In this approach we do not distinguish between "biological" and "functional" disorders. As the brain is the organ of the mind, it is axiomatic that any mental disorder will be associated with biological dysfunction. There is a NeuroDevelopmental context for work with children and adolescents, and a KeyWorker cannot ignore Physical Health matters

Medication (Pharmacological interventions) may be extremely helpful in containing a crisis, whatever factors have precipitated the problem or may be exacerbating it.

This is an intervention in the domain of biology, but it almost inevitably carries Systemic implications.

Accepted (NICE) treatment guidelines require that there should be rapid access to appropriate medication, and the general principles of the intervention are to make it as likely as possible that the recommendation of medication is taken seriously, while not excluding other modes of intervention which may be required to address the YP's problems.

Medication can also have secondary psychological effects of reducing anxiety and thus making the family environment more secure. In particular, medication is not used to move the focus of the intervention from the family system to the YP, or to encourage the idea that the YP has something wrong with his brain which explains all the problems, an idea which makes it less likely that the family will retain a feeling of responsibility for being part of the treatment.