Identifying Commonly Disadvantaged Groups
CAMHS providers need to take account of diverse cultural, religious and social norms, and how they might affect individual experiences.
In the UK survey of child and adolescent mental disorder [4], approximately 10% of white children, 12% of black children, 8% of Pakistani and Bangladeshi children, and 4% of Indian children were assessed as having a mental health problem.
However, there is some evidence that there are lower rates of access to mental health services for children and young people from some ethnic minorities. There appears to be a bias in the referral route to CAMHS [5], resulting in lower referral rates for children and young people from black and minority ethnic groups when compared with their white peers.
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CAMHS and service planners need to understand the profile and particular needs of the population they serve and develop appropriate models of service.
Language may present a barrier for parents and children from some minority ethnic groups. There are particular issues for the delivery of psychological treatments for parents, children and young people whose first language is not English. In these circumstances specialist training of interpreters and other staff is required [5].