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Anti-social Behaviour and Conduct Disorder

All children and young people go through different phases as they develop and become more independent. Sometimes, a child or young person will struggle to express feelings of anger and may have a temper tantrum, or an outburst of aggressive or destructive behaviour. This may be due to a high level of emotions or in response to boundaries. Behavioural problems can occur in children of all ages. However, when this is persistent and over a period of time then it may lead to more serious behaviour problems such as conduct disorder or anti-social behaviour.

The signs to look out for are:

  • If the child or young person continues to behave badly for several months or longer, is repeatedly being disobedient, defiant and aggressive
  • If their behaviour is out of the ordinary, and seriously breaks the rules accepted in their home and school. This is much more than ordinary childish mischief or adolescent rebelliousness.

Behaviour problems and conduct disorders can have a significant impact on the quality of life of children and young people and their parents and carers. Behaviour problems and conduct disorders can lead to impulsive, and often anti-social behaviour.

  • A Solution Focused Approach to Anger Management With Children by Berni Stringer and Madan Mall
  • Attention Games: 101 Fun, Easy Games That Help Kids Learn To Focus by Barbara Sher
  • CBT Toolbox for Children and Adolescents by Amanda Crowder, Lisa Weed Phifer and Tracy Elsenraat
  • Happy families: a parents’ guide to the non-violent resistance approach by Carmelite Avraham-Krehwinkel
  • Helping Children Deal with Anger by Helen Sonnet and Jenny Mosley
  • Helping Children Deal with Conflict by Jenny Mosley and Helen Sonnet
  • How To Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen So Kids Will Talk by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish
  • Seeing Red by Jennifer Simmonds
  • Siblings Without Rivalry: How to Help Your Children Live Together So You Can Live Too (How to Help Your Child) by Adele Faber, Elaine Mazlish and Kimberly Ann Coe
  • Starving the Anger Gremlin by Kate Collins-Donnelly
  • The Anger Alphabet by Tina Rae
  • The Big Book of Blob Trees by Pip Wilson
  • The Bubblegum Guy: How To Deal With How You Feel by Joost Drost
  • The Explosive Child: A New Approach for Understanding and Parenting Easily Frustrated, Chronically Inflexible Children by Ross W. Greene
  • The Incredible Years by C Webster Stratton
  • The Mindful Child by Susan Kaiser Greenland
  • There’s A Volcano in My Tummy: Helping Children to Handle Anger by Elaine Whitehouse and Warwick Pudney
  • What to Do When Your Temper Flares: A Kid's Guide to Overcoming Problems With Anger by Dawn Huebner
  • Lancashire Libraries - Reading Well for Young People – Shelf Help

Eresource icon.png e-Resources

  • ​​​MindEd - MindEd is a free educational resource on children and young people's mental health for all adults
  • Royal College of Psychiatrists - Online advice, guidance and downloadable factsheets for staff, parents and CYP to use (good for parents’ evenings) with leaflets available to order at a cost
  • Mental Health First Aid England - Downloadable resources/leaflets, single page PDF posters that school can use and videos for training

  • Lancashire Youth Challenge - A charity which enables young people to build confidence and resilience via an exciting year-round programme of physical activities, and creative and cultural projects. Available in North Lancashire area.
  • Youth Zone - Advice and support for children and young people.​​​​​​​
  • ​​​​Kooth - Free, safe and anonymous online support for young people, accredited counsellors for mental health needs
  • Childline - Information and advice
  • DDP Network - Information about DDP therapy, online resources and links for parents/carers of children with emotional and behavioural difficulties

Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust has partnered with ORCHA to provide a library of safe and free apps to support young people’s mental health. These apps have been designed to help users to manage things that they might find difficult when experiencing low mood, anxiety, or stress. They work by teaching skills and strategies to manage these feelings in the moment, and to help reduce their impact in the future.

Browse the apps in the library here Young People's Mental Health Apps - Lancs & South Cumbria

Other apps:

  • Brili - Sets up daily routines/reminders for kids; particularly helpful for those with behaviour or conduct disorders, autism or ADHD to help provide structure and consistency.

Training icon (2).png Training 

Bespoke training may be offered by your local Primary Mental Health Workers.

  • MIND offer training on a variety of topics. Check their website to find out which courses are currently running.
  • MindEd provies online training in emotional and behavioural 'first aid' and essential therapeutic skills for all those involved in the mental wellbeing and care of children and young people in the UK. Check their website to sign up.

Blackpool only:

  • Blackpool Carers Centre offer a parents/carers course on Managing Challenging Behaviours. The course consists of 4 x 3-hour sessions. Parents can self refer or be referred by any professional or family member. Find out more here.

Information-guidance-icon.png Other guidance

Help-advice-icon.png Further help or advice

If you cannot find the help or advice you are searching for or you need other support for a child or young person, please contact your local CAMHS team.

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