An agenda for future research regarding the mental health of young people with care experience

Abstract

Young people who are currently or were previously in state care have consistently been found to have much higher rates of mental health and neurodevelopmental difficulties than the general youth population. While a number of high‐quality reviews highlight what research has been undertaken in relation to the mental health of young people with care experience and the gaps in our knowledge and understanding, there is, until now, no consensus, so far as we aware, as to where our collective research efforts should be directed with this important group. Through a series of UK wide workshops, we undertook a consultative process to identify an agreed research agenda between those with lived experience of being in care (n = 15), practitioners, policy makers and researchers (n = 59), for future research regarding the mental health of young people with care experience, including those who are neurodiverse/have a neurodevelopmental difficulty. This consensus statement identified 21 foci within four broad categories: how we conceptualize mental health; under‐studied populations; under‐studied topics; and underused methodologies. We hope that those who commission, fund and undertake research will engage in this discussion about the future agenda for research regarding the mental health of young people with care experience.

Care-experienced young people’s views on what they want from mental health services

“…Care-experienced young people face more barriers accessing mental health support despite the respectively higher need (Hiller et al, 2021). Services which consider young people’s context and use integrated and collective approaches are likely to be more effective (Devaney et al, 2023).…”

Examining the Mental Health Care Needs and Outcomes of Young People Transitioning from Out-of-Home Care (OOHC) in Australia

“…In particular, social distancing regulations exacerbated exposure to social isolation and loneliness (Collins and Augsberger, 2020; Kelly et al, 2021; Munro et al, 2022). While research is still emerging, the OOHC cohort are likely to have additional stressors and risk factors, alongside fewer protective factors, which could make any impacts more acute and even increase their vulnerability to distress and psychological disorders (Devaney et al, 2023).…”