Characteristics of the Residents of In-Patient Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services in England and Wales

Abstract

This study describes the characteristics of the young people who use the full range of child and adolescent psychiatric in-patient units in England and Wales. Consultant psychiatrists or key workers were asked to complete a structured schedule about every resident on a census day – 19 October 1999. Schedules were returned from 71 of the 80 units in England and Wales, concerning 663 residents. Residents aged 13 or under had a wide range of diagnoses and more were male (58%). In contrast, two-thirds of residents aged 14–18 were categorized into one of three diagnostic groups – eating disorder, schizophrenia, delusional or psychotic disorders or mood disorders – and about two-thirds were female. In-patients had more severe problems than a group of young people using community services, particularly with hallucinations and delusions, emotional and related problems and problems of self-care and independence. The range of disorders treated by these units demonstrates the need for a range of specialist in-patient services to be available to children and adolescents in all regions.