7. Mental Health
7.1 Looked after children and their carers need access to a full range of child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS). Evidence suggests that many mental health difficulties are missed in this group of children and young people, in particular the effects of grief and loss and resulting depression, particularly in younger children.
Preventative
7.2 CAMHS will assist in the prevention of mental health problems, as well as helping to reduce the impact of established mental health disorders on children and young people's lives. Effective care will reduce the likelihood of looked after children experiencing some of the secondary consequences associated with poor mental health - i. e. non- attendance at school, educational failure, juvenile crime and placement disruption.
7.3 Young people aged 16+ may be particularly vulnerable at the point of leaving care. Leaving care services will need support from CAMHS and adult mental health professionals, both in terms of prevention and access to referral on for some young people.
7.4 Health, social services and education professionals will need training in the early identification of mental health problems. Within education departments and schools teachers, educational psychologists, school nurses or designated teachers can contribute to children's wellbeing and ensure early identification of difficulties. Carers will also need training on promoting good mental health and emotional wellbeing, and strategies to deal with behavioural difficulties, and when to seek specialist help.
Community provision
7.5 CAMHS should offer a range of services and most areas are now developing a network of CAMHS professionals who work within community settings offering support to tier 1 staff (GPs, other health professionals, teachers etc.) and input with children and families where appropriate. CAMHS teams may sometimes work more effectively through input to the carer than working directly with the child.
Multi-disciplinary teams
7.6 Some looked after children and young people will require referral on to more specialist services from a multi-disciplinary CAMHS team, including psychiatrists. Councils and PCTs should ensure that they have access to an appropriate service without a long wait. Some councils have established designated CAMHS for looked after children to ensure the above, whilst others have funded specific posts within existing teams.
Specialist provision
7.7 Some looked after children and young people will have high levels of mental health need and will require highly specialist provision which may be provided on a regular basis. This should be planned by education, social services and health agencies together. In some areas innovative therapeutic fostering schemes try to maintain young people with high levels of need within family based provision. This enables them to remain in a family, but also within the local community.
7.8 Services may use a variety of therapeutic approaches to engage young people. Services can be provided within residential, foster care and youth settings and use drama, art and other activities as well as being provided with more traditional settings.
