds are nurtured and their mental health is looked after. We applaud the authors for highlighting an important health topic and appreciate the Editor publishing such informative articles. Hamidah Hassan 1 and Srijit Das 2 1 Department of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre and 2 Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia REFERENCES Fleming, P., Bamford, D. R. & Mc Caughley, N. (2005). An exploration of the health and social wellbeing needs of looked after young people–a multi-method approach. Journal of Interprofessional Care, 19 (1), 35–49. McAndrew, S., Warne, T., Fallon, D. & Moran, P. (2012). Young, gifted, and caring: A project narrative of young carers, their mental health, and getting them involved in education, research and practice. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, 21, 12–19. doi: 10.1111/J.1447- 0349.2011.00762.X. Werner, S. (2011). Assessing female students’ attitudes in various health and social professions toward working with people with autism: A preliminary study. Journal of Interpro- fessional Care, 25 (2), 131–137. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing (2012) ••, ••–•• doi: 10.1111/j.1447-0349.2011.00808.x © 2012 The Authors International Journal of Mental Health Nursing © 2012 Australian College of Mental Health Nurses Inc.

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Letter to the Editor_808 1

Innovative approaches for training young carers:Nurses cannot be left behind

We enjoyed reading the published article ‘Young, gifted,and caring: A project narrative of young carers, theirmental health, and getting them involved in education,research and practice’ by McAndrew et al. (2011). Weappreciate the fact that the voices of the young peoplewere heard. Young people can contribute a great deal tothe professional environment. Unfortunately, sometimes,senior personnel turn a deaf ear to the suggestions givenby the younger generation. We need to be more flexible interms of incorporating new ideas, whether they comefrom juniors or seniors. We are also pleased about theholding of the World Café event, as mentioned by theauthors. Such interactive events, as well as computerweb-based seminars, or ‘webinars’, might contribute tothe dissemination of information and ideas betweenhealth professionals, all over the world.

A study in Northern Ireland describes ‘the multipleneeds of the young people giving rise to excellent oppor-tunities for development of interdisciplinary working’(Fleming et al. 2005; 35). For the effective developmentof any carer, it is very important to assess the levelof mental health and behavioural problems of anyindividual, including self-esteem and self-image issues(Fleming et al. 2005). Neglecting one’s own parents maybe a temporary behavioural problem, which can be solvedby relatives and other individuals in society. Unfortu-nately, this problem seems to be on the rise all over theworld, with the aged often left to their own mercy. Indi-viduals from broken families may also behave differently.Family background plays an important role in the healthcarer’s behaviour. Public stigma and religious beliefs mayalso play an important role.

We believe that changes to the curriculum, an increasein the number of hours of interaction with patients, andinter-professional collaboration may also contribute tothe efficient working of nurses and health carers (Werner2011). Again, caring may vary from case to case. Youngcarers may be challenged when confronted with severeillness, like HIV or cancer. It is important that young mindsare nurtured and their mental health is looked after.

We applaud the authors for highlighting an importanthealth topic and appreciate the Editor publishing suchinformative articles.

Hamidah Hassan1 and Srijit Das2

1Department of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine,Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre and

2Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine,Universiti Kebangsaan, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

REFERENCESFleming, P., Bamford, D. R. & Mc Caughley, N. (2005).

An exploration of the health and social wellbeing needsof looked after young people–a multi-method approach.Journal of Interprofessional Care, 19 (1), 35–49.

McAndrew, S., Warne, T., Fallon, D. & Moran, P. (2012).Young, gifted, and caring: A project narrative of youngcarers, their mental health, and getting them involved ineducation, research and practice. International Journal ofMental Health Nursing, 21, 12–19. doi: 10.1111/J.1447-0349.2011.00762.X.

Werner, S. (2011). Assessing female students’ attitudes invarious health and social professions toward working withpeople with autism: A preliminary study. Journal of Interpro-fessional Care, 25 (2), 131–137.

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International Journal of Mental Health Nursing (2012) ••, ••–•• doi: 10.1111/j.1447-0349.2011.00808.x