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

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encountered by the researchers provide a vivid illustration of the challenge facing serviceproviders in this field.For many of the young people who were interviewed it would seem that often their route intoCAMHS or other mental health support had been by luck, coming about through them makingcontact with a proactive professional with knowledge of available services. The data collectedalso indicate that many only reached help at a critical point in their difficulties, sometimesafter an emergency referral. In addition the study findings highlight the need to work withparents, and also through communities since parental and community perceptions of a child’sdifficulties and of mental health service approachability and usefulness are clearly an importantinfluence on many young people.It should be noted that many of these concerns could be seen to apply to all young peoplerequiring help. However there was an impression of these concerns and difficulties beingintensified when young people from minority ethnic groups come into contact with staff whofeel that they do not have sufficient skills or understanding of differences in culture or ethnicbackground, or who are perceived by young people as lacking these skills.! What sort of service provision is needed?The range of data collected through the study provides some important indications:• Many staff highlighted a lack of joined-up activity and limited knowledge of existingservices as a key problem in improving information sharing and thus access to services.• In particular, the lack of partnership working between CAMHS and voluntary sectorprovision in many areas of the country was highlighted, also that a considerableamount of innovative work in the voluntary sector is being lost due to fundinginstability.• Staff interviews also revealed concerns about a lack of training in race equality andcultural competence (for both administrative and clinical staff in CAMHS).• Young people made many suggestions for how services could be improved. Theseincluded: more flexible hours when services are available, more opportunities to drop-inor self-refer; a greater choice of venues and the need for more interpreters/resourcesfor those who do not read/speak English. Greater professional awareness of the culturalcontext of issues that impact on young people from Black and minority ethnic groups,and those with refugee or asylum-seeking status, was also mentioned.• Better information sharing through a wider range of outlets (especially non-traditionalroutes such as the radio, media or church/faith groups) was emphasised and shouldinclude self-help information, advice on strategies to deal with difficulties andinformation about how CAMHS operate.• The importance of staff being informed and aware of local mental health services andable to support young people in seeking help was a prominent theme. A number ofyoung people suggested that some sort of ‘befriending’ role would be highly useful foryoung people who are fearful of approaching CAMHS or other mental health services,also peer support in raising awareness.• Knowledge of religious and cultural needs, and showing an interest in these, wereidentified as important staff attributes by many of the young people interviewed.• Both young people from Black and minority ethnic groups and staff identified the needfor provision for young people to address issues of grief, past loss, trauma andbereavement. Support and information for parents from minority ethnic groups in orderto help them understand CAMHS and to try and reduce the stigma/fears connected withtheir child receiving help from these services, was also highlighted.Minority Voices Research Report5
Study recommendations• The lack of awareness and understanding and the poor perception of services thatpromote mental health, amongst many young people from Black and minority ethnicgroups and their parents, must be addressed. New sources of information about CAMHSare needed, to be disseminated more widely, including through ‘non-traditional’ routesthat young people may be more interested in using such as the internet, media/radio,social and local faith groups. It will be important to consider that this information ismade available in a variety of languages, addresses the information needs of parentsand is accompanied by education and training at the primary care level to improve theearly recognition of mental health difficulties and the appropriate referral on to CAMHS.• Within CAMHS, understanding of different cultural and religious needs is still variableand requires attention. The provision of training to address CAMHS staff limitations inthese areas is needed, including developing the knowledge base of culturally competentpractice and methods for evaluating this.• The important role of the voluntary sector needs to be recognised and developed. Thisincludes: building effective links between CAMHS/health service providers and voluntarysector providers; involving the voluntary sector in the commissioning of services;sharing good practice and, crucially, attention being given to providing moresustainable funding of voluntary sector projects.• CAMH services need to explore options for developing more flexible and proactiveapproaches to their delivery. Whilst many CAMHS are struggling with increasingdemand around the country, there are examples of innovative practice that indicatethere is scope for improvement and greater flexibility despite these pressures. Theimportance of timing, of young people being able to build up trust in the staff memberthey are seeing, and providing continuity of care, are other issues requiring attention.Other project outputsIn addition to this report and the guide for good practice, the following have been produced:• A new YoungMinds booklet explaining CAMHS, including the different staff groups whowork in these services and what they do.• The translation into Arabic and Bengali of YoungMinds booklets on psychosis, eatingdisorders and in-patient adolescent mental health units.• A range of local service information leaflets for young people covering four areas ofEngland plus a leaflet on internet, email and telephone sources of support andinformation.• A YoungMinds Spotlight that summarises the background to the study, the datacollected, the key findings and the study recommendations.All of these materials are available for download from the YoungMinds website. Visit -www.youngminds.org.uk/minorityvoicesMinority Voices Research Report6
Page 1 and 2: Minority VoicesResearch into the ac
Page 3 and 4: ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSThis eighteen-month
Page 5: factors that study participants ide
Page 9 and 10: ! Concerns about the provision of m
Page 11 and 12: 3. CONTEXT OF THE STUDYVarious area
Page 13 and 14: • A measure of general psychiatri
Page 15 and 16: and some minority groups have poore
Page 17 and 18: 4. METHODOLOGYThe study methodThe p
Page 19 and 20: Staff: The interview schedules for
Page 21 and 22: 5. STUDY FINDINGS I: MAPPING OF ACT
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Page 25 and 26: 6. STUDY FINDINGS II: YOUNG PEOPLE
Page 27 and 28: ! Awareness of mental health and me
Page 29 and 30: “The therapist I was seeing was A
Page 31 and 32: Suggestions from young people for i
Page 33 and 34: 7. STUDY FINDINGS III: INFORMATION
Page 35 and 36: • High DNA (Did Not Attend) rates
Page 37 and 38: they felt sufficiently supported an
Page 39 and 40: Table 4: Areas of unmet need/defici
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Page 43 and 44: 8. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONST
Page 45 and 46: The study recommendations are:• T
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Page 49 and 50: REFERENCES1 Silvera, M. & Kapasi, R
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Page 53 and 54: Minority VoicesA GUIDE TO GOODPRACT
Page 55 and 56: ContentsIntroduction04 The basis f
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Meeting NeedsThe level and typeof s
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Good practice example 1 - Sharing V
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Elements of good practiceThese thre
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Neville Street also offers provisio
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Tier 3 CAMHSIn providing for local
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Services targeted on 1) particular
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3) Particular mental health problem
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3.Good practice in service planning
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APPENDIX IIAs set out in Delivering
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This guide to good practice is base
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