National Assembly for Wales
Children, Young People and Education Committee

CAM 46

Inquiry into Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)
Evidence from : Western Bay Safeguarding Children Board

Western Bay Safeguarding Board welcomes the opportunity to respond to the Welsh Government Inquiry into Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).

Western Bay Safeguarding Board have recently conducted a  Multi Agency Professional Forum (MAPF) in line with the guidance Protecting Children in Wales which concerns the events  surrounding a young person, who was self-harming and making threats to kill herself over a sixteen day period . At the learning event held with practitioners involved with the case, it became apparent that this young person’s case was not unique, and has relevance to practice for all agencies.

This young person was removed from a public park by the police under section 136 Mental Health Act 1983.As there is no approved place of safety in Western Bay which is a suitable area for assessing children and young people, the young person was eventually admitted to an acute paediatric ward. The Multi Agency Professional Forum agreed that a paediatric ward is not a suitable place for a young person who is aggressive and self-harming. The MAPF highlighted that the needs of other child patients also need to be considered. It was accepted that acute paediatric staff did not have the level of skills and training to deal with the complexities of children and young people presenting with such emotional health needs.

The young person required admission to an adolescent unit for an inpatient assessment. There was no bed available in the local facility, and the nearest bed available was in a private clinic in England. Due to the long distance involved the young person withdrew her consent to admission and had to be detained under section 2 of the Mental Health Act 1983. The Multi Agency Professional Forum also identified issues regarding the transport of the young person where she had to be restrained with handcuffs, and strapped to a trolley throughout her journey.

Please find enclosed the report from the Multi Agency Professional Forum. We would draw your attention to the first two recommendations agreed by Western Bay Safeguarding Children Board.

Western Bay Safeguarding Board would like to stipulate that the Multi Agency Professional Forum report we have included is NOT for publication as part of this consultation exercise. This case did not meet the criteria for a concise or extended review under the guidance for arrangements for Multi-Agency Child Practice Reviews. The decision to hold the MAPF was to encourage and facilitate local learning using a systems approach and the report is to be shared locally with Western Bay Safeguarding Children Board partner agencies.

Nick Jarman

Western Bay Safeguarding Children Board Chairperson

Direction of Social Services, Health & Housing Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council