Critical Examination of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) in the UK and Barking an

Points to Consider

Word Limit: 3000 words

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS): The NHS Long Term Plan (2019) identifies the mental health of children and adolescents as a priority. It states that ‘mental health problems often develop early and, between the ages of 5-15, one in every nine children has a mental disorder. Half of all mental health problems are established by the age of 14, with three quarters established by 24 years of age’ (p50). The plan states that over the next five years there will be additional funds allocated leading to improved services. However, many commentators, including the UK Government’s Public Accounts Committee, state that demand for mental health support for children and adolescents is increasing, and that only a quarter of children and young people who require mental health support can access the services they need. You should write an essay that critically examines the quality and effectiveness of CAMHS services, both nationally and in a chosen local borough, reviewing the evidence base, evaluating the key features of this issue for practitioners and managers, and outlining areas for change. Students should ensure that the essay is evidence based and uses Harvard referencing. Please note that an essay does not include sub-headings, generally does not include graphs/images, and that an essay must be arguing towards clear conclusions. In the analysis and discussion of this issue, you should apply at least two of a range of frameworks and concepts. These may include management and organisational approaches, policy frameworks, best practice approaches, ethical approaches, value based approaches, systems thinking, equalities approaches, leadership approaches, Page 3 of 4 public health frameworks, Wagner’s Chronic Care model, integrated care concepts, and change management approaches.

- What is the essay structure? What are the key arguments that you will use? Which local borough will you examine? ( Barking and Dagenham )

- What two frameworks will you apply?

- Have you mentioned that you will apply change management ( Kurt Lewin ) analysis-driving and restraining factors?

- What are the key issues with CAMHS services in outline?

- How will your frameworks analyse and produce recommendations in relation to the above key issues?

- What is the quality of the evidence base?

-300 words approximately for the introduction

Frameworks

- What are the issues you will be addressing in CAMHS and what is the evidence base for their issues?

-Identify two frameworks to apply to the issues you have identified in CAMHS

- Apply the frameworks, e.g. inequalities and discuss the results of the application

- What evidence base have you identified?

- What are the conclusions after applying the frameworks?

- Have you applied the thinking to you chosen borough?

- Why is change management important?

- Apply Kurt Lewin’s driving and restraining forces to CAMHS nationally/in your chosen borough

- What are the results? What conclusions do you draw from this?

Conclusion

Points to consider

Draw together the key arguments used in the essay

Students may use management theory such as Fayol, Taylor, Mayo’s Human

• Relations theory, to analyse CAMHS.  Students may use organisational theory such as systems theory to analyse the
• Issues raised by different government and local agencies working towards the improvement of CAMHS in the chosen local borough.  Students may use practice approaches such as person centred and needs based
• Approaches, patient involvement approaches, patient’s network and systems approaches such as family group conferences to examine this issue.  Students should use Kurt Lewin’s change management theory to examine the
• Driving and restraining forces and other mechanisms to achieve change which will deliver improved services. Page 4 of 4 Students may use leadership theories, such as transactional, transformational
• And distributed leadership, to analyse the progress (or lack of it) in CAMHS.  Examination of the evidence base, such as international evidence, think tanks
• Such as the Kings Fund and the Nuffield Trust, government essays, professional journals and professional associations, and academic research and publications Use of essay format which argues towards clear conclusions.