Key Findings

How to improve mental health services for young people with SEND: Perspectives from the SEND Youth Forum

by [email protected] | Nov 11, 2024 | Participation, Resources, Slough, Special Educational Needs and Disabilities SEND, Youth Activities, Youth Work

SEND Youth Forum Session: With special guest Assistant Psychologist Emily Batt from CAMHS

Young people are largely shaped by their experiences. At Together As One, we want to make this experience as positive as possible.

Once a month, the SEND Youth Forum sessions offer a space for young people with SEND to socialise, talk about their experiences and collaborate with professionals to make inclusive changes to the services they access and in the local community.

We recently welcomed a special guest, Emily Batt, an Assistant Psychologist from the Children and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS). We used this session to explore how CAMHS can better support young people with SEND by listening to their suggestions on what changes can be made to the service based on their lived experiences.

Listening to young people’s voices presents an important opportunity for them to be involved in the local community and decision-making at CAMHS East Berkshire.

The young people discussed potential accommodations in different areas within CAMHS looking at four core questions:

• What would be helpful to know before an appointment?
• What would “connection before correction” look like?
• What would be warm and welcoming?
• What would it look like to end on a high note?

What would be helpful to know before an appointment?

The young people previously shared that it would be important to understand who they are working with, through the use of a staff biography document. This can make the experience less daunting and less anxiety-inducing. It also humanises the clinician and can provide a source of common ground and curiosity to help build a rapport before the initial appointment.

For similar reasons, the young people highlighted that it would be helpful to know what they can expect throughout the CAMHS process. Although this will look different for each client, there could be some uniform experiences most service users can expect.

This information can be shared through a social story (story or timeline through images/ animation). This could be sent out before an appointment or made into a poster displayed in the waiting room. Additionally, a video tour of the rooms would further help to put clients at ease (which is currently in progress). The video link can be sent out via a link or a QR code on the appointment letter.

These accommodations can be helpful to young people with SEND (but are also beneficial to any child) because change, new people and unfamiliar environments can be distressing and anxiety-inducing. These suggestions help the clients familiarise themselves with the practitioner and environment before the appointment, hopefully helping the young person to prepare for their journey with CAMHS.

The group also shared that they would be interested to know the nature of the questions that would be asked. Similar to the previous point, this can help the service users prepare as they will understand that there is an expectation to be open and vulnerable. Providing this information beforehand can encourage a young person to reflect on their emotions and experiences, to understand what they may want and/or need to share with the practitioner.  This can be helpful because some young people with SEND experience challenges in recognising and identifying their own emotions.

Additionally, having the extra time to prepare can be helpful to young people who may experience a processing delay with their condition. Some experience difficulty identifying and relaying information accurately during the session, so the preparation time can encourage them to feel more prepared for the appointment. They can even bring notes or drawings to talk through.

Furthermore, some people with alexithymia have difficulty identifying, labelling, and expressing their own emotions. This is found in 49.93% of people with ASD compared to 4.89% of the neurotypical population. This can result in someone depending on their body sensations to approximate how they feel. However, the young person would have to already understand the link between certain body sensations and specific emotions otherwise this could be challenging.

A parent shared a simple example of their child with ASD who did not like being greeted with “How are you?” as they were typically unsure of how they felt, making it a difficult question to answer. The alternative greeting “It’s good to see you today” was used instead and images were used to talk through emotions.

Finally, the young people said it would be beneficial to know if there is the option to have a break or pause the session – particularly if they are feeling overwhelmed or overstimulated.

What would “connection before correction” look like?

‘Connection before correction’ is a term taken from educational settings that emphasises the importance of attempting to build a rapport with the child or young person before attempting to challenge and/or change their behaviour.

When asked about what can help create a connection and rapport, the young people highlighted that sharing likes and dislikes could be helpful to see if there were any similarities between the young person and the clinician. They suggested drawing or colouring could help them feel more comfortable and open. Also, the use of games, such as a quick “get to know you” game, including questions or statements or an ice breaker can be played at the start of the session to help build a connection in a fun and lighthearted way.

What would be warm and welcoming?

The group were asked what a warm and welcoming environment may look like at a CAMHS appointment. The young people suggested a nice-looking room would include soft pillows and plush toys. They also suggested artwork with scenes of animals, nature, waterfalls and meadows.

One young person suggested displaying positive statistics on the walls of the waiting room such as “X amount of young people that experience X recover.” Positive quotes were also suggested which could be taken from adults or teenagers who have experienced challenges with their mental health and came out of the other side. These positive reminders could inspire hope in the clients.

What would it look like to end on a high note?

The SEND Youth Forum highlighted that ending on a high is important because the young person will leave and be willing to come back after having a positive experience. Finishing the session on a high note can look like ending with a quick game such as a sliding puzzle, Spot the Difference or a mindfulness activity such as listening to calming music. Most importantly, the client should be relatively positive leaving the appointment.

Additional SEND Forum suggestions

Following a discussion, the young people agreed they would appreciate a poster showing a social story or a ‘what you can expect’ board in the waiting room so they feel prepared for their session.

The young people additionally agreed that a ‘Where’s Wally?’ or spot the difference style poster could help distract them or give them a fun way to occupy themselves whilst waiting for their appointment. It would also bring colour to the waiting room.

The SEND Youth Forum agreed that access to something tactile such as a sensory toy, fidget toy, colouring or puzzle would reduce the pressure to maintain eye contact. This can be difficult for many young people with SEND, particularly those with ASD, especially when talking about emotions. Removing the expectation for eye contact can make the young person less anxious and more comfortable expressing themselves.

Additionally, for many young people with SEND having an extra source of sensory input can be extremely calming and keep them focused on the discussion at hand, particularly young people with ADHD.

If you are interested in learning more about the lived experiences of young people with SEND in Slough, get in touch with Jovi Armotrading at 07709525687 or [email protected] .