Overcoming Potential Barriers
Click on the links below to consider some ways of removing potential barriers to access.
Click on the links below to consider some ways of removing potential barriers to access.
Definition of mental health
Information for children, families and organisations
Effective systems and accessible services
Children and families’ involvement in developing a shared understanding of mental health terminology will provide a sound base from which to launch programmes to promote mental health awareness and challenge stigma. It will also ensure that children and their families are engaged in the journey to tackle stigma from the very start.
Click on the links below to consider some ways of removing potential barriers to access.
Language
Information for children, families and organisations
Effective systems and accessible services
Collaboratively all services should develop and work with an agreed definition of mental health and related terminology. It is often the confusion about the language used in talking about mental health that alienates children and their families and makes them wary of accessing services.
Developing age-appropriate explanations of mental health and mental health problems will encourage people to talk about mental health freely, and will consequently assist in developing and promoting non-stigmatising services.
Click on the links below to consider some ways of removing potential barriers to access.
Information for children, families and organisations
Effective systems and accessible services
When seeking help, children, young people and their parents and carers are often unsure of where to go, how to access services, and what to expect. This can contribute to the fear and adverse effects of stigma experienced by the child and their parents/carers.
Useful interventions might include the development and dissemination of age-appropriate and user-friendly information about child mental health and relevant services across all levels of CAMHS. All services should consider how they communicate information if they are to be proactive in tackling stigma and raising mental health awareness in a strategic way. Developing materials and protocols to ensure that all potential service users are well informed about the care that is available is valuable.
Click on the links below to consider some ways of removing potential barriers to access.
Information for children, families and organisations
Effective systems and accessible services
The priority is having clearly defined and well communicated care pathways and referral criteria that children, families and professionals can understand and act upon. This is not just about making it easy to access services, but also about making the process of moving through and then out of services effortless and seamless.
The provision of timely services is key so that children and families do not feel marginalised.
Click here to see the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance.
Effective service provision is also about having services for young people which are integrated into schools, colleges, or into community services, where accessing emotional well-being and mental health services is normalised.