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Background Children in the UK care system often face multiple disadvantages in terms of health, education and future employment. This is especially true of mental health where they present with greater mental health needs than other children. Although transition from care - the process of leaving the local authority as a child-in-care to independence - is a key juncture for young people, it is often experienced negatively with inconsistency in care and exacerbation of existing mental illness. Those receiving support from child and adolescent mental health services ( CAMHS), often experience an additional, concurrent transfer to adult services ( AMHS), which are guided by different service models which can create a care gap between services. Method This qualitative study explored care-leavers' experiences of mental illness, and transition in social care and mental health services. Twelve care-leavers with mental health needs were interviewed and data analysed using framework analysis. Results Sixteen individual themes were grouped into four superordinate themes: overarching attitudes towards the care journey, experience of social care, experience of mental health services and recommendations. Conclusions Existing social care and mental health teams can improve the care of care-leavers navigating multiple personal, practical and service transitions. Recommendations include effective Pathway Planning, multiagency coordination, and stating who is responsible for mental health care and its coordination. Participants asked that youth mental health services span the social care transition; and provide continuity of mental health provision when care-leavers are at risk of feeling abandoned and isolated, suffering deteriorating mental health and struggling to establish new relationships with professionals. Young people say that the key to successful transition and achieving independence is maintaining trust and support from services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Local Safeguarding Children Boards (LSCBs) were established under the Children Act 2004 and have responsibility for coordinating and ensuring the effectiveness of the work of partner bodies to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. Drawing on data from a Department for Children, Schools and Families and Department of Health-funded evaluation, the paper examines the development of LSCBs and the challenges and issues that have been encountered by Boards in implementing new arrangements. In doing so, the paper contributes to current debates about some of the limitations of New Labour's safeguarding reforms as a vehicle for improving outcomes for children and families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores whether the Human Rights Act 1998 has influenced the approach a range of professionals, including social workers, managers and children's guardians adopt when they examine and seek to balance the potentially competing rights of parents and children involved in care proceedings. Drawing on findings from an empirical study of the decision-making process that influences the life pathways of very young children in care, it also explores some of the dilemmas professionals face in their day-to-day practice and examines whether parental rights are prioritized over children's rights in certain instances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]