Child psychiatry: looking 30 years ahead.

The likely developments over the next 30 years in the understanding of disorders and in patterns of clinical practice in child psychiatry are considered in the light of basic biological principles, the current knowledge base and the prevailing trends of change. Attention is paid to possible advances in genetics, biological investigations, cognitive deficits and cognitive processing, psychosocial mechanisms, treatment strategies, classification, theories, patterns of practice and child psychiatric training.