A group of organisations, led by the Anna Freud Centre has received £240,000 from the U.K Department for Education, to work with Action for Children, Child Outcomes Research Consortium, Research in Practice and NSPCC. Up to 10 pilots across the country will trial new high quality mental health assessments, that ensure young people are assessed at the right time, with a focus on their individual needs as they enter care.
The pilot areas will also benefit from a share of £650,000 to deliver the scheme. A consortium led by SQW, an economic development and social research organisation has also been awarded £150,000 to carry out an independent evaluation to look at the effectiveness and impact of the pilots.
The programme will look at which professionals should be involved in the assessment and develop best practice that ensures the child’s unique needs are at the centre of the process. Currently half of all children in care meet the criteria for a possible mental health disorder, compared to one in ten children outside the care system. The pilots will identify a child’s mental health and broader wellbeing needs, including whether a referral to a more specialist service is needed.
Head of Specialist Trauma and Maltreatment Service at the Anna Freud Centre, Sheila Redfern said, “We are delighted to have been successful with our bid for these pilots. Looked after children are a key priority for the Specialist Trauma and Maltreatment team here at AFNCCF and we will be working with Action for Children, Research in Practice, CORC and NSPCC to bring together a wealth of expertise and experience in this area.”
This announcement follows the publication of the Government’s Children and Young People’s Mental Health Green Paper in December 2017. Backed by £300 million in funding, this aims to improve access to mental health services for children and young people through designated mental health leads in schools and by reducing waiting times for mental health services.
