A coalition of leading universities and expert organisations has unveiled 20 evidence-informed recommendations aimed at enhancing mental health support for children and teenagers in care across England.
With over 80,000 children currently in care—a number that continues to rise—many have endured early adversities such as abuse, neglect, poverty, domestic violence, and parental mental ill-health. These experiences, combined with the instability of multiple placement changes and separation from family networks, contribute to a significantly higher prevalence of diagnosable mental health conditions, including anxiety, depression, PTSD, and behavioural disorders, among this population.
Despite the clear need, access to appropriate mental health care for children in care remains inconsistent and inadequate. The newly released recommendations focus on key areas such as commissioning practices that prioritise long-term, evidence-based approaches; integrated service delivery that unites health and social care; and workforce development with a strong emphasis on evidence-based practice.
Professor Rachel Hiller, project lead and Professor in Child & Adolescent Mental Health at University College London (UCL), emphasised the importance of timely, compassionate, and effective mental health support for children in care, stating that with the right commissioning, leadership, and commitment to evidence-based practices, meaningful change is achievable. She said:
“Too often, children in care are left without the timely, compassionate, and effective mental health support they need to heal and thrive. Children in care are individuals. They do not all have the same mental health needs. They have a right to access and expect best-evidenced support for their mental health.
“With the right commissioning, joined-up leadership, and a shared understanding of and buy-in to evidence-based practice, change is possible. There are already examples of excellent practice that we can learn from and scale, so all children in care, no matter where they are based, can access high-quality mental health care”
The recommendations were collaboratively developed by researchers and clinicians from institutions including UCL, University of Cambridge, University of Sussex, Kingston University, University of Bristol, and King’s College London, in partnership with the UK Trauma Council and CoramBAAF. Support also came from the National Children’s Bureau, Anna Freud, Become, the Care Leavers Association, and several NIHR Applied Research Collaborations (ARCs), including PenARC.
Advocates hope that this guidance will prompt urgent action from policymakers, commissioners, and service providers, recognizing that improving mental health support for children in care is both a moral imperative and a critical public health and economic priority.
The recommendations span key areas including:
- Commissioning practices that prioritise long-term, evidence-based approaches
- Integrated service delivery that brings together health and social care
- Workforce development, with a strong emphasis on evidence-based practice
The full list of recommendations is available through the UK Trauma Council’s website: uktraumacouncil.org/policy.nihr.ac.uk