How to avoid mental health admissions to an inpatient unit for young people with autism and or a learning disability.
Ask yourself these questions:
- how are you?
- how are you feeling?
- how are things at school, college, uni or work?
- how are things at home?
What you can do if things start to change
You can:
- speak to someone
- speak to your school, college or uni
- try to make time for yourself. This can be something simple like reading a chapter of a book over a cup of coffee
What else you can have in place
You could:
- arrange an annual health check. Young people aged 14 and over with a learning disability are identified on the GP Learning Disability Register and should have a health check every year
- make sure you have a care and communication passport for your child or young person
- make sure your child's transition planning is being discussed ahead of time
- work on a special educational needs (SEN) support plan or an education, health and care plan (EHCP) for your child or young person
Ask yourself these questions:
- how are you?
- how are you feeling?
- how are things at school, college, uni or work?
- how are things at home?
What you can do if things change
You can:
- talk to someone
- speak to your child's school, college or uni
- contact social care for a possible assessment
What else you can have in place
You can speak to your health coordinator who can explore or identify:
- physical health difficulties
- mental health and wellbeing difficulties
- changes in sensory profile or environmental factors
- any medication you might need or you are taking, and review it (where appropriate)
- issues that mean they contact the dynamic support register coordinator to provide greater support and monitoring
- changes to the physical or sensory environment or changes to routine increased in positive activities
- to make sure multi-agency or multi-professionals meet with the education, health and care leads to make sure all reasonable adjustments are made
Ask yourself these questions:
- how are you?
- are you finding ways of coping?
- are you talking to someone?
What you can do if things change
If things change you can:
What else you can have in place
You can also:
- request a Community Care Education and Treatment Review (CETR). Ask your child or young person's lead health professional about a CETR if you do not already have one arranged
- make sure your child or young person is identified or monitored through the dynamic support register
- find out if your child can be allocated a learning disability and autism key worker, depending on the current pilot roll-out
- think about short breaks (also sometimes called respite) for your child or young person
It's really important to look after yourself.
You're not along and there is help and support out there if you need it.
You can find help from these organisations:
- Mental Health Foundation
- National Autistic Society has an inpatient mental health service and online resources
Make sure you speak to someone and that you give time to yourself.
Get in touch with support services to make them aware of your and your child's wishes.
Speak to someone who understands your legal rights
What else you can do
You can request:
- an urgent Care, Education and Treatment Review (CETR)
- or an emergency meeting sometimes called a Local Area Emergency Protocol (LAEP) meeting
- or blue light meeting from either your CAMHS or health lead
You can also:
- access support from your local CAMHS crisis team
- think about using short breaks (sometimes called respite)
- call 999 if someone's at risk
Sometimes the treatment in the community is not enough for your child and they need to be admitted to a general acute unit (GAU) or a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) inpatient unit. They can be admitted on:
- an informal (voluntary) basis
- or formally, where they are sectioned
You need to consider a mental health admission for your child when:
- they are unsafe at home
- they are at risk to themselves and or to others
- they are under the care of a psychiatrist and or therapist but they're still not stabilising
- you cannot manage their symptoms at home
- even working with professionals you still cannot find the right medication or dosing
- you and your family members are living in fear
- your child expresses thoughts of suicide or is planning a suicide attempt
It's important to remember that this is not your fault and you need a support mechanism to support you.
Make sure that there's been a CETR to plan your child's admission. There should be a clear reason why your child needs to be admitted. The care plan that follows the CETR should state the expected discharge date.
If you have parental responsibility you have a central role in relation to decisions about the admission and treatment of your child. It's important that the person who proposes the admission identifies who has parental responsibility.
Information you need to look at
These are resources that could help you:
- Mental Capacity Act 1983 - Chapter 19
- Article 25 of the United Nations Conventions on the rights of the child
- find out about advocacy for you and your child to make sure your wishes and your child's are heard
What you can do if it does not all go to plan
If you feel you have not been supported or have not received anything we've listed:
- contact your ICS or NHS Dorset. This is where your health services are commissioned. Contact the Dorset Parent Carer Forum for help with this
- contact your local Healthwatch
- contact the Dorset Parent Carer Council (DPCC)