The health needs and healthcare experiences of young people trafficked into the UK

Growing up is never easy. For children separated not only from their birth families but from their countries of origin, it can be a long, hard struggle to achieve even the basic levels of good health that are so often taken for granted. Mary Mather and Marko Kerac focus on the health needs of two particular groups of young people: intercountry adoptees and unaccompanied refugee and asylum-seeking children. They discuss the limitations of Department of Health Guidance and identify in some detail the range of health problems which frequently go unrecognised in intercountry adopted children. Although the same problems apply to refugee and asylum-seeking children, these already traumatised young people carry the double burden of the problems they arrive with and the problems that arise once they are in the UK. The authors provide practical suggestions towards easing this burden in the effort to make health care for this group in particular, at once ethical, humane and acceptable. They end with a plea for tolerance and sensitivity, and the need to recognise that health goes way beyond the remit of the National Health Service. The aspiration to and attainment of health is determined by education, politics, the micro-climate of attitudes and the very fabric of our society.

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The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse in the UK: reflecting on the mental health needs of victims and survivors

The British Journal of Psychiatry ◽

10.1192/bjp.2018.113 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 213 (4) ◽

pp. 571-573 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Antonina Ingrassia

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Sexual Abuse ◽

Young People ◽

Health Needs ◽

Mental Health Needs ◽

Children And Young People ◽

Institutional Responses ◽

The Uk ◽

Independent Inquiry

SummaryThe nature and extent of the sexual abuse of children and young people and the pervasiveness of inappropriate institutional responses to its occurrence continues to raise serious concerns. The work of the Inquiry is a powerful reminder of the role of mental health services in addressing the needs of victims and survivors.Declaration of interestNone.

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Perception of need and barriers to access: the mental health needs of young people attending a Youth Offending Team in the UK

Health & Social Care in the Community ◽

10.1111/j.1365-2524.2011.00991.x ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 19 (4) ◽

pp. 420-428 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Judi Walsh ◽

Victoria Scaife ◽

Caitlin Notley ◽

Jane Dodsworth ◽

Gillian Schofield

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Young People ◽

Health Needs ◽

Mental Health Needs ◽

Barriers To Access ◽

The Uk

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Pathways to Problems: Hazardous Use of Tobacco, Alcohol and Other Drugs by Young People in the UK and its Implications for Policy

PsycEXTRA Dataset ◽

10.1037/e617612007-001 ◽

2006 ◽

Keyword(s):

Young People ◽

The Uk ◽

Alcohol And Other Drugs ◽

Hazardous Use

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Report1: Impact of Covid-19 on young people aged 13-24 in the UK- preliminary findings

10.31234/osf.io/uq4rn ◽

2020 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Liat Levita ◽

Jilly Gibson Miller ◽

Todd K. Hartman ◽

Jamie Murphy ◽

Mark Shevlin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Young People ◽

Emotional Regulation ◽

Health Anxiety ◽

Self Control ◽

Social Risk ◽

Need For Support ◽

The Uk ◽

Social Recovery ◽

The Impact

COVID-19 has led to an unprecedented disruption of normal social relationships and activities, which are so important during the teen years and young adulthood, and to education and economic activity worldwide. The impact of this on young people’s mental health and future prospects may affect their need for support and services, and the speed of the nation’s social recovery afterwards. This study focused on the unique challenges facing young people at different points during adolescent development, which spans from the onset of puberty until the mid-twenties. Although this is an immensely challenging time and there is a potential risk for long term trauma, adolescence can be a period of opportunity, where the teenagers’ brain enjoys greater capacity for change. Hence, the focus on young people is key for designing age-specific interventions and public policies, which can offer new strategies for instilling resilience, emotional regulation, and self-control. In fact, adolescents might be assisted to not only cope, but excel, in spite of the challenges imposed by this pandemic. Our work will feed into the larger societal response that utilizes the discoveries about adolescence in the way we raise, teach, and treat young people during this time of crisis. Wave 1 data has already been collected from 2,002 young people aged 13-24, measuring their mental health (anxiety, depression, trauma), family functioning, social networks, and resilience, and social risk-taking at the time of the pandemic. Here we present a preliminary report of our findings, (Report 1). Data collected 21/4/20- 29/4/20 - a month after the lockdown started).

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Brief Behavioural Activation (Brief BA) for Adolescent Depression: A Pilot Study

Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy ◽

10.1017/s1352465817000443 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 46 (2) ◽

