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Addressing the Mental Health Needs of Looked after Children Who Move Placement Frequently

Research has revealed high levels of mental health need among children who are looked after. The aim of this study, reported by Alison Beck, was to compare the mental health needs of looked after children who move placement frequently with the mental health needs of those who do not and to consider how these differences may be addressed in terms of mental health service planning. Two questionnaires (including the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire — SDQ) were sent to the carers of 747 young people (aged over three years) looked after by one inner-London local authority, to the young people themselves if they were aged over 11 years and to a selected sample of teachers. A third (30 per cent) of young people had a ‘probable’ psychiatric diagnosis using the SDQ. Eleven per cent had moved placement three or more times in the last year and they were three times more likely to have a ‘probable’ psychiatric diagnosis. They were also significantly more likely to report deliberate self-harm in the last six months compared to those who had moved placement less frequently. Although young people who move placement frequently are far more likely to develop psychiatric disturbance than other looked after children, they are much less likely to access mental health services. The barriers to service access and practice implications of these findings are discussed.