The Profile and Characteristics of Young People Accessing Recently Implemented Community Forensic Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (F:CAMHS) in Northern Ireland

Abstract

Children under the age of 18 who are known to forensic child and adolescent mental health services often present with complex psychosocial and behavioural needs that are elevated compared with those in the general youth population. The Forensic Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service for Northern Ireland (FCAMHSNI) was commissioned in 2014 to support these children. Despite almost a decade of implementation, the profile and characteristics in the service remain under-analysed, impeding service improvement and making international comparisons more difficult. The primary aim of the current study was to address the regional gaps in how the needs of those accessing FCAMHSNI are understood. A secondary aim was to capture comparable data. Data on 107 accepted referrals are included in the analyses. The majority of cases within this time period were male (81.1%, n = 86) and the majority of presenting behaviours were related to violence and aggression 62.3% (n = 48). However, some forms of violence, such as harmful sexual behaviour, was relatively low when compared with other jurisdictions. Specific demographic characteristics such as gender and religious background appeared to be significant risk factors for referral to the service. Almost all of the sample are known to have experienced at least one potentially traumatic event (95.2%) and in more than one-third of cases, service users presented with co-morbid issues (35.6%, n = 37). These observations are discussed. This study adds to the growing international literature around the needs of forensically involved youth and helps to inform future service development and provision.