Children, young people and families want mental health services which are accessible, provide support when needed, and involve them as service users. They also want to know what services are available to help them [1].

Swift access to services has benefits both for children, young people and their families, and for service efficiency [2].

For service users, intervening as quickly as possible reduces the likelihood of chronic mental health problems developing.

For services, clear access routes require an understanding of demand which in turn makes it easier to plan and manage staff capacity and workloads.