pp. 182-194 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Laura Pass ◽

Carl W. Lejuez ◽

Shirley Reynolds

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Pilot Study ◽

Young People ◽

Adolescent Depression ◽

Psychological Intervention ◽

Clinical Effectiveness ◽

Evidence Based ◽

Behavioural Activation ◽

Evidence Based Treatments ◽

The Uk

Background: Depression in adolescence is a common and serious mental health problem. In the UK, access to evidence-based psychological treatments is limited, and training and employing therapists to deliver these is expensive. Brief behavioural activation for the treatment of depression (BATD) has great potential for use with adolescents and to be delivered by a range of healthcare professionals, but there is limited empirical investigation with this group. Aims: To adapt BATD for depressed adolescents (Brief BA) and conduct a pilot study to assess feasibility, acceptability and clinical effectiveness. Method: Twenty depressed adolescents referred to the local NHS Child and Adolescent Mental Health service (CAMHs) were offered eight sessions of Brief BA followed by a review around one month later. Self- and parent-reported routine outcome measures (ROMs) were collected at every session. Results: Nineteen of the 20 young people fully engaged with the treatment and all reported finding some aspect of Brief BA helpful. Thirteen (65%) required no further psychological intervention following Brief BA, and both young people and parents reported high levels of acceptability and satisfaction with the approach. The pre–post effect size of Brief BA treatment was large. Conclusions: Brief BA is a promising innovation in the treatment of adolescent depression. This approach requires further evaluation to establish effectiveness and cost effectiveness compared with existing evidence-based treatments for adolescent depression. Other questions concern the effectiveness of delivery in other settings and when delivered by a range of professionals.

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Supporting the emotional needs of young people in care: a qualitative study of foster carer perspectives

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2019-033317 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (3) ◽

pp. e033317

Author(s):

Rachel M Hiller ◽

Sarah L Halligan ◽

Richard Meiser-Stedman ◽

Elizabeth Elliott ◽

Emily Rutter-Eley

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Young People ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Well Being ◽

Health Needs ◽

Depth Information ◽

Emotional Needs ◽

Mental Health Systems ◽

Mental Health Needs ◽

Qualitative Focus Groups

ObjectivesYoung people who have been removed from their family home and placed in care have often experienced maltreatment and there is well-developed evidence of poor psychological outcomes. Once in care, foster carers often become the adult who provides day-to-day support, yet we know little about how they provide this support or the challenges to and facilitators of promoting better quality carer–child relationships. The aim of this study was to understand how carers support the emotional needs of the young people in their care and their views on barriers and opportunities for support.Design and participantsParticipants were 21 UK foster carers, recruited from a local authority in England. They were predominantly female (86%), aged 42–65 years old and ranged from those who were relatively new to the profession (<12 months’ experience) to those with over 30 years of experience as a carer. We ran three qualitative focus groups to gather in-depth information about their views on supporting their foster children’s emotional well-being. Participants also completed short questionnaires about their training experiences and sense of competence.ResultsOnly half of the sample strongly endorsed feeling competent in managing the emotional needs of their foster children. While all had completed extensive training, especially on attachment, diagnosis-specific training for mental health problems (eg, trauma-related distress, depression) was less common. Thematic analysis showed consistent themes around the significant barriers carers faced navigating social care and mental health systems, and mixed views around the best way to support young people, particularly those with complex mental health needs and in relation to reminders of their early experiences.ConclusionsFindings have important implications for practice and policy around carer training and support, as well as for how services support the mental health needs of young people in care.

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Survey of young people in one region of the UK on accessing COVID-19 information (SOCIAL)

BMJ Paediatrics Open ◽

10.1136/bmjpo-2020-000942 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (1) ◽

pp. e000942

Author(s):

Oliver G P Lawton ◽

Sarah A Lawton ◽

Lisa Dikomitis ◽

Joanne Protheroe ◽

Joanne Smith ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Young People ◽

Significant Role ◽

Online Survey ◽

Descriptive Statistics ◽

Sources Of Information ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Education Gaps ◽

The Uk

COVID-19 has significantly impacted young people’s lives yet little is known about the COVID-19 related sources of information they access. We performed a cross-sectional survey of pupils (11–16 years) in North Staffordshire, UK. 408 (23%) pupils responded to an online survey emailed to them by their school. Descriptive statistics were used to summarise the data. Social media, accessed by 68%, played a significant role in the provision of information, despite it not being considered trustworthy. 89% felt that COVID-19 had negatively affected their education. Gaps in the provision of information on COVID-19 have been identified.

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European Youth Work Policy and Young People’s Experience of Open Access Youth Work

Journal of Social Policy ◽

10.1017/s0047279421000143 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-21

Author(s):

JON ORD ◽

MARC CARLETTI ◽

DANIELE MORCIANO ◽

LASSE SIURALA ◽

CHRISTOPHE DANSAC ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Open Access ◽

Young People ◽

Positive Impact ◽

Policy Formulation ◽

Youth Work ◽

Policy Makers ◽

Policy Goals ◽

The Uk ◽

The Impact ◽

European Youth

Abstract This article examines young people’s experiences of open access youth work in settings in the UK, Finland, Estonia, Italy and France. It analyses 844 individual narratives from young people, which communicate the impact of youthwork on their lives. These accounts are then analysed in the light of the European youth work policy goals. It concludes that it is encouraging that what young people identify as the positive impact of youth work are broadly consistent with many of these goals. There are however some disparities which require attention. These include the importance young people place on the social context of youth work, such as friendship, which is largely absent in EU youth work policy; as well as the importance placed on experiential learning. The paper also highlights a tension between ‘top down’ policy formulation and the ‘youth centric’ practices of youth work. It concludes with a reminder to policy makers that for youth work to remain successful the spaces and places for young people must remain meaningful to them ‘on their terms’.

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