ABSTRACT
Transitional care from child and adolescent-oriented services to adult settings is a major concern for mental health services in the United Kingdom. Young people between the ages of 16 and 18, a critical developmental stage underlined by biological and psychosocial changes, are expected to move to adult services. The transition to ‘emerging adulthood’ is a challenging period that overlaps with healthcare transitions. Young people in child and adolescent forensic mental health services experience multiple transitions across secure settings and inpatient services until they enter adult-oriented care. This group encounters difficulties including stigma because of the intersection of index offence, comorbid mental health problems, and neurodiversity. Young people in contact with secure services are more likely to present with attachment difficulties, Looked After Child (LAC) status, and trauma history, all of which hamper the letting go process. Perpetual changes in care teams are harmful and challenging for young people. Whilst the challenges in transitioning young people from secure services to other services have been identified by studies, and health providers stress the impact of inconsistency between practice and policy on care delivery issues, little has been done to address these problems.
