CAMH-Crisis

One in eight children aged 5-19 (12.8%) in England has a mental health difficulty and a recent National Assembly inquiry found a 100% increase in demand for services in Wales between 2010 and 2014.

With resources stretched and young people often waiting lengthy periods to be seen, increasing numbers of children and young people (CYP) are seeking help or have help sought on their behalf during mental health crises. During such periods of crisis, it is vital that effective and timely evidence-based care is provided.

The needs of young people in crisis can be met through designated clinical services (such as local child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) teams, and/or dedicated CAMHS crisis teams) and in accident and emergency departments, but also through non-clinical services such as school counselling services, youth services, and internet-based counselling.

Different forms of crisis support are therefore available for CYP, with considerable regional variability in the way such care is delivered. However, little is known about how these different service responses are organised and experienced, whether they are effective, or how they are integrated within existing care.

The aim of this project is to bring together all of the evidence related to the health, education, voluntary sector and social services that respond to CYP in crisis.