Forensic CAMHS team improve young people’s criminal justice pathway

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Our award-winning forensic child and adolescent mental health service (CAMHS) team recently carried out an exciting two-month project focused on getting better results for children and young people who are in contact with the criminal justice system or victims of sexual assaults.
Led by clinical lead for forensic CAMHS, Dr Abdullah Kraam, the team collected information from a variety of perspectives, including commissioners and service providers. They identified a wide range of issues and ideas around key elements of the system, such as liaison and diversion services, secure estate for children and young people and youth offending teams. They also looked at the help and support offered to children and young people who have been victims of sexual assaults, specifically at sexual assault referral centres.
Their aim was to improve the routes into, out of, and between these services, pinpointing the crucial role that forensic CAMHS can play in the pathway.
Their findings were used to develop a number of recommendations in order to fill gaps in the system, highlight good practice, and successfully help young people back into the community.
The recommendations have been presented to NHS England who will shortly begin the second phase of the project nationally.

Forensic CAMHS team improve young people’s criminal justice pathway

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