7 Lost in transition
Resolution submitted by the RCN Children and Young People Mental Health Forum
That this meeting of RCN Congress agrees that there should be standards to ensure safe and effective transfer from children and young people’s services to adult’s services
- Work led by the Nursing Development Committee
- Lead RCN Council member: Ann Griffiths
Many young people move from child orientated services to adult services in a well planned and collaborative way. However, the debate at Congress 2007 highlighted that there was a lack of standardisation, preparation, and variability in structure and processes to facilitate effective transition. Concerns were raised about children as young as 12 or 14 being admitted to adult inpatient facilities, and the paucity of specific adolescent inpatient units to cater for young people with mental health, learning disabilities, acute, or long term conditions.
A small working party, led by the Chair of the RCN Children and Young People Mental Health Forum, has developed a short publication summarising the issues, standards and outlining recommendations from the RCN. The publication will be launched at a Congress 2008 fringe event, and will be used to lobby government to address the needs of young people when they are being transitioned to adult services.