Table 2 Key characteristics of included studies

Adelman (2014) [38]

USA

Allied

Pre-kindergarten special educators (new to the field - either newly applying for jobs or in first or second year in the field) (n = 7)

To improve teachers’ observation skills in social responsiveness of preschool children with ASD.

Preschool children aged 4–5 years, with ASD.

To examine the potential learning outcomes for teachers using the tool to learn.

Interviews

Grounded theory coding and analysis

7 (moderate)

Askell-Williams & Murray-Harvey (2016) [39]

Australia

Allied

Early childhood educators (n = 1148*)

Initiative to promote mental health in young children.

General population of under 5 s.

To analyse perspectives of early childhood education and care educators’ about their professional learning.

Open ended questionnaire

Thematic analysis

7 (moderate)

Bassilios et al. (2017) [40]

Australia

Mixed

Mental health professionals (psychologists, social workers, mental health nurses) (n = 8); Medicare administrators (n = 20)

To up-skill mental health professionals to meet required skills/competencies to deliver CMHS (a new service in Australia beginning 2010).

CYP aged 11 and under who have, or are at risk of developing, psychological disorders.

To explore the utilisation of implementation processes (of which the outlined online training is one) for those CMHS that will help deliver its objectives.

Structured interviews

Theoretical semantic analysis

8 (high)

Bazyk et al. (2015) [41]

USA

Mental health

Paediatric occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants (n = 117*)

A capacity building process designed to promote knowledge translation of a public health approach to mental health.

CYP having occupational therapy.

Explore the meanings and outcomes of the training.

Written reflections

Phenomenological analysis

8 (high)

Blackburn et al. (2016) [42]

Australia

Mental health

Clinical staff at a youth acute mental health inpatient unit (n = 18*)

To teach sensory modulation techniques to de-escalate violence and aggression in CYP mental health inpatients.

CYP aged 15–24 years, in inpatient mental health units.

To evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention in transferring knowledge to staff, and translating this knowledge into practice.

Focus groups

Thematic analysis

7 (moderate)

Bond & Dogaru (2019) [43]

UK

Mixed

Police officers, teachers, “CYP professionals”, trainee teachers, social work students, health professionals, youth workers, probation officers, family support workers, hate-crime officers, therapists, and charity Chief Executive Officer (CEOs) (n = 114*)

To develop professionals’ competence and confidence when responding to the needs of children and their families after online sexual abuse.

CYP who have been sexually abused online.

Evaluate the outcomes of the training.

Open-ended questionnaire

Thematic analysis

5 (moderate)

Bryson & Ostmeyer (2014) [44]

USA

Mental health

Social skills group leaders for children with ASD (n = 15*)

Group management of CYP with ASD attending social skills group.

CYP between 4 and 12 years old, who have ASD.

To look at the changes in behavioural management skills of the group leaders.

Electronic survey with free text options

Thematic analysis

7 (moderate)

Christie et al. (2013) [45]

New Zealand

Mental health

CAMHS workers (n = 37*)

Training to use an adolescent alcohol and drug screening and intervention.

Adolescents involved with CAMHS for whom alcohol or drugs might be an issue.

To evaluate the utility and acceptability of the training package, and its impact on relevant attitudes, skills and knowledge.

Focus groups

General inductive approach - thematic analysis

5 (moderate)

Coiro et al. (2016) [46]

USA

Mental health

Graduate student clinicians in clinical psychology, or speech-language pathology (n = 11)

To expose graduate students to inter-professional collaborative practice centred on enhancing children’s social communication.

USA school-aged CYP in an outpatient mental health setting.

To get feedback from the graduate students on the programme.

Email survey

Categorising answers under the 4 competencies of the training.

5 (moderate)

D’Oosterlinck et al. (2009) [47]

Belgium

Allied

Staff working in residential facilities for children with emotional and behavioural disorders (n = 71*)

Empower the staff to handle conflict.

CYP with emotional and behavioural disorders who are in crisis in a therapeutic setting.

To evaluate whether the training was effective in empowering the staff members to handle the conflict.

Semi-structured questionnaire with open ended questions

Hermeneutic analysis with frequency coding and categorisation

3 (low)

Dababnah et al. (2019) [48]

Turkey

Allied

Teachers (n = 8)

To teach ASD knowledge, behavioural management, social support, and how to advocate for services and support in the community.

Syrian refugee CYP in Turkey, who have ASD, in addition to trauma.

To test the feasibility and acceptability of the training intervention.

Semi-structured interviews

Constant comparative method

9 (high)

Dame (2016) [49]

USA

Allied

Teachers (n = 9*)

Teach about childhood anxiety.

Anxious USA elementary school-aged children.

To evaluate changes in self-efficacy as result of the training, and to gauge perception of the training.

