Collaboration between child psychiatry and paediatrics: the state of the relationship in Norway

In Norway, the first paediatric department was founded in Oslo 100 years ago. The first child psychiatric department was opened in 1950. To assess qualitative and quantitative aspects of child psychiatric liaison work, questionnaires were sent to the heads of 25 paediatric departments and 53 child psychiatric units. Scarce child psychiatric resources were spent in paediatrics. The average score for satisfaction with collaboration was moderate (5.5 on a 10-cm visual analogue scale) and agreement between the parties was modest. Improvement will involve development of a common language and a shared model for understanding the psychosocial aspects of acute and chronic childhood illnesses. In-service training for paediatricians in child psychiatry and vice versa may help. Both parties indicated a need for more training in consultation/liaison and in multi-professional assessments and therapeutic interventions with children with physical illnesses.