Recognising and addressing the trauma-related mental health needs of young people in care

Speaker: Professor Rachel Hiller

Clinical, Educational & Health Psychology, University College London.

Abstract

There are over 90,000 young people under local authority care across the UK. They have often experienced high rates of trauma or maltreatment, and other adversities. Once in care many are separated from siblings, and one-third will change placements each year (and thus, caregivers). The mental health outcomes for this group have been well-documented, with at least 50% meeting criteria for a diagnosable mental health condition, and high rates of comorbidities and risk common.

This talk will present a series of research projects conducted by the UCL Child Trauma and Recovery research group, which seeks to build a stronger evidence-base on the mental health needs of children and teens under local authority care, and care leavers. This includes longitudinal work on social and cognitive drivers of mental health, through to barriers and facilitators of the delivery of evidence-based mental health care across social-care and mental health sectors. The talk will primarily draw on our research that has focused on (complex) PTSD.