Focus groups

Classic transcript based analysis

8 (high)

David & Schiff (2018) [50]

Israel

Mental health

Clinicians practicing psychotherapy (n = 77*)

Training clinicians to use a bottom-up evidence based intervention for traumatised children and their families.

Young children with trauma.

To obtain information regarding whether, how, and where clinicians are using the intervention after training.

Open-ended questionnaire

Thematic analysis

8 (high)

Davies & Ray (2014) [51]

USA

Mental health

School psychologists (n = 19* at two-month follow-up; n = 18* at 1 year follow-up)

To increase awareness of TBI, better identify students with TBI, and improve education for students with TBI.

School-aged children with traumatic brain injury.

To evaluate the efficacy of a half-day traumatic brain injury training in school psychologists’ knowledge and skills.

Longitudinal survey

Content analysis

3 (low)

Donald (2015) [52]

USA

Allied

Residential care workers in psychiatric inpatient unit (n = 3*)

Child-teacher relationship training.

Can be used with general or clinical groups, aged 6–10 years.

To investigate training effects and experiences.

Semi-structured interviews

Thematic analysis

10 (high)

Drahota et al. (2014) [53]

USA

Mental health

Therapists (n = 13)

Train staff to deliver EBP programmes to reduce challenging behaviours in children with ASD.

CYP with ASD

To examine feasibility of implementation, from the perspectives of those receiving training on, and delivering, the EBPs.

Semi-structured interviews

A coding, consensus, and comparison methodology (an iterative approach rooted in grounded theory).

7 (moderate)

Dunsmuir et al. (2017) [54]

UK

Mental health

Tutors of school psychologists (n = 13)

Using problem based learning (PBL) with trainee school psychologists.

General school-aged population.

To evaluate strengths and weaknesses on PBL from different trainers.

Telephone survey

Thematic analysis

7 (moderate)

Eustache et al. (2017) [55]

Haiti

Allied

Teachers (n = 12*)

To prepare teachers to respond to student mental health needs.

A general school population.

To evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of this scope of training content and format of delivery, as well as its effectiveness in improving knowledge and attitudes relevant to school mental health.

Open-ended questionnaire and focus group discussions

Thematic analysis

8 (high)

Gonzalez et al. (2019) [56]

USA

Mental health

Trainers on school psychology training programmes (n = 327)

Teach about evidence-based assessment and intervention.

A general school-aged population

To conduct a more comprehensive and descriptive study of trainers’ instruction.

Online survey

Conventional content analysis

6 (moderate)

Grant et al. (2016) [57]

UK

Mixed

Medics, nurses, occupational therapists, radiographers, clinical and health psychologists (n = 31)

To teach about how having a very sick parent can impact CYP development, resilience, and family functioning.

CYP with a parent who has cancer.

To evaluate the implementation of training programme, and begin to establish its efficacy.

Semi structured open ended questionnaire

Framework analysis

7 (moderate)

Harris (2013) [58]

USA

Allied

PE teachers (n = 13*)

To improve confidence of PE to teachers include autistic children.

School-aged CYP with ASD.

To determine the effects of a 1 day in-service workshop on the self-efficacy and content knowledge of general physical educators.

Focus group

Reflexive analysis

9 (high)

Heyeres et al. (2018) [59]

Australia

Allied

Service manager, teachers, guidance counsellors, youth mentors (n = 21)

To support the wellbeing of indigenous students at boarding school, including mental health literacy and resilience training.

Australian Aboriginal children transitioning to boarding school at age 10–11 years.

To investigate whether the training influences the capacity of education staff to advocate for and support Indigenous student wellbeing.

Reflective group discussions, interviews

Thematic analysis

7 (moderate)

Jolivette et al. (2014) [60]

USA

Allied

Various school staff (n = 9*)

Train staff in a positive behavioural intervention, decreasing problem behaviours.

CYP between 7 and 17 years old, who have emotional and behavioural disorders.

To describe the training, and implementation effectiveness and fidelity.

Focus group

Constant comparative method

3 (low)

Jones & Howley (2010) [61]

UK

Allied

Local authority, teachers, SENcos (n = not stated)

To promote interactive skill building with children on the autism spectrum.

CYP with ASD

To investigate a system of training designed by a Local Education Authority support service.

Multi-method case study including semi-structured narrative approach interviews, and questionnaires.

Thematic analysis

7 (moderate)

Killick & Allen (2006) [62]

UK

Mixed

Staff on an adolescent psychiatric inpatient unit (nurses, psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, teachers, family therapists) (n = 27*)

To manage aggressive and harmful behaviour in the adolescent psychiatric unit.

Psychiatric inpatient adolescents aged 11–18 years.

To evaluate effects of training - confidence increase, knowledge increase, good practice, staff satisfaction.

