Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services: inpatient report

3. Method

Information was sought on patients meeting the following inclusion criteria:

1. Aged under 18 years

2. Diagnosis of learning disability and/or autism spectrum disorder

3. During years 2010 – 2014 (inclusive) had one or more of the following:

(a) An admission to a hospital facility of any kind for mental health/behavioural reasons.

(b) An admission to a non-hospital facility of any kind for mental health/behavioural reasons, where ideally a mental health inpatient admission was required.

(c) Remained at home/usual place of residence, where ideally a mental health inpatient admission was required.

Questionnaires were distributed to clinicians across Scotland and followed up with interviews (mostly by telephone) to fill in any gaps and gather qualitative information and opinion. Clinicians were asked to send on questionnaires to families of the children and young people affected. Families who responded were also offered interviews regarding their experiences by an independent family support service. Further details on methodology, including the questionnaire and interview crib sheets, are in the appendices (section A3).