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Access to and experience of child and adolescent mental health services: barriers to children and young people with learning disabilities and their families
- Authors:
- SIN Chi Hoong, FRANCIS Rob, COOK Chloe
- Journal article citation:
- Mental Health Review Journal, 15(1), March 2010, pp.20-28.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Drawing on the findings of a literature review undertaken in 2008 and updated in 2009, and conducted in partnership with the UK Centre for Evidence-based Policy and Practice, this article looks at barriers in relation to access to, and experiences of, child and adolescent mental health services, reporting on such barriers and their impact on children and young people with learning disabilities, a group identified as being at a disproportionate risk of experiencing mental health problems. The authors discuss how families are often unclear about how to access mental health services and what services are available, how information and knowledge related barriers are particularly significant for certain minority ethnic groups, and how barriers related to the mental health services workforce mix, skills and staff attitudes can also mean that skills required for working with people with both mental health conditions and learning disabilities can be lacking. The article identifies that systems-related barriers include a lack of joint commissioning and planning, unclear care pathways, the lack of a single point of referral, difficult transition to adult mental health services and a lack of appropriate services. The authors conclude that the findings of the literature review demonstrate that, despite commitment to improving access to and experience of child and adolescent mental health services, there are still a number of key barriers, and that ensuring that such services deliver person-centred support and services requires systemic and cultural changes with continuing engagement and improvement.