Mental health and wellbeing support in schools and further education colleges for care-experienced children and young people

Macdonald, Sarah ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8245-2347, Hewitt, Gillian ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7946-4056, Evans, Rhiannon ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0239-6331, Rees, Alyson ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2363-4965, Brown, Rachel ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4475-1733, Anthony, Rebecca ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9503-9562 and Jones, Sion ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2474-6889 2023. Mental health and wellbeing support in schools and further education colleges for care-experienced children and young people. Presented at: EuSARF - 'Equity and Social Justice in Child, Youth and Family Welfare', University of Sussex, 12-15 September 2023.

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Abstract

Background: The mental health and wellbeing of care-experienced children and young people is a social care and public health priority. There is evidence of higher rates of mental health disorders, poor subjective wellbeing, and suicide attempts within this group when compared to the general population. Schools and colleges are important sites for supporting mental health and wellbeing, but there are limited services specifically for care-experienced children and young people, and equity of access to support by this population is a key issue. There is a paucity of evidence on the effectiveness of mental health support for this population and a dearth of understanding as to how schools and colleges might work with health and social care systems to achieve equity, particularly at key educational transition points, such as the transition to post-16 education. Objectives: To understand stakeholder experiences of delivering and receiving mental health and wellbeing provision for care-experienced children and young people in mainstream secondary schools and colleges in Wales, in order to develop recommendations to enhance service quality and ensure equitable access. Methods: The study draws on mixed research methods across three phases of work. Firstly, a series of consultations with care-experienced children and young people, foster carers and adoptive parents, and practitioners from social care, education, and health, identify challenges or perceived gaps in support systems and services from the perspective of different stakeholder groups. Secondly, analysis of data from the 2017/18 School Health Research Network (SHRN) surveys provide quantitative insights into mental health and wellbeing provision for care-experienced children and young people at secondary school. SHRN is a biennial survey of secondary schools in Wales incorporating the Student Health and Wellbeing survey (n=103,971) and the School Environment Questionnaire (completed by senior school staff) (n=161). Thirdly, qualitative case study research conducted with schools, colleges, social work teams and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service teams. These include interviews and focus groups with children and young people, carers and practitioners from four localities across Wales. A thematic analytical approach focuses on determinants of mental health provision within educational and social care systems. Method level analysis for each phase of research will be combined with study level analysis across the datasets. Findings: Initial findings will be presented from each phase to understand how best to support the mental health and wellbeing of care-experienced children and young people in school and college settings. Study level findings will focus on experiences of delivering and receiving provision, and stakeholder views about current provision, problems and gaps, including how education practitioners work with those from social care and mental health. Implications: Implications for future research, policy and practice will be shared, including how provision may be enhanced to ensure more equitable access to mental health support, and what new provisions may be needed. Reflection on research engagement with schools and colleges, and mechanisms for public involvement will also be presented.

Item Type:	Conference or Workshop Item (Paper)
Status:	Unpublished
Schools:	Social Sciences (Includes Criminology and Education)
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General)
Funders:	Health & Care Research Wales
Date of Acceptance:	2023
Last Modified:	31 May 2024 21:11
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/162943

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