Children and young people's mental health outcome measures in paediatrics

Paediatricians are increasingly likely to encounter children and young people with mental health difficulties, either as primary presentations or as comorbidities linked with chronic illnesses. However, paediatricians may have limited training or experience regarding the tools available to identify mental health needs and how to use these tools. The current paper aims to provide a go-to guide for paediatricians when considering the use of mental health and well-being outcome measures, including how to select, administer and interpret measures effectively. It also provides practical guidance on the most common mental health outcome measures used in children and young people's mental health services across the UK and elsewhere, which paediatricians are likely to encounter in their practice. Paediatricians may also find these measures useful in their own practice to screen for potential mental health difficulties, monitor the impact of chronic health conditions on a young person's mental health and well-being, or to provide evidence when referring young people to mental health services

Gender, marginalised groups, and young people’s mental health: a longitudinal analysis of trajectories

Background Individuals from marginalised groups experience higher levels of mental health difficulties and lower levels of wellbeing which may be due to the exposure to stress and adversity. This study explores trajectories of mental health over time for young women and girls and young people with other marginalised identities.Methods We conducted a secondary analysis on N=14,215 children and young people (7,501 or 52.8% female, 6,571 or 46.2% male, and 81 or 0.6% non-binary or questioning) who completed a survey at age 11 to 12 years and at least one other annual survey aged 12 to 13 years and/or aged 13 to 14 years. We used group-based trajectory models to examine mental health difficulties.Results Except for behavioural difficulties, young women’s and girls’ trajectories showed that they consistently had higher levels of mental health difficulties compared to young men and boys. A similar pattern was shown for nonbinary and questioning children and young people. Children and young people with economic disadvantage and/or special education needs, and/or for whom there were welfare concerns, were generally more likely to experience higher levels of mental health difficulties.Conclusions This information could inform public policy, guidance and interventions

Constructs associated with youth crime and violence amongst 6-18 year olds: A systematic review of systematic reviews

It is the duty of adults in the network around young people (e.g., parents/carers, educators, professionals) to meet their different needs. According to Child-First philosophy, if a young person becomes involved in youth crime and violence, this might be due to unmet needs that have escalated to the point of crisis. Research indicates a gamut of possible constructs indicating needs and strengths, and the aim of the present research was to identify constructs with evidence of association with youth crime and violence amongst 6-18 year olds. A systematic review of systematic reviews was conducted and, from 4819 identified hits, included 30 systematic reviews. Constructs with more consistent evidence of protective association were rejection or absence of drug or alcohol use, positive family relationships and support, and education and employment opportunities. Constructs with more consistent evidence of being a need were low empathy, dating abuse (both perpetration and victimisation), and bullying perpetration. There is an urgent need for routine, ongoing, and co-produced assessment of children and young people's needs in order to achieve equity in positive outcomes for all children and young people

Staff burnout in the Children and Young People Secure Estate (CYPSE) in England

Staff working in secure settings tend to experience elevated levels of work stress and burnout, with most of the evidence emerging from studies conducted in adult prison settings in the United States. There is a general lack of research on staff working in the Children and Young People Secure Estate (CYPSE) in England. The present study examined levels of burnout in a range of staff groups across CYPSE settings using data collected between October 2018 and March 2019. Findings revealed moderate burnout levels across a sample of 383 staff from 17 sites. Frontline operational staff in Young Offender Institutions (YOIs) had significantly higher burnout levels than operational support staff, health staff, and non-disclosed staff, but their burnout profile did not significantly differ from residential, operational management, and education staff, according to the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI). Our findings indicate YOI frontline operational staff may be a particularly vulnerable group for whom workplace support is essential to reduce burnout rates, as are other frontline staff with a considerable amount of direct interaction with young people in secure settings, such as teachers and residential staff

Additional file 1 of Gender, marginalised groups, and young people’s mental health: a longitudinal analysis of trajectories

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