One in four children referred to mental health services in Scotland have suicidal thoughts or behaviours, study suggests

Dr Lynne Gilmour led the study alongside colleagues from the Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professions Research Unit (NMAHP-RU) at the University of Stirling. She said: “In the UK, children who have attempted suicide or have suicidal ideation are referred to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services for assessment and treatment – however, little is known about the numbers referred for suicidality or the care they receive. This is of particular concern given CAMHS are under phenomenal pressure; staff are doing their utmost to provide timely and appropriate support, however, as our study shows, systems in place are not sufficient for the overall numbers being referred; some services are overwhelmed – and this has been further exacerbated by the pandemic.

“Our research sought to understand how the children referred for suicidality are processed, assessed and treated. Overall, we found that one in four referrals to CAMHS involved children who had either attempted suicide or had suicidal ideation – and 33% of those were under 12.

“We also identified a variation within and between health boards in terms of assessment, referral outcomes, and care pathways for these children – with most, in one area, not receiving a face-to-face assessment, let alone treatment or support. This highlights the often-missed yet vital opportunity for early intervention with very young suicidal children.”

Study

Using anonymised data, the research team examined referrals made – often by medical professionals, schools, or social workers – to two CAMHS sites situated in different parts of Scotland (sites A and B) between January and June 2019.

At site A, 104 of all 397 referrals (26%) to CAMHS were identified as being for suicidality, and 180 of 762 (24%) at site B. Around 40% of those referrals were for males and 60% for females, and ages spanned from five to 17. Researchers said that there was a “considerable difference” between the sites in terms of the numbers who were offered assessments and treatment, reflecting the structural differences between the teams. At site A, just 31% of children were offered a face-to-face assessment – which generally involves meeting a clinician who will conduct a risk assessment, safety planning exploration of family circumstances, and underlying issues. This compared to 82% at site B.

At site A, just 8% were offered treatment immediately, with 34.6% added to a waiting list and 57.6% of referrals rejected. In contrast, at site B – which had its own suicide and self-harm team – 66.1% were offered treatment, 20.5% were either added to waiting list or referred to another CAMHS service, and 13.3% were signposted or redirected.

“Having a dedicated team to respond to referrals for suicidality appears to support access to assessment and treatment,” the authors said.

Underlying issues identified by referrers were similar across both sites, including: domestic abuse, child abuse (physical, emotional, sexual, neglect), bullying, Autism Spectrum Disorders, and other mental health issues.

Novel

Dr Gilmour, who has presented the findings to the Scottish Government, added: “Our study highlights vast differences in how referrals for suicidality in children are processed and responded to. We found little difference in the issues being identified by referrers, the age range of children, and the behaviours they present; yet there were very different outcomes and pathways of care.

“The data presented here is novel and will provide a vital source of information for decision-makers and service providers in their consideration of service structures and allocation of resources. This is particularly important giving the growing number of referrals to CAMHS and the excessively long waiting times in many areas: it is vital that those identified as being at risk of suicide be provided with clear and consistent pathways of care at the earliest possible opportunity.”

The research is part of a wider study that is also exploring the experiences of children, parents and CAHMS staff. Dr Gilmour – co-Principal Investigator on the National Suicide Prevention Leadership Group’s Youth Advisory Group – is supported in the study by fellow NMAHP-RU colleagues Professor Margaret Maxwell, Professor Edward Duncan, and Dr Catherine Best. The paper, Characteristics and outcomes of referrals to CAMHS for children who are thinking about or attempted suicide: A retrospective cohort study in two Scottish CAMHS, is published in the Frontiers in Psychiatry journal.

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