Description

In this talk, Sydney Stevens presents the development process behind the Evidence-based Clinical Practice Guideline for Anxiety in Children and Young People, created by the Melbourne Children’s Campus Mental Health Strategy Anxiety Guideline Development Group. She outlines the need for this resource in the context of rising anxiety prevalence and inconsistent clinical care across services. Stevens details the rigorous, multi-phase development process—including stakeholder engagement, systematic evidence review, and consensus building—and highlights the final outputs, which include the full guideline, a technical evidence report, quick-reference tools for clinicians, and parent-facing resources. The guideline was developed under the Melbourne Children’s Campus Mental Health Strategy and generously funded by The Royal Children’s Hospital Foundation.

Learning Objectives

A. To understand the rationale for developing an evidence-based clinical practice guideline for anxiety in children and young people.

B. To describe the methodological steps involved in creating a high-quality, evidence-based clinical guideline.

C. To identify tools and strategies for implementing and disseminating guidelines in clinical practice.

Related Content Links

Childhood Anxiety Disorders: Assessment & Treatments Explained
Nature and Treatment of Paediatric Anxiety Disorder: Overview of characteristics and risk- Part 1