Young people, mental health and learning disability

The Centre for Mental Health has published a briefing on the needs of young adults, aged 18 to 24, in contact with mental health/learning disability services and the criminal justice system. Key recommendations include that:

• Services working with young people of transitional age should facilitate a formal, face-to-face transfer of care meeting involving the young person, their family and each service that is working with them;
• Liaison and diversion services should run at evenings and weekends and involve children and young adults in designing services;
• Education, health and care plans for young people with special educational needs should run continuously, including when a person is in custody; and
• Appropriate adult services should be extended to young adults with mental health problems and those with learning disabilities.

To download the briefing visit www.centreformentalhealth.org.uk/pdfs/Bradley_Commission_briefing2_youngadults.pdf.

The Care Quality Commission has published a new map of health-based places of safety for people experiencing a mental health crisis. Key findings from their research include that:

• 35 percent of the 161 health-based places of safety do not accept young people under the age of 16, resulting in a lack of access for under 16s in 33 of 152 upper tier local authority areas;
• Of 56 surveyed, 13 NHS mental health trusts and two community interest companies restrict access for young people under the age of 16 at all of their places of safety;
• 28 of the health-based places of safety that do not accept under 16s also do not accept young people aged 16 to 17; and
• Figures from the Association of Chief Police Officers estimate that, in 2012/13, 580 children and young people under the age of 18 were detained under Section 136 of the Mental Health Act and, of those, it is estimated that 45 percent were taken to police custody.

To access the map visit www.cqc.org.uk/public/publications/themed-inspections/thematic-review-mental-health-crisis-care/map-health-based-pl.

The Association for Young People's Health has published a research update on adolescent mental health, which can be downloaded at www.ayph.org.uk/publications/533_Mental%20health%20RU%20Feb%202014%20public.pdf.

NCB, Young Minds and other partners have launched a new website MindEd, funded by Department for Education, to provide information and e-learning modules to anybody working with children with mental health problems.  To access the website visit www.minded.org.uk.

Young Minds has also launched the a new website, HeadMeds, which enables young people being treated for mental health conditions to find out more about the medication they are prescribed. To access the website visit www.headmeds.org.uk.