Identifying research priorities for care experienced children and young people with unmet emotional and behavioural needs in Wales
17 October
Do you work in this field? Take part in our survey!
We are working with Welsh Government policy officials in health, social services, and education on our latest research prioritisation project.
The purpose of this project is to help us identify research priorities that aim to improve the access to and delivery of joined-up care and support for children and young people (11-25 years old) with care experience (in care, on the edge of care, or care leavers) with unmet emotional and behavioural needs.
Services providing care and support: health care, social care, education, and third sector organisations.
For this project, we are using the term “children and young people with unmet emotional and behavioural needs” to describe those who do not have a mental health diagnosis from CAMHS/AMHS, but who find difficulty in successfully managing their behaviour and emotions.
These emotions and behaviours could include (but are not limited to): distressing, disruptive, antisocial and uncooperative behaviours, and high stress and anxiety. This includes children and young people awaiting a mental health diagnosis from CAMHS/AMHS and those with a neurodivergent diagnosis as we are aware of the overlaps between neurodivergence and having unmet emotional and behavioural needs.
We want to ask professionals providing care and support in health care, social care, education, and third sector organisations, and children and young people themselves, to share with us their perspectives on:
- what their biggest concerns are with the delivery and access to joined-up working
- and what research or evidence is needed to help services join up
Project background
Welsh Government are committed to a preventative approach to improve the emotional and mental health of young people in Wales, for instance through the Whole School Approach and the NEST framework.
We also know that the cost-of-living crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic, continues to have a profound effect on the mental health and emotional wellbeing of this cohort of children and young people in Wales.
Welsh Government also want to ensure support is available when needed, especially for those who are most vulnerable such as those in care, and those with a complex family background. Welsh Government know from listening to children, young people, and practitioners that the support provided to people with unmet emotional and behavioural needs who do not have a diagnosable mental health condition needs improvement and better join up.
Research can help make the changes needed by filling gaps in our knowledge. To conduct useful research, we must listen to you, children and young people and the professionals working in this area, to identify the most important concerns and ideas you have.
Why should I take part?
When research happens in future, we want it to be research that makes a real difference to the lives of people in Wales and which improves the quality of the care and support they receive.
The results of the surveys and discussion groups will be used to identify a Top 10 set of research priorities which we will promote to research funders. The findings will also be used in the development of the Welsh Government Mental Health Strategy and will be shared with policy officials across health and social services to inform policies on integrated working.
What are we asking from you?
If you work in this area, please take part in our survey, encourage your contacts to take part, and promote it to colleagues.
The survey should be filled in by those working in Wales with care experienced children and young people aged 11-25 years who have unmet emotional and behavioural needs. This includes front line workers and strategic decision makers in any of the following:
- Statutory services: health boards, local authorities (social services), education (schools, further education, higher education)
- Third sector organisations who deliver care and support
- Preventative services (e.g. the wider network of outreach and support)
The survey should take you approx 15 minutes, but it is no problem if it takes you longer.
Opens: 17 October
Deadline for completion: 14 November.
Participating in this survey is voluntary, and your answers will be kept confidential. Please see the Privacy Notice.
We are happy to receive submissions based on group discussions about the survey questions, especially for those who are unable to complete an online survey. If you can collaborate with us and help to champion the survey in any way, please contact josie.jackson001@gov.wales
We are holding discussions into this topic with children and young people to hear their voice and we will also analyse their responses from relevant past consultations, rather than doing this via a survey. Please see the Privacy Notice for the discussion groups.
Next steps
We will combine the outputs from the survey, the discussions with children and young people, and past consultations outputs, to identify themes and topics.
We will then present these themes/topics back to practitioners, and children and young people to select their most important themes and topics using a second survey and discussion groups.
We will then hold a virtual workshop with children and young people, and practitioners to select the Top Ten priorities.
Once we have our Top Ten we will present these to researchers and research funders.
To be involved in the next steps of this project as a practitioner, there is an opportunity at the end of the survey to provide your contact information.
Children and young people will be invited to be involved in the next steps of the project through their discussion group facilitators.
Please complete the survey