Webinar to improve childhood admissions to mental health units by educating healthcare professionals

Ahead of World Mental Health Day this week (Friday 10 October), healthcare professionals are being encouraged to register for a webinar aiming to improve Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) inpatient admissions. The event is specifically aimed at people working in or alongside CAMHS units.

Taking place at midday on Tuesday, November 4, the online session will launch the ‘Standardised information for CAMHS inpatient units’ guidance booklet – a resource made with young people and parents with lived experience that shows units what information should ideally be available on every CAMHS inpatient unit website.

Developed by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) East Midlands and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) in collaboration with the ‘Far Away from Home’ team, the booklet recommends that inpatient units provide clear, jargon-free answers to common questions, along with contact details, local area information and links to advocacy and support services.

The ‘Far Away from Home’ study, led by Professor Kapil Sayal, Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the University of Nottingham and Honorary Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, explored the impact of out-of-area CAMHS inpatient admissions for young people, their parents and carers and on services.

A key finding of the study highlighted that online information about inpatient units is often inconsistent or difficult to access, underscoring the need for standardisation of information available from every unit.

Professor Sayal said: “Having clear and accessible information available is crucial. Not only for young people and families preparing for an admission, but also for the professionals who support them or who might be referring them for inpatient care.

“The upcoming webinar will give staff working in or alongside CAMHS inpatient units the chance to explore this new guidance, with practical suggestions on how best to standardise and share essential information.”

He added: “By doing so, we hope to reduce anxiety for young people and families at an already difficult time, improve the consistency of care and better equip healthcare professionals to provide the safe and supportive environment that young people need.”

During the webinar, there will also be opportunities to hear from expert speakers, participate in a live Q&A with researchers and connect with others working in the mental health field.

Professor Kamlesh Khunti, Director of NIHR ARC East Midlands, said: “Supporting healthcare professionals with clear, consistent guidance is key to improving the experience of CAMHS inpatient care for young people and their families.

“This webinar will provide staff with evidence-based resources and practical strategies, enabling services to deliver care that is not only effective but also transparent, reliable and responsive to the needs of those they support.”

The ‘Far Away From Home study’ was funded by the UKRI and NIHR ARC East Midlands, and supported by the four other NIHR ARCs: East of England, Oxford and Thames Valley, Greater Manchester and West Midlands.

World Mental Health Day is celebrated every year on 10 October and is an opportunity for us all to talk about mental health and consider how, together, we can help everyone have better mental health.

This year’s theme is access to services - mental health in catastrophes and emergencies. The theme highlights the importance of people being able to protect their mental health whatever they are going through, because everyone deserves good mental health.

For further information about the Far Away from Home resources – which include 'Knowing Where you are Going' guidance and the 'Far Away from Home' checklist – visit https://tinyurl.com/bdcwjr7d. 

To register for webinar, visit https://tinyurl.com/sddh48n2.