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Background: Self‐harm amongst young people is an increasing problem, with looked‐after young people at higher risk. Despite this, little research exists on what young people who self‐harm find helpful. Method: One hundred and twenty‐six 11–21 year olds (53 who had experience of the care system and 73 who did not) were recruited from the community and NHS. All participants had self‐harmed in the past 6 months. Participants completed an Audio Computer‐Assisted Self‐interview (ACASI) regarding their views about the support they had received, how helpful it was, and what further help they felt they needed. Results: Looked‐after young people reported the three most helpful sources of support were Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), friends and pets and the least helpful were CAMHS, Accident and Emergency (A&E) and Social services. For non‐looked‐after young people, CAMHS, counselling and Harmless (user‐led support service for self‐harm) were most helpful and CAMHS, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and general practitioner (GP) were the least. Compared with the other group, more looked‐after young people had received help from A&E and CAMHS, whereas more non‐looked‐after young people had accessed GPs, parents, psychological therapies, self‐help books and websites. More looked‐after young people found support groups helpful, and more non‐looked‐after young people reported that distraction techniques, medication and their siblings were helpful. Conclusion: Young people who self‐harm have mixed views about CAMHS. Differences in the pattern of access and preferences for support between looked‐after and non‐looked‐after young people should be reflected in service availability and commissioning. Key Practitioner Message: Little is known about what young people who self‐harm find helpful, particularly for looked‐after young people.CAMHS was named amongst the most helpful and the least helpful services by both looked‐after and non‐looked‐after young people.Social services and A&E were frequently cited amongst the least helpful sources of support.Young people report finding informal support helpful, including family and friends.There appears to be a need for explorations of the reasons behind the apparent negative perception of statutory services in young people, and what is required to shift that. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Unaccompanied refugee minors present with disproportionately high prevalence of emotional and psychological morbidities. However, their utilization of mental health services has been shown to be significantly poorer than the indigenous population of the country they seek asylum in. Despite this, there is limited research exploring their perspectives on the barriers they face. Aims: This research aims to understand unaccompanied refugee minors' and their carers' perceptions of the barriers to utilize mental health services and to explore issues perceived to be related to poor engagement with services. Methods: Semi-structured interviews with 15 unaccompanied refugee minors and their carers were conducted. This was to elicit their views, perceptions and beliefs based on their experience of receiving treatment from a specialist mental health service in the UK. Results: Thematic analysis was used and the findings were categorised into two broad themes; the participants' perceptions of the intervention and perceptions of the professionals. Salient aspects of these are discussed. Conclusions: The findings have potential to stimulate further research into gaining a better understanding of the barriers these young people face in accessing help, and may contribute to developing services that are more efficient in engaging this vulnerable group and meeting their specific needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Children in the UK care system often face multiple disadvantages in terms of health, education and future employment. This is especially true of mental health where they present with greater mental health needs than other children. Although transition from care - the process of leaving the local authority as a child-in-care to independence - is a key juncture for young people, it is often experienced negatively with inconsistency in care and exacerbation of existing mental illness. Those receiving support from child and adolescent mental health services ( CAMHS), often experience an additional, concurrent transfer to adult services ( AMHS), which are guided by different service models which can create a care gap between services. Method This qualitative study explored care-leavers' experiences of mental illness, and transition in social care and mental health services. Twelve care-leavers with mental health needs were interviewed and data analysed using framework analysis. Results Sixteen individual themes were grouped into four superordinate themes: overarching attitudes towards the care journey, experience of social care, experience of mental health services and recommendations. Conclusions Existing social care and mental health teams can improve the care of care-leavers navigating multiple personal, practical and service transitions. Recommendations include effective Pathway Planning, multiagency coordination, and stating who is responsible for mental health care and its coordination. Participants asked that youth mental health services span the social care transition; and provide continuity of mental health provision when care-leavers are at risk of feeling abandoned and isolated, suffering deteriorating mental health and struggling to establish new relationships with professionals. Young people say that the key to successful transition and achieving independence is maintaining trust and support from services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]