The Mental Health Needs of Looked after Children: An Integrated Multi-Agency Model of Care

Abstract

The mental health needs of looked after children are reviewed and the challenges involved with developing accessible mental health services are discussed. This article describes a multi-agency approach to the delivery of mental health services and focuses on the development, operation and evaluation of a Tier 4 multi-agency team; The Behaviour Resource Service (BRS). The BRS community and residential teams provide an intensive service to children and young people identified as having the most complex needs. Approximately 50% of the service users are looked after children. The needs-led model of multi-agency assessment, intervention and collaborative working is described with attention to the role of the BRS within the professional network. Particular issues pertinent to multi-agency work with looked after children are considered.

An evaluation of psychological consultation to social workers

“…These findings need to be incorporated into, and be further informed by, published examples of good practice to establish the broader organisational partnerships and communication necessary to facilitate successful multi-agency working around looked after children (e.g. Kelly, et al, 2003) and changing expectations about how their mental health needs and well-being can best be addressed by psychological input. …”

The Mental Health Needs of Looked after Children in a Local Authority Permanent Placement Team and the Value of the Goodman SDQ

“…Meltzer et al (2003) found significantly higher levels of classification of mental health problems in looked after children 'as based on the diagnostic criteria using the ICD-10 classification of mental and behavioural disorders with strict impairment criteria' (Meltzer et al, 2003, p 7). Kelly et al (2003) cite research which indicates that conduct disorder is the most common difficulty, but that it is the co-morbidity and complexity of these children's needs which impacts on all aspects of their lives, emotionally, socially and educationally.…”

Tier 4 Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) ‐ Inpatient Care, Day Services and Alternatives: An Overview of Tier 4 CAMHS Provision in the UK

“…Many have been derived or adapted from intensive community services in Europe and the US. Some home based services are located within specialist CAMHS teams (Hewson, 2002), others are provided within adult mental health services (Street, Allan, & Saedi, 2005) and several are defined as multi agency projects (Kelly et al., 2003). Common to all services is same day response, intensive community based care and treatment and transition to standard Tier 3 CAMHS during recovery (Kelly et al., 2003; Street et al 2005; Worrall‐Davies & Kiernan, 2005).…”