2006 has been a memorable year for the Association, with its 50th anniversary celebration. National and local events to mark this achievement presented the opportunity to look back at developments which have not only influenced the Association but also helped to shape the direction of child and adolescent mental health services. More than just commemorating 50 years, 2006 has been about continuing to support members by providing information on child and adolescent mental health developments, and planning for the Association's future - its initiatives, activities and publications. We thank you all for your continuing contribution over the years and wish you the very best for 2007.

The programme and booking form for the Emanuel Miller Lecture and Day Conference 2007 on 'Depression in Childhood and

The Association is delighted that Professor Elena Garralda will present the Jack Tizard Named Lecture. The theme of the conference

JCPP's Special Issue on Neuro-imaging, which appeared last month, offers fascinating reading. The ten data papers present an excellent overview of recent developments in brain imaging, their application to questions on developmental psychopathology and their implications for understanding brain function, neural activity and cognitive processes. While brain imaging may be currently of limited clinical utility, work in this area is beginning to shape clinical thinking and open up possible avenues for novel treatment.

The most recent issue of JCPP, accessible on-line early through the ACAMH website's direct link to Blackwell Synergy, focuses on the impact on children of war, disasters and unfamiliar cultural environments. Cultural differences associated with ethnic, linguistic, religious and regional variations pose challenges for determining which children need professional help and highlight the need to adapt assessment procedures and treatment approaches to help displaced children. The December issue of JCPP also features the 2006 Emanuel Miller Memorial Lecture: 'Adoption as intervention: meta-analytic evidence for massive catch-up and plasticity in physical, socio-emotional and cognitive develoment' as well as five papers looking at different aspects of depression.