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Pathways to a child mental health service
1Child and Family Guidance Service, Torbay Hospital Annexe, UK.
Child: Care, Health and Development
|July 1, 1995
Summary
Mothers described pathways to child mental health services. Referrals often involved school staff or general practitioners, with health visitors crucial for younger children's access.
Area of Science:
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
- Healthcare Access
- Pediatric Mental Health
Background:
- Understanding referral pathways is crucial for optimizing access to child mental health services.
- Previous research has highlighted the complexity of navigating services for pediatric mental health concerns.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the referral processes experienced by mothers of children accessing a child mental health service.
- To compare referral pathways based on different child demographics and service utilization.
Main Methods:
- Qualitative interviews were conducted with mothers (n=46) of children assessed by a child mental health service.
- The study analyzed the sequence of agency contacts and described different referral pathways.
Main Results:
- School teaching staff and general practitioners were frequently involved in referral pathways.
- Health visitors played a significant role for younger children's referrals.
- Direct referrals to mental health services were more common after contact with general practitioners and health visitors.
- School staff often engaged other agencies before referral to mental health services.
Conclusions:
- Referral pathways to child mental health services are varied and influenced by the type of professional contact.
- Inter-agency collaboration and clear referral protocols involving primary care and educational settings are important for timely access to pediatric mental health support.