---

Young Offenders: Mental Health Services

Answer

NHS England has statutory responsibility for the direct commissioning of health services or facilities in the secure estate for children and young people, including for mental health services

Within this estate, the Framework for Integrated Care (SECURE STAIRS) allows for a trauma informed, collaborative approach to care, assessment and the planning of sentences and interventions, regardless of previous diagnosis. This includes input from mental health staff as well as from social care professionals, education professionals and the operational staff working on a day-to-day basis at the setting. 

It also seeks to ensure that staff have the right skills and support to care for the children and young people appropriately. NHS England has continued to support the implementation and sustainability of the framework in the estate, in partnership with Youth Custody Service and the Department for Education.

As well as this, intercollegiate healthcare standards for children and young people in secure settings were first published in 2013. These standards were developed to help improve the quality and consistency of healthcare available to children in secure settings and have been refreshed in 2023. The standards benchmark NHS England’s core outcome based service specifications, including a specific specification for mental health services, which was also refreshed in 2023.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

7657

Session

2023-24

Transferred

Yes

Subjects

Mental health services Young offenders Secure accommodation Secure training centres Young offender institutions

Link

View this Written question on www.parliament.uk