Minority voices: Research into the access and acceptability of ... - MMC

In a number of areas attempts to improve the availability of interpreters and to developadvocacy support and staff training on cultural awareness were reported.Mapping of services for young people from Black and minorityethnic groupsDuring the course of the service mapping, and subsequently during the fieldwork in the sampleareas, information about nearly 300 different services working in the mental health field wasreceived - although subsequent checking revealed that many of these were for adults (andthus, although encompassing the 18-25 age group included in the Minority Voices sample agerange, were often not particularly ‘young people focused’) or were not, in any way, targeted onpeople from Black and minority ethnic communities.The research team also found that a number of services, most notably those that were focusedon young people from Black and minority ethnic groups, had recently closed or were underthreat of doing so, due to funding insecurities.This loss of provision is particularly worrying given the serious problems with fundinghighlighted in recent research into the funding of the Black Voluntary and Community Sectormore generally, 90 despite government recognition of the “distinctive skills, expertise andexperience that the BME voluntary and community sector holds.” 91More detailed information about services that seemed to be targeted at young people fromBlack and minority ethnic communities, or that seemed in some way innovative or wellintegrated with other services (statutory and voluntary) or well used by young people, wasthen sought by means of telephone interviews. Comparison of this material, alongside theinformation gathered from young people and staff during the fieldwork, allowed the researchteam to identify a number of different dimensions of service delivery that appear to constitute‘good practice’ in working with this client group.The provision identified, and that is currently operational, spans a wide range of differentapproaches across the tiers of CAMHS provision, including:• Mental health projects based on a community development approach, sometimesworking with a defined Black and minority ethnic community or group andencompassing a range of treatment and support approaches, as well as raisingawareness and understanding of mental health.• General support projects for young people run by voluntary sector organisations, oftenwith a focus on housing (including direct provision), education or the provision of socialactivities but where specific aspects of the provision have subsequently been developedin response to client needs, to provide mental health support for identified groups ofyoung people.• School-based provision, including lunch time drop-ins, residential trips, one-to-one andgroup-based counselling.• Targeted provision or specialist teams within existing CAMHS/NHS services offeringstaff that represent the different ethnic groups in that area, or workers with expertise inworking with Black and minority ethnic groups - and offering support for young peopleexperiencing difficulties as a result of racism and ethnic identity issues, alongside otherproblems that can face all young people such as anxiety and family relationshipdifficulties.• Telephone helplines and web-based advice and information, some aimed at specificethnic groups and others about specific mental health problems such as depression,eating disorders and self-harm.• Volunteering, peer counselling, befriending and mentoring projects.• Support for young offenders from Black and minority ethnic groups and those excludedfrom school.Minority Voices Research Report22