Survey

Grouping of comments - “informal analysis”

5 (moderate)

Lee (2016) [63]

UK

Allied

School pastoral support staff (n = 10*)

Increase knowledge of self-harm, identify risk factors, help CYP develop coping strategies, and develop a protocol for the school.

“Low-risk” self-harming secondary school aged CYP.

To explore each participant’s experiences of the workshop, and the meaning/psychological processes at work.

Semi-structured interviews

Interpretative phenomenological approach

6 (moderate)

Leventhal et al. (2018) [64]

India

Allied

Teachers (n = 24)

To help teachers improve mental health and other outcomes for youth in Low and Middle Income Countries.

A general school population of CYP, with a mean age of 13.5 years.

To describe key findings of the training and identify focus areas for the implementation going forward/scaling up.

Participatory action research - observations, focus group discussions, interviews, advisory groups.

Thematic analysis

2 (low)

Lusk et al. (2018) [65]

USA

Mental health

Psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner students (n = 107*)

To teach child/adolescent CBT to those on graduate nursing programmes.

CYP with mental health problems.

To evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of the model for advanced practice PMH students.

Open ended questionnaire

Thematic analysis

4 (moderate)

Manassis et al. (2009) [66]

Canada

Mental health

Practitioners from community mental health agencies (n = 22*)

To teach cognitive behavioural therapy for use with CYP.

CYP with internalising disorders

To evaluate the training

Interviews

Thematic analysis

5 (moderate)

Manning et al. (2017) [67]

UK

Allied

Children’s nurses (n = 8*)

Understand self-harm, effective communication with admitted CYP, assessing risk.

CYP who have self-harmed.

To determine the impact of the intervention on the knowledge, attitudes, confidence and behavioural intention of the staff, and to explore the perceived impact, suitability and usefulness of the intervention.

Semi-structured interviews

Thematic analysis

7 (moderate)

McAllister et al. (2019) [68]

Australia

Allied

Teachers, guidance officers, school nurses, indigenous school officer, chaplain, youth worker (n = 27*)

To develop knowledge and understanding of best practice in youth mental health promotion and to increase confidence in delivering the programme.

A general school population of Australian secondary school age CYP.

To report the results of the training.

Open-ended questionnaire

Thematic analysis

7 (moderate)

Omigbodun et al. (2007) [69]

Nigeria

Mixed

Multidisciplinary health professionals (nurses, doctors, psychologists, and community health workers) (n = 38*)

To provide a basic CAMH course.

Clinical population of CYP

To develop and evaluate the basic course with a multidisciplinary audience, to inform future training.

Open-ended questionnaire

Thematic analysis

6 (moderate)

Post et al. (2020) [70]

USA

Allied

Kindergarten teachers (n = 4)

Child-teacher relationship training.

USA kindergarten aged children.

Report findings of training in terms of teachers’ experiences.

Semi-structured interviews

Thematic analysis

6 (moderate)

Sherwin (2014) [71]

USA

Allied

Para-educators (n = 4)

Assist working with autistic children.

CYP with ASD.

To determine how para-educators respond to the training.

Interviews, questionnaire, focus groups

Organising into themes and building a theoretical model

9 (high)

Srivastava et al. (2015) [72]

India

Allied

Primary school teachers (n = 79*)

Improve attitudes and knowledge of special educational needs.

Primary school aged children with SEND.

To implement a teacher training program and evaluate its effects and appropriateness.

Open ended questionnaire

Thematic analysis

5 (moderate)

Suldo et al. (2010) [73]

USA

Mental health

School psychologists (n = 41*)

To improve knowledge and confidence with regards to suicide prevention for CYP.

A general school population, aged 5–18 years.

To evaluate the professional development intervention on youth suicide.

Open-ended questionnaire

Thematic analysis

5 (moderate)

Tchernegovski et al. (2015) [74]

Australia

Mental health

Mental health clinicians (nurses, social workers, psychologists) (n = 8*)

To provide clinicians with skills to empower parents with mental illness to support their family.

CYP of parents with a mental illness.

To examine clinicians’ views on the acceptability of the resource, and assesses its effectiveness.

Post-training interview

Thematic content analysis

7 (moderate)

Tilahun et al. (2017) [75]

Ethiopia

Allied

Community health workers (n = 11*)

A general CYP mental health course for community health workers.

CYP with mental health problems.

To examine training needs and perspectives in relation to providing child mental health care in rural Ethiopia.

Interviews

Framework analysis

8 (high)

Wu et al. (2019) [24]

Canada

Allied

Teachers, principals, plus one educational assistant (n = 23)

Train teachers to deliver PAX-GBG - a classroom-delivered mental health promotion intervention.

A general school population, up to 17 years old.

To gain a greater understanding of how the training was viewed by school personnel, in order to improve implementation in remote/indigenous communities.

Semi-structured interviews

Line-by-line analysis, grouping into categories, then themes

7 (moderate)