A survey of psychiatrists' views of the use of the Children Act and the Mental Health Act in children and adolescents with mental health problems

Abstract

Aims and method: To identify psychiatrists' concerns relating to the use of legislation in children and young people with mental health problems. Four hundred and eighty members of the child and adolescent faculty of the Royal College of Psychiatrists were asked to list their main concerns. Results: Two hundred and fifty-eight members responded. The four most reported themes were: choosing between the Mental Health Act and the Children Act; general issues around consent to treatment; issues with social services departments; and the stigma associated with using the Mental Health Act. Clinical implications: The range of themes identified from this survey have served to focus the evaluation of the use of the Children Act and the Mental Health Act in Children and Adolescents in Psychiatric Settings (CAMHA-CAPS), and informed the design of subsequent data collection tools. The project report has now been submitted to the Department of Health for consideration.