Referrers' use and views of specialist mental health services for deaf children and young people in England.
BACKGROUND
Deaf children are at greater risk of mental health problems than hearing children. Generic child and adolescent mental health services cannot be expected to have the expertise to work with these children. Three teams in England currently provide specialist mental health services to deaf children.


OBJECTIVE
The research sought to explore referrers' views of these specialist services.


METHODS
Interviews and a postal survey were used.


RESULTS
Referrers were very satisfied with the service and identified the features of the service which supported positive outcomes for users. Access was, however, a significant problem. Referrers suggested developments to the service should incorporate preventive work and cascading of skills to other professional groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Deaf children require services which are expert in deafness and mental health, and the findings suggest the specialist services are achieving this. Resolving issues of access and widening its remit are desirable ways forward in any future development of the service.
Beresford
Bryony
B
Social Policy Research Unit, University of York, York, UK. bab3@york.ac.uk
Clarke
Sue
S
Greco
Veronica
V
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002665:Child Psychiatry / Q000379:methods*; D003638:Deafness / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008511:Medicine / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult