Service Use by Looked after Children with Behavioural Problems: Findings from the England Survey

Panos Vostanis, Guv Bassi, Howard Meltzer, Tamsin Ford and Robert Goodman examine data from the England survey on the use of services by looked after children with behavioural problems (or conduct disorders — CD). Of the total 1,039 looked after children who participated, 384 (37%) fulfilled criteria for CD, of whom 57 (or 17% of children with CD) had an additional hyperkinetic and 46 (or 12% of the CD group) an additional emotional disorder. Children had high rates of multiple and overlapping contacts with social care, health, education and youth justice services. Children with additional emotional and hyperkinetic disorders had particularly high rates of contact with primary care, specialist child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS), child health and special educational services. In conclusion, looked after children and young people with behavioural problems are likely to require access to a range of services, but these should be clearly defined and co-ordinated, with local care pathways and referral criteria, in order to maximise the use of resources. Although CAMHS involvement should not automatically be requested for all behavioural problems, looked after children with underlying mental health or developmental disorders would particularly benefit from specialist CAMHS input.