Looked After Children in Residential Homes

Area of Science:

• Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services
• Residential Childcare
• Vulnerable Populations

Background:

• Children in residential care are a vulnerable group with high mental health needs.
• Access to mental health services is often limited for these children.

Purpose of the Study:

• To survey children in residential homes in Leeds.
• To determine their involvement with mental health services.
• To examine how services are delivered to this population.

Main Methods:

• A survey was conducted in Leeds.
• Data collected on children in residential children's homes in August 2000.
• Analysis of contact with child and adolescent mental health services.

Main Results:

• 64% of children had contact with mental health services in the past 5 years.
• 27% were in current contact with services.
• 36% had no contact with services over the past five years.

Conclusions:

• The proportion of children currently in contact with services was lower than anticipated.
• Service delivery is shifting towards staff consultation and training in residential homes.
• Discussion on the effectiveness of this shift and future resource allocation for child and adolescent mental health (CAMH) services.