Clinicians’ perceptions of the mental health needs of young people in alternative provision educational settings: An exploratory qualitative analysis

TY - JOUR

T1 - Clinicians’ perceptions of the mental health needs of young people in alternative provision educational settings

T2 - An exploratory qualitative analysis

AU - Kew-Simpson, Sarah

AU - Williams, Rebecca

AU - Kaip, Dennis

AU - Blackwood, Nigel

AU - Dickson, Hannah

N1 - Funding Information: The authors would like to thank the CAMHS practitioners in this study for their time and participation particularly those who assisted with recruitment. HD is affiliated with the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Specialist Biomedical Research centre for Mental Health at the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundations Trust and Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, United Kingdom. Funding Information: HD was supported by ADR UK (Administrative Data Research UK), an Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) investment (part of UK Research and Innovation). [Grant number: ES/W002647/1]. The other authors received no specific funding for the research, authorship and publication of this article. Publisher Copyright: © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

PY - 2023/7/27

Y1 - 2023/7/27

N2 - It is estimated that 1 in 2 young people who are educated in Alternative Provision (AP) educational settings have social, emotional and mental health difficulties. However, the extent to which the mental health needs of these young people are currently being met by Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) is less clear. In this qualitative study, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 CAMHS practitioners who had worked with young people educated in AP settings to explore secondary health care service engagement. We analysed the data using thematic analysis. Findings suggest that young people educated in AP settings have complex mental health needs for which they are currently not receiving adequate support, due to shortcomings within AP schools and numerous external barriers to care. Implications for clinicians and service commissioners include a need for further integration between CAMHS and education services, and better quality support across AP settings.

AB - It is estimated that 1 in 2 young people who are educated in Alternative Provision (AP) educational settings have social, emotional and mental health difficulties. However, the extent to which the mental health needs of these young people are currently being met by Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) is less clear. In this qualitative study, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 CAMHS practitioners who had worked with young people educated in AP settings to explore secondary health care service engagement. We analysed the data using thematic analysis. Findings suggest that young people educated in AP settings have complex mental health needs for which they are currently not receiving adequate support, due to shortcomings within AP schools and numerous external barriers to care. Implications for clinicians and service commissioners include a need for further integration between CAMHS and education services, and better quality support across AP settings.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85165685497&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1080/13632752.2023.2239580

DO - 10.1080/13632752.2023.2239580

M3 - Article

SN - 1363-2752

VL - 28

SP - 145

EP - 164

JO - Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties

JF - Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties

IS - 2-3

ER -